p-water passage into the lagoon broke the
continuity. It was therefore possible, at low water, to walk from the
south-east islet, which the natives called Ujilong, to the big island
visited the previous day by Barry, and which, so Mrs. Tracey told him,
was named Tebuan. The intervening islands were, like Ujilong,
uninhabited, though on all of them houses were standing--they had all
been deserted after the raid made on Ujilong village, and the
inhabitants had fled to the security afforded them by the dense jungle
on Tebuan.

Warner and his savage followers, much to the satisfaction of the chief
mate and the rest of the crew, were not to take part in the work. In
the first place none of them were able to dive; in the second there was
still a smouldering animosity between them and the native crew, and
only Barry's strong influence prevented them from settling old scores
by a sudden attack upon the _kai-tagata_, (man-eaters), as they termed
the Solomon Islanders.

Within an hour's distance from the north end of the south-east islet
was another of larger dimensions, upon which Warner's natives took up
their quarters, their amiable master remaining on board the _Mahina_,
ostensibly to assist Rawlings but really to keep himself comfortably
drunk and enjoy the society of the Greek, who was a man after his own
heart, and, like himself, capable of any unheard-of atrocity.

Work was begun on the following morning by Barry with the two boats,
each carrying a crew of six men, all eager for the enterprise, and
rejoicing in being under the command of the one white man on board for
whom they felt a respectful attachment and admiration.

Before sunset, so plentiful was the pearl shell, and so easily
obtainable--for the depth of water ran but from four to six
fathoms--that more than half a ton was brought on board and placed on
the main deck ready for Rawlings and Barradas in the morning.

Day after day the work continued, the native divers exerting themselves
to the utmost to obtain as much shell as possible, while Rawlings, the
second mate, and the boatswain, opened it, searched every bivalve for
pearls, and then after it was "rotted out" packed the shell into boxes
and stowed it into the hold.

At the end of the first week six tons were in the hold of the _Mahina_;
and although no pearls of any great size had been found, many
thousands, ranging in value from 10 pounds downwards, and a vast number
of "seed" pearls as well, we