PEARLS AND PEARL-DIVING 



rope is hauled over the gunwale like the tow-line of a net. 

 Others have merely a high horizontal rail over which the 

 rope is hauled. 



On the upper side of the stone a loop like a stirrup is 

 left in the rope, large enough to hold the naked foot of 

 the diver, so that you may say he stands on the stone with 

 one foot and maintains his perpendicular by clinging with 

 one hand to the lowering line. At a signal from the first 

 diver, his rope is let go and, weighted by the stone, he 

 sinks rapidly, the line-holders continuing to pay out rope 

 till the sudden slacking announces that the bottom is 

 reached. Instantly one of the crew springs to the gun- 

 wale and hauls back till the line is taut again, and then, 

 still keeping his hand on it, waits for the jerk that may 

 come at any moment from below, giving the signal to 

 draw up. 



On many boats the divers work in pairs, one lowering 

 and hauling the other once or twice and then changing 

 about. If we could follow one of these black bodies to 

 its destination we should see the diver tearing off the 

 oysters in bundles from the rocks or shingle- bank, almost 

 squatting on his hams, or hanging to a reef by his toes, 

 one arm hooked round the rope while, with the disengaged 

 hand, he swiftly packs his shells into the net bag that 

 hangs over his shoulder. At last he can stand the strain 

 no longer ; he pulls the rope and is hoisted up as fast as 

 the windlass handles can be turned, or, if the boat should 

 not possess such a contrivance, as fast as one or two men, 

 hauling hand over hand, can pull in the warp. When he 

 rises above water there are hands ready to help him into 



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