The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-10-13

.4orastine story Of the pearl
aa Al ind iudustry, its unique features,
rng lie i and it's profits, is told by
peru p,i W. Harrison, medical mis-
+ fau' ' heated at Bahrein, in the
'laay mary cuff, who is now in the Unit
'islut states on furlough. DR.. Harrl-
loss sas'c Of the most interesting in
'uas lS,ss to to be seen in the East is that
lslieSl srl diving. Practically all the
.p's pI in our market come from the
saiio ;on Gulf, and the Island OF Ba-
% ~ is the center OF the industry.
sl ia y Jewels, so highly prlzed as ar
s'' .' of adornment, are secured by
~. ss which is exhausting ana Danger
o'i ond which costs many lives an
aus, aassch wear something like hun
= I@ @tnousand Arabs work Tor four
~ su+hs w at pearl-diving. The work Is
mn sr' wnen the water is so cold that
'sDv l Of the divers spit blood 1or the
' a. two weeks Of the work. IL is
nv sios W. on with no intermission for
NJ M months, and stops only when the
s+sr becomes prohlbitlvely cold at
|" Wv and OF summer. 10 regard the
sns as essentially inferior IN intel
rence or endurance is great mis-
"Srom sunrise to sunset, the divers
ork They live In little boats which
I'nmmodate @ from twenty to fifty,
/ NJ r0r three weeks Or month do not
rsn set foot on land. When they do
t,ma into harbor, it is only for a re-
(rte of a day or a few days, to Sc
tre a fresh stock Of provisions and
kaer. The work is OF the most ex-
lsnstng character. The divers fire.
[sertly average a dive every five min
hes Or ottener, going at times to
|re depth Of ninety feet. A depth OF
|eventy-fve feet is not at all uneom-
bon. ., :,
sharks are frequently encountered,
! nd add largely to the peril of the
fsde. The divers, however, acquire
reat skill in lighting sharks and are
[slaliy victorious.
mo apparatus whatever is used,
Ind practlcally no clothing is worn.
1 little basket is fastened around
Ne neck to hold the shells, and some
(hpg resembling a clothes-pin is put
N the nose. The effort of European
(spitalists to introduce dredges and
living bells has been frustrated by
Ehe British government, which main
Eins a sort of unofficial protectorate
(wr these waters.
THE first task in the morning is the
(penlng of the shells procured the day
before, which stand in large heap
bn the deck of the boat. Each man
! given his share, and it is an inter-
sting sight to see them skillfully
Ipenlng the shells, each eagerly in
|ent on the discovery of a pearl. The
Iearls as found are wiped off and
Elaced on the big toe of the diver.
Rhen there are several small pe;.rls
Etack in row on his big toe, the diver
gathers them up and takes them to
be captain for safekeeping.
When the season is over the pearls
be sold. After paying all expenses,
Lcluding taxes on the industry, and
Tenty per cent to the owner of the
Oat, the divers in each boat share
be profits equally, which socialistic
|rrangement seems to work very well.
b good season diver may make
! much as one hundred and fifty
lolIarS, which is looked on as great
Fealth in that country.
Often, however, he pays for his
gahS with his health. Ruined lungs,
tned ears, badly infected fingers, a
|ead deal Of scurvy, are some Of the
DISEASES that commonly follow this
Pork. The medical missionary is the
anily physician of the pearl diver,
'ad it is tc the mission hospital that
Z goes after the seasons work to be
'atched up as we'll as may be for the
.eSt years labor. 1t is needless to
ay that, along with medical ministra-
ION, he is given the Gospel in its