Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 129 



monly known, it will not be improper to defcribe it 

 here. 



The owners of the Negroes employ the raofl: proper 

 perfons for this fiihery ; which being performed at 

 the bottom of the fea, they muit be expert iwimmers, 

 and capable of holding their breath a long time. 

 Thefe they (end to the iflands, where they have huts 

 built for their lodgings, and boats which hold eight, 

 ten, or twenty Negroes, under the command of an 

 officer. In thefe boats they go to fuch parts as are 

 known to produce pearls, and where the depth of 

 water is not above ten, twelve, or fifteen fathom. 

 Here they anchor; and the Negroes having a rope 

 fafiened round their bodies, and the other end to the 

 lide of the boat, they take with them a fmall weight, 

 to accelerate their finking, aiid plunge into the water. 

 On reaching the bottom, they take up an oyiler^ 

 which they put under the left arm ; the fecond they 

 hold in their left hand, and the third in their right: 

 with thefe three oyfiers, and lometimcs another in 

 their mouth, they rife to breathe, and put them in 

 a bag. When they have rcfied themielves awhile, 

 and recovered their breath, they dive a fecond time ; 

 and thus continue, till they have either completed 

 their talk, or their ftrength falls them. Every one 

 of thete Negro divers is o])liged daily to deliver 

 to his mailer a fixed number of pearls; fo that 

 when they have got the requiiile number of oyfiers 

 in their bag, they begin to open them, and deliver 

 the pearls to the officer, till they have made up 

 the number due to their matter; and if the pearl 

 be but formed, it is futficient, witliout any regard 

 to its being Imall or faulty. The remainder, how- 

 ever large or beautiful, are the Negro's own pro- 

 perty, nor has the mailer the leatl claim to them ; 

 the ilavcs being allowed to fell them to whom they 

 pleafc, though the mafier generally purchales them 

 at a very fmall price. 



^ -..L K Thesi' 



