The Romance Of

Pearling

Fascinating New Book by lon Idriess

man who lives in the Coral Seas, or who has left a part of his life there, must read Forty Fathoms Deep, a new book by Ion Idriess. Idriess tells, as no other writer cou.d tell, the story of the pearling industry; and, in his own inimitable fashion, he has thrown into high relief the romance and the hard reality, the glamour and the horrors of this strange occupation.

Ninety per cent of books about the tropical seas are jeered at by dwellers in the tropics — their authors present mostly misshapen and distorted pictures of life as it is lived in these colourful, out-of-the-way places. But Idriess works on a different plan. He has a passion for accuracy, and he is a most patient inves tigator. He has an extraordinary sense of the dramatic; he sees pathos and humour and tragedy in every little inci dent of daily life; and he can bring these things into his story with a tech nique that is peculiarly his own. Above all, he has been a pearler—has lived among the devil-may-care Australian coastal communities, from Cairns right round to Broome. The better a man knows pearling and the life of the tropics, the better he will like Idriess’s book. Idriess must have spent years in gathering and assembling this material.

Forty Fathoms Deep is really a ser ies of adventures and incidents, mostly sc strange as to be almost incredible, and yet apparently true. But Idriess, in the book, accomplishes two notable things.

He describes the life of the diver, and the amazing, terrifying world in which he works as it has never been described before. And he lets us see, with most disturbing clarity, how the Japanese have displaced Malays, Manila-men and Koepangers from the Australian pearling industry, and virtually taken possession.

Every Australian politician should read this book: that silent invasion is some thing he dare not ignore.

The fact that it is an Idriess book is a guarantee that it is eminently readable.

Idriess, in a remarkable degree, has the gift of holding reader interest. Every one of the numerous books he has writ ten since 1931 has gone into many edit tons— Lassetter is in its 19th edition!

Nearly every one tells the story of some interesting angle of South Seas life.

Forty Fathoms Deep will r emain for all time as an authentic history and des cription of one of the most interesting industries in the world. -FORTY FATHOMS DEEP,” by Ion Idriess.

Our copy from the publishers, Angus and Robertson Ltd., Sydnc'.

A rush of applications from young men all over the Commonwealth has been received in response to an announcement that a number of clerical positions at £6 per week are available in the New Guinea territorial service. Although only about five positions are available, more t an 300 apphcat'ons have been received

already.