68 THE KINGDOM OF THE HELMET 



As we have done, you can begin to devise all sorts of 

 new apparatus. You wish to make notes, so get sheet zinc 

 or pads of waterproof paper, find a comfortable block of 

 coral and write as easily as if you were sitting in the boat. 

 Be sure to tie your pencil tightly around, for otherwise 

 the wood will separate and float to the surface, while the 

 core of lead sinks to the bottom, to be nibbled at excitedly 

 by small fry. 



Motion pictures can be taken, down to twenty or 

 twenty-five feet, by placing the camera in a tight brass 

 box with a bit of glass in front. If you wish to paint, 

 weight your easel with lead, waterproof your canvas or 

 skin, and sit down with your palette of oils. You will 

 have to brush away small fish from time to time, for 

 some of the paints give forth an alluring odor and your 

 palette will sometimes be covered with a hungry school of 

 inchlings. 



If you take your seat In the midst of a coral reef you 

 may be attacked — not by giant octopi or barracudas or 

 sharks — don't give them a thought — but you may feel a 

 faint nip or a push at your elbow and there is a little fish — 

 a demoiselle shorter than your thumb, all azure and gold, 

 furiously butting at you. Her home is near by and in its 

 defense she fears nothing which swims, crawls, or dives. 

 Soon she will accept you as a harmless new kind of sea 

 creature, and off she goes to drive away an approaching 

 snapper or surgeonfish. 



If your tastes incline to sport, invent submarine sling- 



