Year: 1859

- SATURD4
waters Of the gulf retain their warmth and trans.
parence, he never reinquishes the thought, but in
bis drunken orgies boasts Of the wealth which he
shall yet bring up from the depths OF the sea.


May is the month when the fishers first cast their
tents upon the beach, The winds from the Straits Of
Behrng have ceased to chill the water, and the calm,
warm breezes Of the southeast come up to refresh
the atmosphere. The gulf is tepd and tranquil In
the wide and beautiful bay Of La Paz, and amongst
that Gordon of mutifarious islands which form its
triple entrance, everything is quiet and lovely and
particularly In the afternoons when the soft Coro
NAL blows from the south with balm and refresh
ment upon its breath. The mornings are calm, and
then the divers out observing, for in the still and
clear water their practced eyes can explore the very
depths Of the sea- discovering here and there the rich
treasures spread out beneath them. The shells
cluster together, sometimes they are broken and
sometimes the very pearls themselves cast loose are
seen resting upon waving masses Of green sea moss
like stars set in dark blue sky. -


At sunrise the fishers are away for the diving
grounds under the supervision of the governor.
Each boat carries from three to five persons, usually
three divers and two rowers, or one rover and two
Divers A cloth or rag of any kind barely sufficient
to cover his shame is all the Indian when he
first ventures into the water. The task is usually
commenced by preparatory bath, which equalizes
the temperature Of the blood with that Of the water,
and this first step is converted into play, in which
all manner Of exploits performed, noisy exclama-
tions, boisterous laughter, and the most ndecorous
conversations are heard in the Yaqui dialect. The
scene is full Of animation they cleave the water in
every direction with their long and unduating forms,
their skins almost ustrous under the water and their
wavy, lousy, jetblack hair streaming behind them
| like horses.


The bath over, each one goes to his task. Stand.
ing upon the PROV poop Of the light canoe or per
haps on the central seat the diver draws himself up
throws himself forward and inhaling long respira-
tion he watches for the precious deposit which bis
eye located in the morning His gaze once fixed, be
precipitates himself into the water describing an OBJ


ique direction to the bottom, which he reaches if it
is very deep, with four or five movements Of his
arms and legs. The work OF gathering the shells ia
quickly done, by picking them up and deposting
them between the left arm and stomach Fifty Sec
onds minute are devoted to the task after which
the breath swels for utterance the diver obeys the


instinct of life, and raising his head to observe the
position of the boat he strikes his feet to the earth


and quickly rises to the surface generally close to the
boat His features are swollen from long.suspended
respiration, and his eyes are blood shot from The
strain of the water upon their delicate nerves.
long whistle Of satisfaction be emerges from the
water, and then he gives his load on board. The
shells of each diver are made into separate pile
which are not disturbed until the boat lands.


1t is curious and interesting spectacle, then, th


first sight Of feet of shers boats stationed at dis
tance of from three to five hundred yards from th
shore, off the coast Of of the islands and thi
interest is heightened when it is known to what dan
gers the fishers exposed in their arduous and un
certain search for wealth amidst the depths ant
dangers of the sea. This clear and reflective expans
of water, without q wrinkle upon its surface, lowell


and peaceful looks yet contains in its bosom th
most terrible monsters, who come without warning
and destroy without mercy. These terrible enemie
whose presence sometimes spreads panic through


the hardest, are the tintorera, the shark and tn
manta'raya, but happily, the catastrophies recorde


of them are as as they are horrible.


The first mentioned is the most powerful and &C


tive, but it is also the scarcest. 1t is seldom
and therefore unnecessary to be described. Th
shark is the most common and the most dreaded
His coming is steathy, his attack 80 swift, tina
when once his long and arrowy form is seen poise
above the unfortunate diver, nothing but the mos
perfect presence of mind can save the man. Th
shark usually watches until the diver has precpate
himself into the water, when he slowly places himse
in midwater, just between the victim and the boa
I The men in the boat see him come, but the diver


ignorant until raising his head to rise to the surface
he sees this dreadful death between himself and th
upper air. If be rises unthoughtedIy, it is but !


enter that grave of teeth but if his wits do not d.


sert him. there is yet chance Of safety. He at onc


in the latter case, drops his load of Shells and akin
< a large one, dsturbs the bottom violently, until
rises in turbd volume to the surface In the mear


time the men in the boat make all manner of noises
striking on the water with their paddles and STAMP
+ ing upon the boat with their feet, to distract the al
? tenton of the monster. Taking advantage of th
Q troubled water and the confusion of the shark th
. diver quickly ascends and is promptly lifted into th
= boat. The work of fishing is concluded for that da,
The manta'raya somewhat resembles the electric ee


except that it is much larger, sometimes bein
formed of such capacity that man might be enfolde
i in its side. They first strike the diver with the
J. tails, which paralizes him, when they commenc
: sucking his blood, from which circumstance they al
called the vampires of the sea. They are also yer


scarce.


n At noon, the Divers task is finished The flee


steers for the Shore where the boats are soon
aud the whole party repair to the barracks to Dime
An hour is whied away, and then the boats are vi
# loaded, the shells separated and distribution mad
8 of those belonging to the empresarios and those
t the employee.


g The fishery of La Paz extends from the Cape


Fulmo to the canal of San Jose and the fleets of th
various empresaros are stationed along the coast
the various bays, agoons creeks, and in fact ever


where that the explorers have discovered beds of pea
e oysters. These beds liable to be moved by tt
1t tides and the great winds which sometimes roll th
D. waves in certain directions ); and this probably a.
e counts for the wretched and unstable character


the habitations in which these people live. Fac
empresario erects kind of barracks for the occup
lie on of his divers, but they have to be taken dow
r just as the fishing grounds change Such barracl
are only put up in the fraest fashion, to keep off Il
% dampness and the sunshine. They are usually Co
structed of dry branches, but low that persc
y entering them must bend himself almost doubl
is Others are simply covered, being left open on
sides to the four winds. The house of the govern
or boss is somewhat SUPERIOR being usually anks
at by dry and untanned oxhdes to protect not only
Or Official dignity, but the stores Of dry beef, ham
10 etc., stored away within it. 1t is usually urpsh
u with pair of pistols, sword, dagger, and som