176 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



originate in grains of sand which work into the flesh 

 of the animal, and there become covered with many 

 layers of the pearly secretion, as the animal grows; 

 the older and thicker the shells, the more liable they 

 are to contain pearls. 



The boats came in while we were at Mr. Clark's, 

 and one of the divers an intelligent young English- 

 man gave me some very interesting accounts of the 

 business, and asked me if I did not want to go down in 

 the armor. I had long wished for such a chance, but 

 when it came, I felt somewhat afraid to make the trial ; 

 but Charlie allayed my fears by tickling my fancy with 

 descriptions of the sea bottom, and at last I went on 

 board his boat, preparatory to going down. The boat 

 was anchored a short distance from the land, in 

 only thirty feet of water ; but still I had some misgiv- 

 ings, and felt as if I were about to have a decidedly 

 strange experience. 



Taking off my clothing, I put on a thick woollen 

 shirt, with long stockings of the same material; then 

 I donned the rubber suit, which was in one piece, 

 opening at the neck. My hands were soaped, and 

 pushed out of the rubber wristbands. Great leather 

 shoes, a foot and a quarter long, with leaden soles fully 

 an inch thick, were buckled on my feet. A heavy 

 copper helmet, with three round glass windows in the 

 headpiece, was placed over my shoulders. And to cap 

 all, two immense lead weights, each weighing fifty 



