The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-12
u colsnge rstres from The executive power 70 assume
The duties Of Attorney General II The same Stale.

PxARI InAps Panama Bay, Oct !, lseo.
Few people Who expand such fabulous sums for III
pure and decasely formed pearls which ornament ID,
peons Of your aEistocsasc bellies give single passing
thought the character nature Of the bauble they
highly prize Did they know the history Of the trinke
land every Of them has history they might per
haps choose other jewel In lieu Of the pearl neck
sce for tho birthday present to favored relative.
Since tho gradual failure Of the Ceyion fisheries the
slas de- las Psra in the Bay Of Panama have become
the gresst pearl producers in the world The pearls
though not hne. far plentiful and easy to
obtain than those from any Of the rival beds.
HOW REACH THE ISLANDS tr
The main group, OF which Gonzales is the principal
island, lie about sixty miles In southerly course from
the city OF Panama As there no regular communal
cation with the mainland We compelled to charter
one Of the numerous little trading vessels which ply
along the coast or through the archipelago or instead
take passage with OF the many dealers who are con-
tinuay sailing back and forth In pursuit OF their
pleasant avocauon. With favorable wind we reach
the islands in ten hours the time OF starting and
anchorlng our boat close in padded ashore by
DALI naked negro, In q canoe much resembling tho
primitive "dugoutn OF the Western rivers.
TIE OF THE pHEIH.
As We step shore q singular spectacle greets the
eye The slope Of tho island ID thicky covered with
~"ho iihuitAbOuo VI tnooo WON
sures OF the Vastly Deep Beneath the thached roofs
Of these miserable structures the pearl diver born and
reared and lives and dies Down the beach front OF
the village we see spread eguIary about the results
OF the divers industry Tons upon OF shells white
and glistening the finest ivory, in promiscuous
piles awaiting transportation Panama. while here and
there groups OF and children busly employed
In opening, with dexrous ingenuity, the proceeds OF
their employers last trip TO
4 NL5T -d-4 THE OYSTER Byps
The beds, or fisheries. extend along the shore and "a
far out as the shallow water reaches The oysters grow
IN precisely the same way that your domestic bvalves
do but much larger and quite unit CASTRO.
monte uses The beds themselves, with a few cxcep-
tons, are public property. Afew well to do men who
engaged business have bought separate islands
Of their own, and within certain distance Of tho land
none but those in the interest Of the owner allowed
to extend their toilsome search for rches Tho indie
pendent fishermen, who the nabobs Of the trade,
usually own diving apparatus, by the means OF which
they avoid the dangers and fatigue attending the odi-
nary mode Of working. ErH
rHK xnpus opERAsDl or PEARL FISHING
None OF tne natives use diving apparatus II is only
foreigners who have been attracted to the psss sss
sis Sv WIN inc proper ior making org
the favorite locality, will quickly place themselves in
readiness for descent to the ocean bed The who
goes down first ties basket arouna his neck, rope
round his body and with long, sharp knife between his
teeth his swathy figure sinks silently from the bow OF
ssnas to sbaul H. The diver rcacnss The bottom and
rapidly s hts basket with the choicest shells which he
wrenches by sheer force from their embedded position,
keeping ali the while vgilant lookout for the
rble ground shark which 50 plentifully abound
IN tins vicinity. At length his basket is full,
sn s n draw b 4. e sc ne sna
the surface OF the water and with the blood often gush
ing from his mouth ears and nostrs, drawn into the
boat to be restored to by the aid OF smu
lants alone. ritt N4tt e8 NE0tl 1M
As soon as the basket is emped into the bottom of
vrss, and the operation Is repeated until all tho
have taken their at dving when the boat Is pulled
ashore and The cargo discharged.
HOW THE GROUND HARg 10 ENCOUNTERED.
