A depth of about three yards and a half did not give them a very great submersion.
To be supplied with condensed air, to be armed, and well lighted up by the sun was delightful. They walked along the bottom of the sea, easily seeing the smallest object on all sides of them.
After some little walking they came to several oyster banks, from which the shells containing the valuable pearls were dragged by the hands of the divers.
There were millions of them, and the mine seemed inexhaustible.
They could not stop to examine everything, for it was necessary to follow the captain everywhere.
The road was uneven; sometimes Mont could raise his arm and put his hand out of the water; at others, he was descending a slope, and the sun's rays were not so vivid.
Everything became more obscure, and great shells were seen sticking to curiously shaped rocks.
After a time a large grotto appeared before them, dimly lighted.
The captain entered, followed by the rest of the party, the professor eagerly taking note of everything.
Stump carried his harpoon, which was a good deal longer than himself; and the two boys eagerly looked for pearls, as if they expected to find them lying at their feet.