100 THE WEALTH OF THE SEA 



lasts, and places them in the net at his waist, and 

 then swims rapidly to the surface. 



In Indian, Egyptian, and Arabian waters, many 

 divers use heavy stones to pull them to the bottom. 

 These divers have an attendant called a manduck. 

 The manduch suspends a stone weighing forty or 

 fifty pounds from the boat by means of a rope. The 

 diver then drops into the water feet first, places his 

 foot in the line over the stone, takes the net basket 

 and a second rope in his hand, releases the line, and 

 sinks to the bottom. Loosening his foot, he searches 

 for pearl shells, while his attendant pulls up the 

 stone and adjusts it for the next dive. The diver 

 places the shells in the basket attached to the line 

 from the boat. When he is ready to return, he signals 

 his attendant and, holding on to the line fastened 

 to the basket, is drawn to the surface by the manducJc. 



The Polynesians are said to be the most expert of 

 all the naked divers. Whole families engage in the 

 search for pearls ; the boys and girls and women are 

 almost as expert as the men. These divers hang in 

 the water by one hand, grasping the gunwale of the 

 boat while they examine the bottom for oysters 

 through a glass, which they hold below the surface 

 with the other hand. When shells are seen, the glass 

 is put into the boat, the lungs are filled several times, 

 and the air is slowly expelled. Then the diver takes 

 a deep breath, and sinks a few feet below the surface, 

 turns quickly, and swims head first to the bottom, 

 where he collects as many shells as possible. When 

 he can stay under no longer, he straightens himself 

 and shoots to the surface with astonishing speed. 



