PEARL FISHING AND ' BEACHCOMBERS: 245 



founded suspicion against the innocent victim of a servant's 

 negligence. 



This worthy died what may be called a natural death, as he 

 was, very deservedly perhaps, knocked on the head by an 

 officer he had brutally ill-treated. The gossip of the Pacific 

 credits him with many murders, especially of women. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



PEARL FISHING AND 'BEACHCOMBERS.' 



THERE can be no doubt that if the innumerable low coral 

 islands scattered all over the face of the South Sea, and only 

 occasionally visited by chance traders, were in the Eastern 

 Hemisphere instead of the Pacific, they would long ago have 

 had their great intrinsic value turned to profitable account by 

 the commercial races of the world. One has only to reflect 011 

 the endless disputes between the great Powers interested in 

 the coral banks of Messina, the amber dredging-grounds of 

 the Baltic Coast, or the cod-fisheries of Newfoundland, and 

 then to consider the unheeded wealth of Polynesia, to gauge 

 the indifference with which the world regards it even now. 



No exploring parties are required, the exploration has been 

 accomplished over and over again. The question is, who in 

 the future shall benefit by it ? In this regard I do not intend 

 to refer to the countless products I have mentioned in speak- 

 ing of Fiji, Samoa, or Tonga. I deal only with pearl-fishing, 

 and beche-de-nier, as I have had exceptional opportunities of 

 ascertaining the condition and mode of conducting these 

 important industries. 



