Torres Straits. 165 



about eighty miles across, and is crowded with 

 islands, shoals and reefs. At Thursday Island a 

 Police Magistrate is stationed, and his main duty 

 is to regulate the Pearl fishing and to collect the 

 revenue therefrom. 



The British India Mail Steamers from London 

 to Brisbane call here fortnightly, besides other lines. 

 Upon the islands, dotted about in the Straits, the 

 various shelling stations are established. These con- 

 sist of the manager's house, " shell " house, and 

 other buildings devoted to the repair of boats, 

 diving dresses and pumps. 



The diving boats are fine little craft, of nine 

 or ten tons, rigged with two standing lugs, and 

 they carry six hands — the diver, the tender, and 

 four pumpers. There are no Europeans in the boats, 

 but coloured men of all sorts and coaditions are 

 to be found there. 



The boats are provisioned for a fortnight, and 

 go wherever the diver chooses. At the end of the 

 fortnight the boats rendezvous at some spot agreed 

 upon, to meet the tender from the station — either 

 a cutter or small schooner — which takes over the 

 shells and issues another fortnight's provisions. 

 After a year's work the diver proceeds to Sydney 



