1887: Broome, Western Australia - more than 2,000 pearl divers lost their lives on the ocean floor. Crude canvas suits, lead boots and brass helmets were the only way they could work underwater. Air hoses trailed from the boat above, men on board worked the manual air pump. Today, Broome is a thriving pearl industry; tourists flock to buy the best pearls, seeking the elusive black pearl. The pearl shells are no longer collected like they were in the old days. Today, harvested much like oysters on wooden racks that can be lifted by a boat and winch, seeded and replaced to form a pearl over time. Malaysian, Japanese, Pacific Islanders were all casualties of early pearling fleets.

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