140 THE OUT-STATION; OR, 



CHAPTER XL 



" WAR TO THE KNIFE" WITH THE PEARL OYSTERS OF 

 ARIPO. 



BUT now for the oysters. 



From the dirty little village of Aripo (which is only 

 populated, I believe, during the pearl fishery, and 

 which seems to be founded entirely upon monstrous 

 oyster shells), about two hundred boats start out to 

 sea every morning, each boat carrying two divers, two 

 assistants, and a Malay rifleman with loaded arms, 

 to protect the oysters from being robbed of their 

 treasures before they have reached the shore. 



When this fleet has arrived at its destination, about 

 four miles from land, the diving commences ; and as 

 there is always an armed vessel stationed in the neigh- 

 bourhood for the protection of the oyster boats, a per- 

 son may look on from under an awning therein, and 

 enjoy the whole scene in a very dolce far niente sort 

 of way. 



To enable the divers to reach the bottom of the sea, 

 which is from ten to twenty fathoms in depth where 



