The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-11-22
Pearls and Pearl Fishing.

In connection with the sailing of Captain
Clark, of New London, Conn, for the So-
ciety Isands, to engage in the pearl fish
cry, the Telegram OF that city gives a
sketch of his experience in that business,
and description of the manner In which
it is carried on. Captain Clark was the
first person who ever successfully prosecu-
ted the business of pearl fishing by sub
marine diving in armor. He made hts
first experiment about twelve years since
on the coast of South America. and, his
venture proving successful, has followed
the business ever since, either in South
American waters or the Gulf of California.
He has heretofore found the richest pearls
on the coast of Ecuador. Last year he
worked on the coast of California, and re
alised from the sale of the shells (Which
are made into knife handles, paper cutters,
etc.) $50, 900, and from the sale of the
pearls &35, 600 Last seasons operations
having about exhausted the supply in this
region, he has determined to seek out a
new field and has selected the Society
Islands. Six men are required to operate
each suit of armor with which the diver is
fitted. 1.-THE fishery" says the Telegram,
is carried on from small boats, which are
anchored in what is deemed to be prom
islpg locality, and from which the diver
descends. He takes with him a basket
which will hold about three pecks of oys-
ters, and " hen this is filled he makes sig
nal on the lifeline, which is attached to
his body. Upon this signal the full basket is
hoisted into the boat and an empty basket
sent down. The diver ordinarily remains
under water from four to five hours, but
Captain Clark informs Us that in shoal " alter
he has worked ten hours per day for eight
daysin succession. In shoal water, Of course,
the pressure on the diver is comparatively
small, and he experiences little fatigue
compared with that which he feels when
L. = h<.t
with which the life line communicates shi ts
position as often as may be necessary,
upon signal from the diver. The pearl
oysters are found at various depths, from
one to twenty fathOms, but Captain Clark's
experience has been that they are most
abundant in water from ten to twelve
fathoms deep. They are generally found
on rocky Observation-Disclosures in sand-but
neveron a muddy bottom. The general
impre ssIon that pearls are attached to the
shell OF the oyster is incorrect. They grow
in the meat of the oyster. Sometimes they
break through the skin and attach them
selves to the she'll, but pearls of this de-
scription are always OF an interior quality
and generally defective in formation. In
South American waters 500 o. sters are
&C nsidered large days catch; but the
average is much less than this. Capt.
Clark has seen as many as forty pearls
taken from single oyster There seems
to be no rule governing the growth OF the
pearls. Often whole days catch will
again a hundred oysters will I've opened in
succession, each one of which contains a
pearl. The largest specimen ever taken
by Capt. Clark weighed one quarter of an
ounce, and had it been perfect would
readily have brought in the market
eral serious defects, and only 81 900 was
realized from it's sale"-N Y Tablet.