The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-05
The Pearl Fisheries
OF North Australia

In the top left-hand corner Of Aus
tralia. ignored by all but the most con
scientiOus Of maps. more remote from
the center Of the empire than any other
part of It, lies the little township of
BrOOme. the metropolis Of modern pearl
Z fishing A tiny segregation of iron and
wooden one-storied houses dotted in the
sand at irregular intervals, like currants
in a cake, the place Itself has no pre-
tension TO distinction except in a good
deal more than its fair share Of heat
records. Its sole excuse for swelteriug
existence is that It is the supply sta
ton for the pearlcrs, and their only
means OF communication with the dis
tant civilized world. whose nearest rail-
way Is a thousand miles away, and
, whose nearest port means ten Gays
steady steaming.
Though by no means unhealthy, the
climate Is so hot that white crews are
unobtainable TO work the 800 fishing
boats. and ii is significant Of the i'm
portance Of the industry that the Aus
tralan government permits, in this
part alone of the great continent the
importation OF mdentured colored labor
Some l,500 colored men are constantly
employed. shipped at Singapore, and
signed on under the ordinary merchant
VIZ uANoi 0ACCJL lldl LOT eacl man
the pearier must enter into a bond of
AlO0 10 guarantee that he does not es-
cape 10 any other part of the stare
curious medley Of races is the result
South Sea Islanders. and even a few Of
the native aboriginals working together
more or less harmoniously.
me older method Of raising the pearl
oysters. still followed in Cevlon ana
the Persian Gulf. is familiar from recoI-
iecuOns or the nursery geography book
and is simply the sO-called .'naked
diving the diver sinking to the Dor
tom win the aid Of heavy stone. and
remaining below as long as his breath
viii hold out Where the shell lies in
swallow water and native labor is
abundA- and cheap this, system an
sWers We'll Bat out In the nor west
neither OF these conditions prevails
Greater skin and intelligence must be
brought into play to win satisfactory
results in waters of fifteen, twenty. and
even thirty fathoms. The very latest
improvements in diving dresses and
gear must nowadays be employed ana
il is curious TO observe how readily
the colored men, and particularly the
Japanese, adapt their understanding to
the complication of valves which con
stitute an air pImp.
The typical fishing boat is a ten or
'yelve ton. twO-masted. schOO1er-rig-
sea 'luSSer carrying crew of -four
IS well as the diver and his tender
and where a number of these boats are
Of the same ownership a schooner Of
% or l5O tons is provided as a floating
station and base of supplies for them.
And very pretty sight IL 8 TO see
twenty or SO boats working 4 patch of
shell arouna the schooner lying at
anchor in the midst OF them. Ike a hen
among her chickens. Work commences
little before daybreak. and while the
diver s being accOutered the crew i
busy heaving up Tides are strong on
this part of the coast. and the diver
below. must walk with or across them:
the boat must drift as well, and in or
der to prevent her drifting too fast. a
stOckless anchor is lowered to act as a
drag. and the sails are hoisted as oc-
cas- on demands
A good deal Of skill is required 70 give
the diver the best chance Of finding tie
shell. unhampered by a strain upon his
life line or air pipe. but, aided by IN in
tire ate arrangement OF Sienals. The ten
dar is usually more than equal to the