. The sea [microform] : its stirring story of adventure, peril & heroism. Adventure and adventurers; Voyages and travels; Ocean; Aventures et aventuriers; Voyages; Océan. a signal gun. Each boat's crew consists of twenty hands and a negro. The rowers are ten in number. The divers divide themselves into two groups of five men each, who labour and rest altrrnately ; they descend from forty to tifty feet, seventy being about the utmost they can accomplish, and eighty seconds the longest period the best diver can remain under water, the ordinary period being only thirty seconds. In order to ac
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. The sea [microform] : its stirring story of adventure, peril & heroism. Adventure and adventurers; Voyages and travels; Ocean; Aventures et aventuriers; Voyages; Océan. a signal gun. Each boat's crew consists of twenty hands and a negro. The rowers are ten in number. The divers divide themselves into two groups of five men each, who labour and rest altrrnately ; they descend from forty to tifty feet, seventy being about the utmost they can accomplish, and eighty seconds the longest period the best diver can remain under water, the ordinary period being only thirty seconds. In order to accelerate their descent a large stone is attached to a rope. The oars are used to form a stage, across which jdanks are laid over both sides of the boat; to this stage the diving-stone is su ipended. Tliis stone is in the form of a pyramid, weighing thirty or more iwunds ; the cord wliieh sustains it sometimes carries in its lower part a sort of ptirrup to receive the foot of the diver. At the moment of his descent he places his right foot in this stirrup, or, where there is no such provision, he rests it on the stone with the cord between his toes. In his left foot he holds the not which is to receive the bivalves- then seizing with his right hand a signal cord conveniently arranged for this ])urpose, and pressing his nostrils with the left hand, ho dives, holding himself vertically, niul balancing himself over his foot. Each dire'' is naked, except fo; a band of calico which surrounds his loins. Having reached the bottom, he withdraws his font from the stone, which ascends immediately lo the stage. The- diver thro-vs himself on his face, and l)egins to gatl-.'H' all the proper shells with'n his reach, placing them in his net. When he wishos to ascend he pulls the sigr.cd cord, and is drawn up with all possi])le expedition. A good diver seldom remains '^nore than thirty seconds under water at one time, although some can remain considerably longer, but he repeats th'^ openition