second
in August and September; and the more rain, the more productive are the
pearl fisheries. In the beginning of the season there are sometimes two
hundred and fifty barks on the banks; the larger barks have two divers,
the smaller, one. The divers descend from their barks with a rope round
their body, and a stone of twenty or thirty pounds attached to one of
their feet, so that they may sink speedily from eight to twelve
fathoms, where they meet the shells fastened to the rocks; the nostrils
and ears are stuffed up with cotton, and to the arm a sponge dipped in
oil is fastened, which the diver now and then brings to his mouth, in
order to draw breath without swallowing water. He also carries down
with him a large net, tied to his neck by a long cord, the other end of
which is fastened to the side of the vessel, to hold the shells, and
the cord is to draw him up when the net is full, or when he wants air';
he has likewise a knife or an iron rake, for detaching the the shells
from the rocks. Thus equipped, he precipitates himself to the desired
depth, where he can very distinctly see all that is passing around, yet
cannot escape in time the sudden approach of sharks, to whom he too
often becomes a prey. When the diver has been in water some minutes,
and has his net filled, or is unable to stay any longer, he loosens
quickly the stone at his foot, shakes the line, and he is drawn up by
his companions. The diving-bell is now frequently used; more so than in
former years.
In the Persian Gulf the divers rub their bodies with oil, and fasten a stone of about fifty pounds to their feet.
The
shells obtained are piled up in heaps, and left exposed to the rain
and sun until the body of the animal putrefies, and they open of
themselves. Those containing any pearls have from eight to twelve.
After being picked out, washed, and dried, they are passed through nine
sieves of different sizes.
