52 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



was fufficient for them to take breath ; they t ^' 

 dived again feveral times, till their bafket w 

 nearly filled. Mofb of them were provided wii 

 a fmall piece of wood cut in the form of a fpa 

 tula, and of which I have already fpoken; they 

 made ufe of it for detaching from the rocks 

 concealed under water, at great depths, fome 

 very large ear-fliells: perhaps they picked them, 

 for thofe which they brought up were all very 

 big. 



At the fight of the large lobfiers which filled 

 their bafkets, we were afraid that thofe crufta- 

 ceous fi flies would feize hold of thefe poor women 

 with their enormous claws j but we foon per- 

 ceived that they had taken the precaution to 

 kill them as foon as they had caught them. They 

 came out of the water only to bring their huf- 

 bands the fruits of their fifliing ; and they fre- 

 quently returned to dive again almofi: immedi- 

 ately, till they had procured a frock fufliciently 

 abundant for fubfifling their families : on other 

 occafions they warmed themfelves for fome 

 time, with their face turned towards the fire 

 where their fiih was broiling; and they had 

 kindled behind them other fmall fires, in order 

 to be warmed on both fides at once. 



It fcemed as if they regrerted to remain idle a 

 iingle moment; for while they were v. arming 

 the rnfelvcs they were alfo employed in broiling 



Ihc!!- 



