142 Pearls. 



are very strong, and at spring tides the tide rips 

 in certain places must be carefully avoided. The 

 flood flows for two hours after it is high water 

 and the ebb continues to run a similar length of 

 time after the water commences rising again. It is 

 the sweeping tides and the vast amount of living 

 reef that make the Sooloo waters so favourable for 

 the growth of the Mother-of-Pearl oyster ; and the 

 prosecution of the fishing amongst the turbulent 

 waters of their island homes, developes the Sooloo 

 lads into bold and enterprising sailors. 



The plate opposite represents the head-quarters 

 of the author's exploring party at Lamenusa. It 

 was built on the edge of a reef about 200 yards 

 from the shore, beautifully sheltered by neigh- 

 bouring reefs from the swells of the ocean. At 

 high tide there was six feet of water under the 

 house, so that boats and a steam launch could 

 come alongside. This house was wantonly pillaged 

 and wrecked during its owner's absence in March, 

 1884, at the time of the civil war which broke 

 out after the death of the late Sultan. The town of 

 Lamenusa, which contained fully 2000 inhabitants, 

 has been entirely destroyed, the people being killed, 

 dispersed, and many of them sold into slavery. No 

 roof has been left, and where the merry voices of 

 scores of Bajan children at play used to echo from 



