Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1849-03-10
LANCASTER, WISCONSIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1919


our adventurer swan round and examined
II IN all directions, and ut length, being sat-
isfied in regard to oysters, he Thought of as
cending to the surface of the water; but first
he cast a look upwards, as all divers are
Obliged to do when they hope to avoid the
hungry jaws of u monster. If the coast is
clear, they may rise without apprehension.
Il does not appeartha this London CONF
lpany were successful, and they soon ceased
operations. But let no one infer from that
fact alone, that the pearls do not abound in
sufficient quantities to remunerate suitable
exertlons. The same year, 1896, no less
than thirty English, two Americans, and one
German joint stock companies were formed
10 work the silver mines in Mckee, and
Though many obtained large amounts of sin
yer, and one the " Bolenos Co.. no less
than SS,o00,000, yet they all soon failed !;
this failure in case of both pearls aud silver,
may safely and necessarily be attributed TO
the employment of agents so far from their
principals, where supervision, guidance and
direction are impossible,
We have thus seen the following facts
clearly established:
LIST. That from the earliest settlement of
America it has been known TO the Spaniards
that pearls abound in California.
,. That, for many years, they obtained
annually an enormous amount in value from
these fisheries.
Sd. That they exhausted them by their
cupidity, and destroyed the Indian divers by
theircruelty.
4. That the unsuccessful attempts of the
English since the commencement OF the
nineteenth century, TO restore the pearl fish
cry to lis primitive prosperity, when sin
gle pearl was found worth $4,000 aud
many worth one hall that sum, mny be at
tributed To other causes than the final cx-
tnction of the pearl oyster on the coast of
California.
And, Justly, we may safely infer that some
of the adventurcrs now seeking that FL Do
RADIO may find il TO their interest TO turn
their attention from the crowded, irksome
/ and unhealthy task Of digging for grains of
gold, or washing sand for scales, TO the less
lahorious aud much more healthy enterprise
of seeking for the pearls that PROFESSIONALLY
line its shores. BY the aid of diving bell,
both the danger from sharks, and the injury
to the constitution, arising from long contin-
uance under water, may be avoided /; and it
is probable that the more modern discovery
Of 'fayor's submarine armor, might be found
more eilicaciOus and valuable still.
The preceding remarks have especial re
ference 10 the Peninsula of California tho
they are very possibly true also of Alta Cal
ifornia And there is no hazard in saying,
in conclusion, that beyond question, those
waters contain an inestimable quantity OF
pearls; and it is equally unquostionnhle.
that il they are there, the present Anglo
Saxon emigrants will certainly obtain them.
The most valuable pearl fishery in the
world is that of Ceylon, which is a monopoly
belonging to the British Government. In
the year 1889, it yields pearls 10 the value Of
$500, 900; and in 1904, il was leased to in
viduals, under certain restrictions, for 5000
900 per annum. Pearls have been of i'm
mense value since before the Christian era !;
and unlike gold aud silver, have not mate
rally decreased in value since that date
/ The most valuable pearls ever known, were
one presented by julius Cesar to Servilla,
the mother Of Marcus Brutus, valued AT
$3.50, 900 and the celebrated one Cleopatra
dissolved in vinegar and drank, wishing TO
excel in cost, Mare Anlhony's most sumpiu
Gus repast, worth over 100000. Among
the most valuable now in existence, are one
bought by Tayernier at Cotiin, in Arabia,
and now in possession Of the Shah of Per-
sia, worth 100000; one belonging to the
Emperor OF Russia Of nearly the same size
and purify; aud one 10 the British crown,
captured among the treasures Of Serngapa-
tam, together with the one already alluded
10 as having been obtained in Margarita IN
1857, weighing $50 carats, and worth = 1907
600. g.