The Dickinson press., 1890-07-26
PEARLS IN OYSTERS.
FORMATION OF THE PRECIOUS GEM
IN THE SHE'LL FISH.

Life of the Divers Who Gather the Pearls.
Places Where the nivalves Thrive-Tho
Pearl Is Liable to Decay-Intcresting
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
weave 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
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 a pearl is anything but
q poetical affair. It is due to an acct
dent, and to n of those provisions of
nature by which every living creature
resists for foreign attack and seeks to
protect itself from injury. The oyster
pearl springs into existence in two diff
ferent ways. The first is by the intro
duction into the animal of a foreign sub
stance. In some unguarded moment the
oyster may permit n minute grain of
sand to slip into its domicile and lodge
between the flesh and the shell. The
oyster is powerlees 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
of calcareous matter called nacre. This
is identical with mother-of-pearl, that
beautiful lining of the shell which re-
fleets all the colors of the rainbow us
well IS the most delicate and subtle
tints. Nacre is constantly exuded from
the 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-
cording to the protection demanded by
their surroundings. Around the intrud-
ing grain of sand which has been men,
toned accumulate alternate layers of
41CAlO1dllO elll lltC1C uLlll1 IL pCd14 10
formed.
THE MOST VALUED GEMS.
These pearls, however, are not the
valuable gems of commerce, because, in
the first place, they preserve the form of
the grain of sand, and hence are irregu-
lar in shape, and in the second place,
they frequently adhere 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-
ally produces a number of eggs, which,
as soon as they develop into diminutive
animals, are thrown out of the mother.
Occasionally, however, an egg proves
abortive and remains behind. It is almost
microscopic in size, and is inclosed in a
tiny capsule. This capsule now becomes
to all intents and purposes a foreign sub
stance. But it has certain powers akin
to those of the present, II 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 a
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 Sumatra and in the
Persian gulf, although pearls in limited
quantities are obtained in the streams of
various countries.
HOW THE DIVERS WORK.
Before the divers begin their work
there are blessings and magic spells from
priests and sorcerers to drive away the
sharks and bring good luck. These in
carnations are of course roundly paid
for. The boats start out late at night,
so that operations may begin at day
break. The divers have small instru-
ments for COMPRISING the nostrils and
beeswax to stop the apertures in their
ears. Each one holds a block of stone
between his feet to aid his descent.
Leaping from the boat and plunging be-
meath the waves, the divers reach the
bottom, where they run about swiftly
and fill their bags with oysters as quick
ly as possible. When one is ready to
rise he gives a signal and is drawn back
to his boat by q rope.
Divers cannot remain in the water
owe 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.
The occupation is injurious to the
health, as it requires a tremendous
amount of exertion. Divers are short
lived, subject to various diseases and
have been known to expire suddenly
upon reaching the surface Of the water.
One popularity of pearls is that, un-
like other precious gems, they are liable
to decay. Occasionally a valuable pearl
changes color, seemsto be attacked with
a deadly disease and crumbles into dust.
Such is reputed to have been the fate Of
the most magnificent specimen ever
known.
Passing through successive hands il
finally became the property of a Rus
sian merchant and found u possessol
who knew its immense value and prizet
it accordingly. He kept it carefully il
secluded room of his magnificent man
sion, apart from all other of his treas
ures. It was the wonder and admira
ton of his favored friends who wer
permitted to look at it. The merchan
finally became involved in a politica
conspiracy and fled to Paris, taking hi
n great treasure with him. He KEEP
it hiddenfor a time, but at last consen:
ed to show it to some distinguished lol
en- of precious stones. But when h
opened the cssket he fell back in disma
and staggered as though stricken wit
death. The gem had begun to chang
color. A fatal disease had attacked I.
It was 800 a worthless heap Of whit
powder and the once wealthy merchaz
was apauper.-Galveston News.
He Couldn't Be Tempted.
An Irishman and a Yankee were j
bathing. In the distance a flock of duel
was sporting on the water.
Yankee-Pat, let's take a duck.
Irishman {starting hastily for the shor