The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-05-10
-Z2ZEsREARLEEJ LOOK
LLtE Z2IR4ULA-Z CRETNJ

walls OF five or six minutes The best
divers are careful TO dry their bodies thorough
lv after each descent and 10 take sufficient
rest Between dives they often smoke a pipe
or cigarette sometimes while in the water just
preparatory to a dive.
The divers have learned by experience that
they may increase the length of their sub
mergence by making "A number of deep, forced
respiratory efforts before taking the plunge
Most exaggerated stories have been told and
are still current regarding the length Of time
the divers can remain under water.
The Arab divers wear nose-clasps Of flexible
horn attached TO a cord around their neck
while the divers of other races simply com
press their nostrils by hand during the de
scent. This practice can hardly make any diff
ference in efficiency, and we must conclude
that the expertness Of the Arabs depends on
an aptitude born Of long experience.
Their usual time below the surface Is 60 &c
IS seconds the normal maximum not exceed
ing 90 seconds. while the Tamil and Moormeu
divers range from 80 to so or GO seconds, de
pending on the depth. There is we'll authen.
ticated case in 1887 of an Arab who remained
under for 109 seconds in water fathoms deep
Under the arrangement that has prevailed
for many years. the divers are allowed to re
tain onethird OF their catch to dispose Of as
they please. The government retains the re
mainder and sells II at auction.
It is a very difficult matter to extract the
pearls from perfectly fresh oysters either by
sight or by touch. or by both combined; conse
quently it has long been the practice to allow
the decomposition Of the soft parts before the
search for the pearls is begun.
The oysters are piled into dugout canoes
and covered with mating or else set aside IL
coarse sacks for 7 10 10 days. Bacterial putre
faction is supplemented by the work Of blow
flies and their larvae. and at the end OF the
period stated the disintegration decomposi
ton and digestion of the oysters have pro
gressed so far that there is little left but
pearls shells slime and foreign matter adher
ing to the shells. together with a large volume
Of maggots The first step I'm the cleanina
process is the flooding of the canoe to the
brim; then the naked natives, ranged on eth
er side Of the vessel. remove the shells wash
Ing and rinsng them and removing any detri
tus in which a pearl may lodge
Eternal vigilance must be exercised by the
owners TO prevent the theft Of pearls. and one
OF the precautions taken is TO forbid the wash
ers to remove their hands from the water ex
cept to drop at their feet the cleansed shells
The shells having been removed the canoe
is filled with water again and again. and the
curry is kneaded and stirred In order that the
lighter filth may be foated off The water IS
finally decanted and the heavier debris con
tanning the pearls is removed with scrupulous
cars and wrapped in cotton cloth, undergoing
a preliminary search for. the largest pearls and
numerous subsequent examinations In the
course Of drying.
The dried matter is then sifted and sorted and
gone over again and again; and then when Il
would appear that even the dust pearls must
all have been extracted the debris passes for
a final search into the hands OF women and
children. whose sharp eyes and delicate touch
enable them 10 discover an amazingly large
quantity OF small pearls The material then
remaining is offered for sale and always finds
ready buyers
The most productive fishery In the recorded
history Of Ceylon was held in 1905. Three
hundred and eighteen vessels participated, and
during the season that extended from February
20 10 April 81 over S1.O00.000 pearl oysters
were landed whereas the best previous hsh
cry. in 1891. yielded only 44O000OO On a nun
Der OF days over 100000 oysters we're OF
taned. and one day when s 5.0O5 600 were tsk
en-. record was established that my ueve
again be equalled