Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1912 — Queensland Pearl Divers. [ARTICLE]

Queensland Pearl Divers.

The Queensland diver gets into his dress at daybreak, steps onto the ladder over, the side, and fastens the life line round him; the tender screws on the face glass, the pomps are started, and down goes the diver to look for shell If be Is on ground where shell Is plentiful he fills bis bag, then allows bis drees to fill with air, which brings him to the surface, when he Is hadled to the boat by the life line. He empties his bag onto the deck and goes down for another bagful. Some of the divers occasionally work in 25 fathoms. The greatest danger with which the diver has to contend is paralysis, and knowing the danger be rims he sometimes demands 31,000 in advance, and this amount is sometimes lost to the pearler through the zeal and daring of the diver.