Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-23
PEARLS IN OYSTERS.
OF THE PRECIOUS GEM
IN THE SHELL FISH.

IN THE SHELL FISH.
Life Of the Divers Who Gather the Fesris-
Places Where the Bivalves Thrive-rhs
Pearl Is Liable to Decay-Interesting
| Facts About the Business.
To picture the sedate and matter Of
! fact oyster as rising to the surface of the
ocean to drink in the dew of heaven may
well be regarded as a stretch of the i'm
agination worthy of the most fanciful
weaver Of romances. Yet such was
stated by early writers to be the origin
of the pearl. that gem which is deemed
worthy to deck the brow of royalty,
which adorns fair women. which is the
| delight OF the treasure hunter and which
4 in all ages has been the symbol of beauty,
purity and worth.
This pretty conceit. however. is brushed
away by the stern realities Of sober fact.
The keen eye of science has discovered
that the birth of Il pearl is anything but
poetical affair II is due to an acct
dent. and to one of those provisions Of
nature by which every living creature
resists for foreign attack and seeks to
protect itself frcm injury The oyster
pearl springs into existence in two diff
ferent ways The first is by the intro
duction into the animal of foreign sub
stance. In some unguarded moment the
oyster may permit a minute grain of
sand to slip into its domicile and lodge
between the flesh and the shell. The
oyster is powerless to expel the intrud-
ing substance. which Immediately be-
comes a source of irritation.
There is but one remedy. The animal
begins to cover the grain of sand with a
coat of membrane, followed by a layer
IF calcareous matter called nacre, This
is identical with mother of pearl, that
beautiful lining OF the shell which re
lects all the colors of the rainbow AS
well as the most delicate and subtle
ints. Nacre is constantly exuded from
| he body of the oyster. the cookie, the
nautilus. the snail and other animals of
the mollusk order. and forms their outer
covering, hard or soft thick or thin, ac-
,ording to the protection demanded by
their surroundings. Around the intrud-
ing grain of sand which has been men
toned accumulate alternate layers of
membrane and nacre until a pearl il
formed.
| THE MOST VALUED GEMS.
These pearls, however, are not the
valuable gems Of commerce, because, i'll
the first place, they preserve the form of
the grain of sand, and hence are irregu-
| Ia ~, st,nr,,, .,,,1 ia,
Shey frequently alhere to the shell and
consequently present one rough side.
The perfect pearl is found loose in the
Interior of the fish and has its beginning
in an animal germ. The oyster annu-
ALL produces a number of eggs. which,
as soon as they develop into diminutive
animals, are thrown ont of the mother.
Occasionally. however. an egg proves
abortive and remains behind 1t is almost
microscopic in size. and is inclosed in
tiny capsule. This capsule now becomes
to all intents and purposes foreign sub
stance. But it has certain powers akin
to those Of the present. one of which is
that of manufacturing, throwing out
and gathering around itself nacre. The
nacre completely envelops it. and the
germ Of the animal is soon incased in
| beautiful prison, usually spherical in
| form. but sometimes pear shaped. This
| is the true pearl.
! The most famous pearl fisheries in the
world are near the coasts Of Ceylon,
Japan. Java and Snrnatra and in the
! Persian gulf, although pearls in limited
| quantities are obtained in the streams of
va-ous countries.
| HOW THE DIVERS WORK.
| Before the divers begin their work
there are blessings and magic spells from
| priests and sorcercrs to drive away the
sharks and bring good luck. These in
| cnniatOns are Of course roundly paid
| for. The boats start ont late at night,
SO that operations may begin at day
/ break. The divers have small instru
ulcnts for COMPRISING the nostrls and
becsway to stop the apertures in their
cara. Each one holds a block Of stone
between his feet to aid his descent
i";aping from the boat and plu1ging be
| ne;;th the waves. the divers reach the
bottom. where they run about SWIFTLY
and fill their bag with oysters as quic,.
ly "a possible When one is ready to
rise he gives a signal and is drawn back
90 his boat by rope.
Divers cannot remain in the water
over a minute on the average, while two
minutes taxes the most expert. a very
few who have stayed under four or five
minutes have won great regulations for
their extraordinary endurance.
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