PERILS AND THRILLS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 11, 4 September 1931, Page 6

PERILS AND THRILLS

STILL ADVENTURES IN PEARLING . GROUNDS . RISKS OF THE PEARL DIVER. Diving into the waters of the eastern seas, •fighting the flsh that lurk tlxere; risking the terrible "diver's paralysis"; and the reward — sometimes a pearl of value as every pearler dreams of, -and sometimes a scanty catch of shell which is scarcely enough to >pay the cost of the expendition. That is the "pearler's luck." There is still adventure fo.r those who want it in the pearling grounds of -the North and South Paciflc and Indian Oceans, aecording to Mr Fred" D. Burdett, in his book, "The Odyssey . of a Pearl Hunter," written in collaboration with Percy J. King. Cannaballstio Aboriglnes. Mr Burdett, who was in turn a naturalist, a gold digger, and a pearler, says he has witnessed rnany remark--able happenings among the natives ofthe Far E'ast. On one oceasion, while prospecting in Australia, he says, he. came across a "blackfellow -oven." Although he adds that he is not prepared to state to what extent cannibalism exists among the Australian aboriginals as 'a people, incidents which came' under his notice suggested that there are more man-eaters among black-fellows than is generally believed. A frightful death fr-om "diver's paralysis," which often overtook the members of Mr Burdett's lugger durlng his pearling "expeditions, was one of the risks run by all pearl-divers. Tt was usually due to lack of precaution on the part of the diver; instead o'f desoending through the water slowly so that his body might become accustomed gradually to the weight of the water, the diver would rush down and so fall a victim of the terribledisease. Even when the illness was diagnosed | in time dnd duly cured the strickeu man would never be able to dive into over ten fatho-ms of water for the rest of his career. So great is the number of deaths among Japanese divers from this cause, says Burdet, that "the Japanese burial grounds in Jolo look like war cemeteries in France." Affray With Pirates, Mr Burdett once had to adopt warlike tactics to beat two boat-loads of Panay Pirates who attempted to board his pearling lugger. He used a shotgun to quell the attack and though the shot was not likely to kill the attackers it compeled them to withdraw with »exceed;,nly painful wounds. There was a sequel to this ocean attack some time later, when Burdett's boat drew into the harbour at Estancia. In one of the narrow streets he found himself actually rubbing shoulders with. the leader of the pirates. The question then was : Should he make an example of the man, who as everyone ino the city knew, had. attacked his boat? or should he let him go? Burdett decided to make an example of the thief. Mr Burdett ,grahhed the .man by bis long hair and punched him bard enough to hurt him pretty severely. Then, as the man made an qffort to reach his knife, he "hit him in real earnest, kno-cking him half stupid." The crowd, who lived in deadly terror of the priate, roared their -appreciation; and from that time onward, says the pearler, "I was as safe in Estancia as if Seotland Yard — Flying Squad and all — had been just round ihe corner." Esc.apes from Death. One of the most remarkable escapes from death Mr Burdett ever experienced came about seven years ago, when, after a period of ill-luck, he agreed to dive to the bottom of the river at Stmta Cruz to test the foun- ■ dations of the hridge, which were in a dangerous condition. Burdett was tt that time 60 years of age. The only living dress he could discover was a native one, consisting chlefiy of the helmet and air pipe, When Mr Burdett reached the ■feottom of the river, so tremendous was the underflow that he was wrenched away from the rope of the plumper line, until he was hanging like a hooked flsh in the rush of the water. Suddenly the helmet was wrenched off. his head and he was sucked along the hottom -of the river, bruised and bleeding by the terrible buffeting. The same thing happened the following day, after, however, he had managed to make the necessary examination. The result of this exploit was several months in hospital. But "pearler's luck" had entirely given out: When at last ,he was pezunitted to leave the hospital, he called at his bank and learned that the whole of the money offered him for the job had been paid out to him, before he "cracked up"-'and was taken to hospital. Someone had apparently robbed him during his illness.