Perils of Diving
About a dozen oysters would be collected in the 1 to 2 minutes the divers could hold their breath. They would then pull the rope signalling their partner (saib) to haul them to the surface.
Divers were subject to tremendous pressure on their lungs, eyes and blood vessels and as a result brain-damage, blindness, deafness and respiratory problems were common.
The life of a diver was often short and harsh.