Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 1^9 



monly known, it will not be improper to defcribe it 

 here. 



The owners of the Negroes emplo}^ the moft pro- 

 per perfons for this fifhery which being performed 

 at the bottom of the fea, they muft be both expert 

 fwimmerS) and capable of holding their breath a long 

 time. Thefe they fend to the iflands, where they 

 have huts built for their lodgings, and boats which 

 hold eight, ten, or 20 Negroes under the command 

 of an officer. In thefe boats they go to fuch parts as 

 are known to produce pearls, and where the depth 

 of the water is not above ten, twelve, or fifteen fa- 

 thom. Here they come to an anchor and the Ne-* 

 groes having a rope fafcened round their bodies, and 

 the other end to the fide of the boat, they take with 

 them a fmall weight, to accelerate their fnking, and 

 plunge into the v/ater. On reaching the bottom, 

 they take up an oyfter, which they put under the 

 left arm ; the fecond they hold in their left hand, 

 and the third in their right with thefe three oyfters, 

 and fometimes another in their mouth, they rife to 

 breathe, and put them in a bag. V/hen they have 

 refted themfelves a while, and recovered their breath, 

 they dive a fecond time and thus continue, till they 

 have either compleated their tafk, or their ftrength 

 fails them. Every one of thefe Negro divers is 

 obliged daily to deliver to his mafter a certain fixed 

 number of pearls; fo that when they have got the 

 requifite number of oyfters in their bag, they begin 

 to open them, and deliver the pearls to the officer, 

 till they have made up the number due to their 

 mailer V and if the pearl be but formed, it is fuf- 

 ficient, without any regard to its being fmall or 

 faulty. The remainder, however large or beautiful, 

 are the Negro's own property, nor has the m after 

 the leaft claim to them the Oaves beine allowed to 

 fell them to whom they pleafe, though the mailer 

 generally purchafes them at a very fmali price. 



Vol.. I. K Tess£ 



