four. One magnificent specimen I came across produced no fewer
than a dozen fine pearls, but that of course was very exceptional.
The largest gem I ever found was shaped just like a big cube, more
than an inch square. It was, however, comparatively worthless.
Actually the finest specimen that passed through my hands was about
the size of a pigeon's egg, and of exquisite colour and shape.
Some of the pearls were of a beautiful rose colour, others yellow;
but most were pure white.

The greatest enemy the divers had to fear in those waters was the
dreaded octopus, whose presence occasioned far greater panic than
the appearance of a mere shark.

These loathsome monsters--call them squids, or devil-fish, or what
you will--would sometimes come and throw their horrible tentacles
over the side of the frail craft from which the divers were
working, and actually fasten on to the men themselves, dragging
them out into the water. At other times octopuses have been known
to attack the divers down below, and hold them relentlessly under
water until life was extinct. One of our own men had a terribly
narrow escape from one of these fearful creatures. I must explain,
however, that occasionally when the divers returned from pearl-
fishing, they used to rope all their little skiffs together and let
them lie astern of the schooner. Well, one night the wind rose and
rain fell heavily, with the result that next morning all the little
boats were found more or less water-logged. Some of the Malays
were told off to go and bale them out. Whilst they were at work
one of the men saw a mysterious-looking black object in the sea,
which so attracted his curiosity that he dived overboard to find
out what it was. He had barely reached the water, however, when an