The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-02

Searching the Brssks fsr the Treasures
HidAsa by Fresh Wassr CLANS.

Searching the Brssks Ssr the Treasures
| HidAsa ~ Fresh Wass< CLANS.
IL may not DO GENERALLY known by
lovers Of pearls that . large number
OF them are found yearly In the
mountain streams and meadow brooks
OF Connecticut and arc sold at good
round sum. says the Boston Globe
Such is tho case however and.
though this species OF pearl Is not
found as plentifully rs arc the ex-
quisitely tinted pearls found In the
oysters of the Island Of Ceylon. there
arc large number Of Men and boys
In the Connecticut Valley who have
for years materially Increased their
income by pearl hunting. .-..xnS
The best known and most successful
pearl hunter in Connecticut 10 Ira
Chapel He 10 tho fourth generation
OF Chapels born and bred In the val
ley. and he is acquainted with every
stream. ledge and foot OF ground
within a radius OF twenty miles OF
Ham burg, which has always beep his
home.
HeAbegan pearl hunting when he
was small boy. and every spring no
wades certain streams known to him
10 be pearl bearers" and usually
winds up the season with from 500 to
$500 worth OF the valuables
He hunts pearls during April and
May II the winter has been a mild one.
He is very careful to keep from other
hunters the knowledge OF where he
has the best success When he leaves
home In the spring he goes in the
night and does not return until he
has gone over all the streams depend
ing upon the farmers for food and
shelter.
The pearls are found in what is gen.
orally known as the .fresh-water
clam" In shape this resembles the
saltwater clam and Is Of about the
same size. The outside OF tho shell
is brown and on tho inside there are
many beautiful tints.
1t somewhat resembles the abalone
shell OF the Pacific in coloring. and
when polished is very beautiful.
Tho meat OF this clam is not palat-
able. In some streams. especially those
running over pebbly courses these
CLANS are found in great quantities.
The pearl hunter OF experience can
easily tell by shape and size which
CLAIMS to gather. These he picks up
with his fingers where the depth OF
the water will permit II he cannot
reach the bottom OF the stream with
his hand. he has pair OF pronged
tongs made especially for that work
with which he deity lifts the clam
out
The hunter wears heavy oil or
rubber jacket and high up on his
back is strapped u basket capable OF
holding half bushel OF clans. He
seldom gathers more than a peck of
CLANS on hunt extending over six or
seven weeks and many OF the pearls
found in these are SO small as to be
valueless. The hunter keeps the
clans wet which preserves their liv es
until his hunt is ended. when he
brings them home and spreads them
on the roof OF an clubhouse or some
surface exposed to the sun.
The flesh putrifes in few days
and when in this state the clans are
washed with salt water Then the
water Is turned of and the shreds OF
flesh are carefully searched for the
pearls.
1t is not an unusual occurrence for
farmers who have fed their fowls on
raw CLAIMS to find in their craws pearls
OF various sizes and such farmers
never kill fowl without carefully
searching It's crop
During the summer months the
streams are ranged by boys who
gather all the clans they find in the
hope Of getting valuable one. They
are successful. but not
often. for the pearl bearing clam is
found most plentifully in certain To-
and the experienced pearl
hunter will not give away their
secrets.
Pearls are not found as plentifully
as they wore fifteen years ago. Then
pearls were often found that sold for
$75 or $50.
Many pearls are found OF the size
Of pin-head. These are too small
to be OF much value and are thrown
away.
The most valuable ones are of the |
size Of an ordinary pea. The value of
a pearl depends however. more upon
It's color than upon its size. The
ones found are usually very
and look like n smoked pearl |
button that has not been polished
The largest and most valuable ones |
are lighter in color and when polished |
possess a beautiful iridescence.