126 PEARLS AND PEARLING 



almost sure to loosen the dredge, and, if the bar is re- 

 moved from the snag, it should be raised to the boat be- 

 fore it is caught again. If the first attempt results in a 

 failure it will be necessary to keep trying until the bar 

 is loosened. If the boat does not have an engine in it 

 and it is possible to secure the assistance of an engine- 

 boat the two should be lashed together at the bows and 

 placed side by side and moved upstream in the same 

 manner as has been described. When oars alone are 

 used it is much more difficult to loosen a bar from a large 

 snag. In this case it is a good plan to go to the front of 

 the boat and try to pull up the bar, either with the snag 

 or without it. Some snags can be brought up in this way, 

 yet if it is a large one it will be necessary to use other 

 methods. One plan is to draw the rope as tight as pos- 

 sible and tie it to the bow of the boat and go to the rear 

 of the boat and jump up and down or shake the boat 

 from one side to the other. The agitation will often dis- 

 lodge the dredge. 



Another method is to let out all the loose rope and tie 

 the rope to the bow of the boat, and then row up stream 

 rapidly. The sudden strain on the dredge is very likely 

 to loosen it from the snag. Sometimes it is necessary to 

 cut the rope and leave the bar with the snag, which, of 

 course, makes the snag worse than it was, and the lost 

 bar must be replaced in order to proceed with the pearl 

 hunting. There are many bars lost on snags, but in most 

 cases they pull loose from the snag as a part of the snag 

 breaks or the hooks straighten in the efforts to dislodge 

 them. Pearl hunters should keep each other informed 



