The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-06-21
Pearl Fishing IN Vermont.

The pearl-producing, fresh-water clam, or mus
sell is found in some Western streams, though
few pearls have yet been scovered in them. 1t
seems that fresh-water pearls are found most
abu1dantly in the Winoo, XII river in Vermont,
moi far from its source and in its small tributa-
ries. Within a few years much attention has
been given to hunting them, and vasl quantities
of the molluscs have been destroyed by the merci-
less poarihunters yet they still fou ad in great
numbers.
Pearls are more frequently found in clans that
live Oh stony or gravelly bottoms, as grain of
sand or some small foreign substance hat has en-
tered the shell forms the nucleus around which
the layers of pearl are made, taking all unknown
number of years to form even q small pearl
Sometimes they are taken from river-l eds of clay
and mud. 1t is said clans must be seven years
old before they begin to form pearh
The CLAIMS move slowly from placeto place,
crawling edgewise, leaving groove-like track.
The small end of the clam sticks in the bottom
of the stream with the large end out and open
out of this portion Of the animal protrudes but
at the least disturbance withdraws, and the shell
closes so tight it cannot be opened without being
cut at both ends. When open the pearl if any,
is at once seen in the small end, imbedded in the
thap."
The instruments necessary for ''peari hunting"
as it is commonly called, are al iron rod, hatten-
ed at one end, with barbs cut in it to draw out
the CLANS handled basket to carry hem in, q
stout knife to open the shells, and a box Of fine
cotton in which to put the pearls
Sometimes the fisherman wears high rubber
boots, oftener he wades into the river with bare
feet and his breeches rolled high with his basket
on arm and spear in hand He thrusts his spear
into any open shell he may see on tie bottom,
which Immediately closes, when he pulls 1t ont,
puts it in his basket, and looks for another
w hen satisfied with the number he has got, he
carries them to the bank, where he sits down and
opens them. The experienced hunter can usual
ly tell before opening if there is pearl inside, as
only the deformed shells contain one. Often
thousands of shells are opened and the inmates
destroyed without obtaining single pearl Of
value. Sometimes brownsh ones, lus' reless, and
of no value are found. The white and rose-color-
ed ones alone have the beautiful light aad desr-
able lustre.
Probably more depends upon luck han skill.
G. H. Stevens, Esq, Of East MontepeieF, is one
of the most successful pearl-6shers OF that region,
and the one who some years ago found the largest
pearl that has been discovered in the United
States He says 1.-THE largest pearl found was
in two feet of water where it ran swift. 1t was
in the first shell | took out, and could see the
place close to it where some one else had taken
out another. The pearl is of an inch in diam
eter, round as ball, and OF fine lustre. 1t is
now owned by gentleman in New York, who
values it among the thousands. 1t was nearly
in the middle of the clam by the hinge, the only
one ever heard OF being found there"
For successful hunting a still day is necessary,
as a small ripple on deep water will hide the
clans. In shallow water it is not so important.
Upon such day, during pearl-fever," it is
not uncommon to see numbers of men and boys,
and sometimes women, standing in the Winooski
gathering the clans, or seated on the bank open
ing them. In warm weather sometimes, such
numbers of clans are destroyed that the air is
tainted with their decay for long distance.