394 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



can bring up shell (if put to it) out of 20 fathoms. It 

 requires some extra inducement to get them down that 

 depth, and of course they cannot stick long at it ; but 

 Penrhyn islanders, Paomotans, or Rapa men, can do it if 

 they like. Where shells are found at that depth, they are 

 of enormous size, as much as 18 inches in diameter, so 

 that a pair, when opened out by the hinge, will measure a 

 yard across. This work of pearl-diving is very hard, and 

 the heat of the sun, aggravated by its radiation from the 

 still water of the lagoons, is frightful. The divers rub their 

 bodies with oil, otherwise their bronzed skin would peel off 

 in huge blisters. 



On many islands women are more skilful at this work 

 than men, as, being accustomed from early life to supply 

 cockles and clams to the lords of the creation, they are the 

 better divers. They are paid in cloth i.e., cotton print 

 tobacco, hardware, and ornaments, such as earrings, beads, 

 dyed feathers, etc., and other articles of small trade too 

 various to enumerate, the rates of payment not being by 

 any means alike upon different islands, as also the articles 

 of barter most greedily sought after in some fisheries not 

 being in demand upon others, which necessitates a trading 

 agent to have some previous knowledge of the various 

 localities where the shell is obtainable, and of the especial 

 likings of the natives, in order to drive a successful traffic. 



Many old fisheries out of which great profit has been 

 made (such as Tukau, from whence Messrs. Hort Brothers, in 

 18 56-5 7, obtained, in less than 12 months, 120 tons of shell, 

 with 1 5 Paomotu divers, and the help of the wives which they 

 took to themselves upon the ground) are now supposed to 

 be exhausted, or (as in the case of Mangarongaro, where 

 there has been for some time back an outcry about small 

 shell) so far depreciated by constant fishing, and not giving 



