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In 1879 the population of the shelling stations amounted to
720, while that of the settlement at Thursday Island was only
80. In 1880 the shelling population amounted to 815, showing
an increase of nearly a hundred on that of the previous year.
As far as I could ascertain, any change that has taken place
during the last two years has been indicative of the increasing
prosperity of the pearl shell industry. Indeed I was informed by
a resident gentleman connected with the fisheries, that the shareholders
in one of the stations had that year received a dividend
of seventy per cent, on the capital invested. I made the acquaintance
of several of the managers (or “ bosses” as they are commonly
called) of the pearl shell establishments, and through their civility
had opportunities of visiting many stations within a range of
twenty-five miles from our anchorage at Thursday Island. They
are all constructed more or less on the same general model;
consisting usually of one whitewashed house,— the residence of the
white manager,— a store-house, and a couple of sheds for the
stowage of boat appliances and pearl shell, and a few large grass
built huts in which the labourers employed at the dépôt are
housed. These men, who are spoken of under the comprehensive
term of “ Kanakas,” are for the most part Malays: the remainder
being a motley collection of Manila men, Fijians, natives of New
Hebrides, and brown-skinned Polynesians from various Pacific
Islands. There is usually but one white man to each station,
viz., the manager. The shelling boats— called “ apparatus boats”
■— are entirely under the control of Kanakas. They are each of
between five and eight tons burden, are rigged with standing lug-
sails, and are provided with the most approved air pump diving
apparatus. The crew of one of these boats usually consists of five
men, one of whom is the diver ; another steers, and the remaining
three look after the air pump and signal rope. The time selected
for diving operations is usually when there is a “ weather tide ” ;
the vessel is then hove-to under easy canvas, so that she may drift
slowly to windward, while the diver, following her movements.
gropes about the bottom in search of pearl shell. The work is
carried on at depths varying between five and sixteen fathoms,
and in order to provide against accidents from inequalities in the
bottom, as well as to allow the diver greater freedom in his movements,
the length of the pipes connecting his dress with the air
pump is usually twice the mean depth of the water in which he is
working. The signal rope is of a similar length, so that it may
be used for hauling up the shcll-bag which the diver fills from
time to time, without his having to release the end attached to his
body, or to make use of a second line. The bag is therefore
attached about the middle of the line.
When diving apparatus was first used in Torres Straits, white
divers were exclusively employed, and at the same time the
Kanakas continued to work as “ swimming divers ” in the tedious
old-fashioned way. As soon, however, as the Kanakas were tried
in the diving dresses, it was found that they were far superior to
any professional white divers, for not only could they remain
much longer under water, but they were also able to move about
on the bottom more independently, and to dispense altogether
with the weighted rope ladder which the white divers used to look
upon as essential. Since the introduction of boats fitted with
diving apparatus, the pearl shell trade of Torres Straits has
become highly remunerative, and the export of shells has increased
enormously.
The shells obtained are classified into two qualities : firstly,
young shells, known to the trade as “ chicken shell,” which are
the most valuable, and average about 2,000 to the ton ; and
secondly, adult shells, about 700 of which weigh one ton. It is
calculated that the annual take of a single boat is about seven
tons, of which five tons cover the outlay, and two tons may be
reckoned as clear profit. The value per ton has a wide range,
varying according to the state of the home market, and may be
estimated at from T i 00 to £100. The number of boats employed
last year was 100. In the year 1878, shells to the weight of
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