Next the slowly killing process OF holding their
breath while beneath the water the shark referred TO
above Is me creates. enemy q the divers Not DAY
but the occurrence Is too common TO excite remark II
Is not always however that the shark Is able 70 tr
umph over the fearless diver The latter, with his
long knife in hand, awaits tho coming Of the
enemy, ind with quick motion drops beneath the
shark e,t as his Jaws are abou, 70 close upon him As
appearance OF the savory titb the diver, with
crgy lent by desperation sticka his knife into his body
and gives tho signal 10 hoist away Coward like Johnny
Sharsee darts on, and IL badly wounded falls
prey TO the voracy OF his fellow kind for IL rs well
known fact that wounded shark n bleeding IL always
bodily devoured by his loving friends Is they kindly
shed tsar $50 speay) over his misortunes Such
the dcxtery or the diver that hc often escapes
10 THE rnocxrps or rlsoR
Periodically the dealers como around and hshpg for
the nonss !. entirely suspcndea win nice eIacsnes:
about half their real value shells sold other par
ties At . comparatively high price.
with the proceeds Or fornghts work In his pocket,
the diver gives himself up 70 drunken pleasures unit.
absolute wnnt conpsls him 10 renew his abors Mean
while the pearls for which he mas oiIed 30 hard arc on
thcir way 10 foreign country where chance may place
them among the Jewels OF crown or the glazed shirt
front Of m sristocraiic snob st-#sar8r 8l85m
Z NC sfRFgA ettfN
IL ehsld 10 determ the aYers.S vaine OF the pearl6
taken nom fhese hshe,!oz Prizes range from one dollar
10 Ave thousand 50 great the variety OF size and quail
w. Occasionally dog o diver makes grand haul
several thousand d0iay4 DaSketful Llollg.
When such Is the he generally quits diving and
turns spectator In The wares " his ess fortunate fei
IONA -
The favorte amussnasn of visitors 10 the Islands Is
purchasing unoprned sAes Tor which they pay about
my CENTS per dozn somslnss ap1n lsyes.g :,
the posseors Of rich pears bat usually out at the
small OF the hornhsving only Their fun for their
money. One old orono took ths trouble tnc other day
pick up shell that was being csreessy kicked around
the beach and urou opening i found pearl within
which has since been sold for over 50 900.
rsg AxSUAL or fEtRfa
and Their value csnno. 70 many leave The
solntrv through irregular channels that u IL cute I'M
Der OF people which the asheriea support however,
should Judge that Al least million Collars per annum
realized IN the rsdco say nothing OF the value OF
the empty shells.
An the Gner pesrls are cent 10 London aud the Cont,
nent save few which and their way into the United
States evsdng duties Of course Tbs nobility Of Europe
hnye special love Tor tha genuine pearl when u 10
proven 20 Ne such and promptly purchase whenever
they arc offered Hence the why they are sent
In that direction.
me inferior articles arc hswked around 'he streets Of
Panarna, or else pamed % upon the crsduons Cafor
mans a. frst class Jewel worth double the amount
asked for IL have known persons on their way
70 or from The golden an3 70 buy baso limitations cut
out with pcpknis from 10 t!ckc-t part ~ shell "A
psaris or the nnest quaity Bur the ease with which
false may be dcec'ss should sufficiently protecs
greenhorns from imposition
rnAKL THxrR rsS.
IL In considered among th0sa engaged IN the business
that the shells repay he divers for hcr time and
labor that wha.sser pearls they ind may be con-
sdcrec much srra jrss az u they we're prizes drawn
in lostcry IT, indeed such not the case lev FISH
cries tho woEld.would PSF for working Pear shells
here brfug good rounf prcs this season. There ~
been smaller supply ~ihln tie pat year Than Usual
ard. the demand always exceeding the amount on the
mari they will readily bring IRON 40 20 $50 per ton
81 Tho islznda Ike ~ FoyN inhshiian ne shell also
goes principally Europe, where u nsed Tor knife
handles rnothsvog rea ornaments, mo- buttonr, 10
winch quite does away vita lh, necessity Tor ivory
fair proportion OF the shells however 70 Nov YORK,