Amber and the Amber Fisheries, 469 



fathoms deep, he descends into the amber world. He stays 

 there, maybe, for five hours at a time, hooking, dragging, 

 tearing the amber from its bed with his heavy two-pronged 

 fork. Often it resists his utmost efforts. However cold 

 the weather may be, these men of iron strength will come 

 up from their submarine labours streaming with perspira- 

 tion. The overseer stands in the boat to receive the amber 

 from their pockets. In case he should wish to ascend 

 before the usual time, the diver has to close his mouth and 

 breathe five or six times through his nostrils, by this means 

 filling the apparatus with air, which will bring him to the 

 surface without other assistance. 



The diving-boats are manned by eight men each — two 

 divers, two pairs of men who work the air-pumps alter- 

 nately, with their eyes fixed on a dial-plate, by which the 

 supply of air is nicely indicated, one man to hold the 

 safety-rope attached round the diver's body, and haul him 

 at the slightest sign from below, and the overseer. 



At the Vienna Exhibition, 1873, some interesting 

 diving apparatus was shown, as used on the eastern coast 

 of Prussia, for obtaining amber. This apparatus, which 

 received a gold medal at the Moscow Exhibition of 1872, 

 is constructed on the system of MM. Rouxquayrol-Denay- 

 roux ; some alterations and improvements having, however, 

 been introduced, so as to give greater safety. The air is 

 transmitted to the diver through long india-rubber tubes, 

 by means of an easily transportable air-pump, with two 

 cylinders. These tubes, which are strengthened by spiral 

 wires, conduct the air to a regulator carried on the diver's 

 back. The completely air and water tight dress of the 

 diver is connected by an india-rubber ring with a copper 

 helmet, or also with a mask, the helmet and mask being 

 provided with strongly grated windows. The helmet is 



