Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1849-03-10
From the Boston alias.
The Pearl Fisheries of California


has not COMPOUNDED facts, there was nearly
as much excitement in New England i'll re-
gard To California as at present, but the
cause was its abundant supply of pearls, not
gold. And the enterprising Yankees OF that
day fitted oat one or more small vessels to
engage in the pearl fishery on its coast, and
having procured divers, sailed for the Gull
! of California. Spain at the time was a
powerful maratme nation, and guarded the
precious products of her colonies with leal-
Gus care. When the news of this new ex-
Ipedition reached the ears of the Spanish OF
ficials, a galeon or fleet was fitted out from
/ Acapulco, and cruising up the Gulf, captu-
red the marauding New England ships, and
iconhemned their crews 10 slavery i'll the
mines. Although these persons were enga-
ged in clearly illegal act, and Spain was
justified in such course, Yet the British
Government took umbrage at it, and il was
for time the subject of negotiation between
the two rival powers, and was probably one
one of the causes of the war that broke out
between them in 1899, and was terminated
/ by the treaty of AK La Chapelle, in I74s,
after nine years contest, at an expense to
Great Britain of over e46, 100000.
! Whether all these facts are correctly re-
membered or not, there can be no doubt that
for more than two centuries California has
produced large quantities of valuable pearls.
DR.. Murray says, The Spanlards long
viewed California as an Ell Dorado, their
hopes being fed by pearls found on its shores.
Vol. s. y. $780, And Chambers tells us,
IS The Spaniards, upon their first landing in
the New World were surprised to find the
natives declSed out with pearl necklaces aud
bracelets and soon afterwards observed
that the comparatively civilized natives of
Mexico were as eager in the search of a
pearl of beautiful form as were the people
of Europe" Now we must remember that
California is geographically so near Mexico,
that pearls would be readily taken from its
waters to the capital of the lucas IL fact,
! it has formed a province of Mexico till ce-
/ ded to US by the recent treaty. Moreover,
we are distinctly told, +" The fishery of the
ancient King OF Mexico seems TO have been
| on the west coast"
1 Among the presents made 10 CortcZ by
IMontezuma, and which were sent to the
Emperor Charles ", were necklaces gar
nished with pearls. We have this on the
authority of Prescott. After the conquest,
says Chambers, the Spanlards sought for
them " ith such Success. that soon cities rose
there in splendor and afiluence. Murray
adds" Loretta, from the confluence OF
pearl divers, became quite Il city, but now
contains only $50 inhabitants" This town
( is on To. @fulf of California. While Las
Cassas says: " The wealth and luXurv of
their merchants has been handed down to
US but in the sixteenth century the fishing
rapidly Enthusiastically 1888 il had already
ceased--the islands had almost become un-
known, and now not vestige of their cities
remains, and downs of shifting sands cover
4. l. La lao
doubted il would have been very different
in the hands of the enterprising and hardy
| New Highlander than in those of the efiemi-
nate Spaniard.
/ Chambers, however, says: "The Quint
or tax the Kings officers drew from the pro-
duce was 90 ducats. Till / $50, the value
of the pearls sent (irom MeXlco) to Europe
amounted yearly on an average TO more than
S00,09 piastres. In 1887, there was sent to
Seville six hundred and ninety-seyen pounds
weight, among which a good many of great
beauty were reserved for Phillip II. This
same monarch had magnificent one sent
him from the Island of Margarita, which
weighed $50 caratS, and was valued at
81 30, 000." This island, however, is to the
eastward of the coast of Mexico"
"Soon after the year lGG0,'' the same au-
thority adds, " the fishing in California be-
gan to rival the older established ones, and
the pearls found there were often very large
and of fine water. The Indians and ne
groes, however, employed IN the fisheries,
were so i'll paid by the Europeans that the
fishing soon became almost abandoned, and
the disturbed state Of those countries has OF
late years prevented the governments from
making fresh eXertious." These remarks
are pregnant with interest. They show
that the fisheries decreased IN value, not 50
much frotl the dlmInniion of pearls, as tbei
want Of judgment aud enterprise OF the
shlfless Spaniard. Had they been prosecu-
ted by fhe Anglo-Saxon, the result would
doubtless have been different. To show the
barharity and short-sightedDess Of the s,pnn-
lish- Mexicans, IN killing the goose that laid
the golden egg, the following extract from
Las Cassas is introduced. His evidence
should he admitted with some allowance,
however, as he is always the apologist Of
the Indians. He says: 8. As soon rs the
diver rose TO the surface, cruel ogerscer
was at hand and should the miserable
wretch presume to remain "a little time TO
draw his breath and rest few minutes from
his toll, his tormentor beat him with many
blows, and seizing him 10y the hair OF his
head forced him again 10 descend. j he food
allowed them was such ~ was not sufficient
to allay the pangs Of hanger, and their beds
were the cold ground. Frequently they de-
scended IN quest Of shells. bat never reap
peared, having b en- devoured by the sharks
s. hich prowled around them. If they es-
capped these cruel monsters Of the deep, they
soon fell victims TO their equally ruthless
masters for they quickly died Of a protuse
splitting Of blood, while their hair had al
ready, from a deep glossy black, the natural
color, become o. dali grey, ike that Of
the sea wolf The avarice Of the Spaniar'is
soon destroyed their fisheries they erhaus-
Ted the hanks jg their nerer ceasiHg md an
discriminate desirueiion Of NE oysters; and
now the pearl fishery Of America Is Of COM
paraiively no amount"