The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-29
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
YEATS OF THESE RECKLESS PACIFIC
OCEAN ISLANDERS.

they Are About the Most DARING Of
All Underwater w0rkeFs Paraly-
sis. Sharks and sting Ray Arc
Among tho Dangers They Brave.
Three native divers famous for their
deep water feats came out in a pearl
ing sloop with US one afternoon and
gave a fine exhibition. says a writer
in the London Graphic. The bed over
which we halted was about ninety feet
under the surface. Our three divers
stripped to a ''pareo'' apiece, and then,
squatting down on the gunwale of the
boat. with their hands hanging over
their knees. appeared to mediate.
They were taking their wind" the
white steersman Informed me.
After about five minutes of perfect
stiffness they suddenly got up and
dived OF the thwart. The rest Of us
fidgeted up and down the tiny deck,
talked. specialized and passed away
the time for what seemed an extraor-
dinarily long period. No one. unfor-
tunately, had brought a watch, but the
traders and schooner captains all agree
in saying that the Penrhyn diver can
stay under water for full three min
utes. At last, one after another. the
dark heads popped up again. and the
divers. each carrying a shell or two.
swan back to the boat. got on board
and presented their catch to me with
the ease, grace and high bred courtesy
that are the birthright Of all Pacific Is
landers.
As a general rule, the divers carry
baskets and I'LL them before coming
up. Each man opens his own catch at
once and hunts through the shells for
pearls. Usually he does not ind any.
Now and then he gets q small gray
pearl or a decent white one or a big.
irregular 'baroque" pearl of the new
art" variety. and once in a month Of
Sundays he is rewarded by a large.
cleaning gem worth several hundred
pounds, for which he will probably
get EGO or ESQ.
Diving dresses are sometimes used
in Penrhyn. but In such an irregular
and risky manner that they are really
more dangerous than the ordinary
method. The suit il nothing but a
helmet and Jumper. No boots are
worn, no clothing whatever on the
legs. and there are no weights to pre-
serve the divers balance. 1t some
times happens. though wonderfully
seldom. that the diver trips, falls and
turns upside down. the heavy helmet
keeping him head downward until the
air all rushes out under the jumper.
and he Is miserably sunocated. The
air pump above II often carelessly
worked. in any case. and there is no
recognized system Of signals except
the jerks that mean Pull up"
They're the most reckless devils on
the face Of the EARTH" said a local
trader. "Once let q man strike a good
bed Of shell. and he won't leave it.
He'll stick down there all day. grab
bling away in twenty fathoms or more
till he feels paralysis coming on
"ParalysisT
"Yesthey get 1t. lots Of 'em. II
you was to 90 down In twenty faith
oms-they can do Eve and twenty, but
anything over Is touch and go-and
stay 'aH the day. you'd come up owl
ing Ike anything and not able to move
That's the way 1t catches them. and
then they must get some one to come
and rub them with sea water all night
long. and maybe they dies. and maybe
they're an hight BY morning. 30 then
down they eoee again. Just The same