THE MILK POND OYSTERS. 69 



desired that his Kfe might be spared, and even, it is 

 said, offered a bribe of £5,000 to effect his escape ; 

 but these attempts to restore to American society so 

 bright an ornament were happily in vain, and the 

 Milk Pond assassin died the death which he so 

 richly merited. 



The pearl fishery is an industry of some import- 

 ance in the Gulf of Mexico, where it opens in the 

 month of February and closes in April. During 

 the season, the boats start in the evening before 

 the breeze, so as to arrive on the banks of Key 

 West Island, and the other Florida banks, about 

 sunrise. As soon as day appears, the divers begin 

 their work, and the fishing lasts until mid-day, 

 when the breeze softens, changes, and blows land- 

 wards, and everybody starts off to return to the 

 mainland as fast as oars and sails will carry them. 

 Directly they arrive in port, the cargoes of oysters 

 are landed without loss of time, to enable the boats 

 to return to the oyster-grounds as soon as possible. 

 Each of these pearl-fishery boats is manned by a 

 crew of twenty-one men ; viz., the captain, ten 

 rowers, and ten divers. 



When they arrive upon the oyster- grounds, the 

 divers are divided into two companies of five men 

 each, who dive and rest alternately. Habituated to 

 this kind of work from their infancy, they will dive 

 to a depth of fifteen yards, taking with them a 

 large stone to help them down. This is of pyra- 



