Search For Pearls, 19

THE death of Madame N Brault, reported elsew] brought an interesting r niscence from Correspondent N man, of Tahiti: In 1905, Mme. Brault, M. E Bodin and a Syrian pearl buyer, Habib (of Habib, Nass & Cie Paris) chartered the scho Tauturu, which belonged to Coppenrath, of Papeete, The v sailed on a pearling expeditioi the Tuamotus. Then 12 year age, I was aboard as cabin boy We left Papeete on Decembe 1905. At the island of Katir sailed close past the (1 schooner Tahitienne (Capt.

Dexter) —little realising, then, only two months later this and own vessel would be lost in terrific hurricane of February 1906, together with many other At Taiaro Island, we tried luck at the Pipi pearls. Ijc the divers, and had it not beer Mme. Brault I would have mad( last dive. Noticing my failur surface, she called to a diver na Turihara, who found me fast to the bottom, my hand caugl an oyster shell. Turihara pullec free, shell and all. While I la the beach, more dead than £ they released my hand —and their delight, a large pearl found in the oyster.

The voyage was terminated o to the illness of Mr. Habib, anc schooner arrived back in Papeet January 5, 1906.

Mr. Habib returned to Fran< very sick man, but wrote decls his intention to return. How he never did. His ship, La S collided with a sailing ship, heavy loss of life, and he was of the missing. Some said tha had a part of the famous Blue ] diamond aboard. It was a poi belief that whoever bought a of that diamond met disaste: violent death.