The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-01
ABOUT BREEDING PEARLS.
THE ORIGIN AND FORMATION OF
THE GEMS.
Popular Malay BeIfefs-The Hunt for
Experiments in Pearl Growing.

aroused more acute discussion in certain
circles than that told about the self
breeding pearls of the Malay archipela-
go. The late Frank auckland devoted
considerable space to the matter in the
pages of Land and Water. and DIR. OAR
win was sufficiently interested in the
statements put forth to make them the
subject of a letter to the present writer.
The following details possess at least
one merit-that they were collected on
the spot. and that the evidence of their
truthfulness comes from so many quar-
ters. and is of so strong a nature, that
1t would be considered overwhelming
circumstantial evidence in "A court of
law.
The popular Malay belief in the ex-
istence Of breeding pearls has been no
ticed by various writers on Eastern
matters but rather as a matter of curl
osity than as one demanding assent or
contradiction. No serious attempt was
made to prove or disprove the allega-
tions made until 1873. when a paper was
read before the Straits Asiatic society
on the subject A good deal OF ridicule
was cast upon it in certain quarters,
but those responsible for the statements
embodied in the paper reiterated their
assurances OF their truthfulness.
tainable from other sources than the
pearl oyster. There are, moreover, fresh
water and salt water pearls. Apart
from the fanciful legends which declare
them TO be found in the heads of ele-
plants. serpents, boars, and fish, in bam-
boOs and other plants, several varieties
of shell fish undoubtedly produce them.
In addition to the oyster, whether
pearl" edible" or "hammer-head,
both conch shells and clans furnish them
IN fair n abundance Mr. u w Sfrpptpr in
his interesting work on Pearls and
Pearling Life" describes them as chiefly
produced by the lamelli-branchiata,
which-we omit further scientific phrase
ology-included the winged ham
ner" ''wedge-shaped." window she'll"
edible" and other varieties of the oys-
ter tribe.
The Ginnt Clam.
The giant clam. or tridacna gigas, the
shells of which, measuring from two to
three feet across. are TO be seen in
many fshmongers' shops. and are fire.
quently used as fonts in the churches
of the far East, is next to the oyster,
the most prolific source of production.
and it is from such shells that the
breeding pearls under notice are prin-
cipally obtained For our present pur-
pose it is unnecessary to notice the
fresh-water shells whence the Iustrous
gem is also now and then procured.
The hunt for pearls in the shells of
the giant clam IS not devoid of danger.
Should the would-be captor get his foot
or hand within the margin of the shells
while the amman IS still alive a horri-
BILE fate awaits him. The CLAIMS being
found only under water, cases have Oc-
CURED of natives searching at low tide
who have accidentally placed a limb
in the submerged trap. The victims
foot or hand is not merely crushed into
shapeless mass, but he is held in
I'm I'm M. ef,
rising tide puts an end to his sufferings;
or, IL in The less dreadful contingency
he may manage, If assisted by compan-
ions TO free himself, he remains a Grip
pie for life. Such cases are naturally
very rare, but the writer was told a
dramatic story of such an occurrence
by a Malay who had witnessed il.
Assuming, however that no such mis-
chance occurs and the enormous shell
has been safely got 10 beach, the clam
like the oyster, will in few days die
from lack Of water. Perhaps "a single
shell in six or seven may yield one or
two of the much-prized pearls. AS a
rule they are Of nearly sperical shape
Fine specimens are from a quarter to
three-eighths of an inch I'm length and
three-siXteenths In width, or OF still
more Irregular outline. The fortunate
finder. however. is sure of good price
for his treasure. The pearls, when pres
ent. are usually situated close To the
valve OF the shell. although I'm some
GdSfS iIilDeLArQ III the iSn
The Production Problem.
In order to make the mother pearls
thus produced produce others, various
means are adopted. They may be placed
in a closed bottle of sea or fresh water.
but the most common proceeding is to
inclose them in box with several grains
OF Pulot rice. And then. according to
the information of breeders a curious
oh Tho gfrofs1ar
circular. mother pearls alter their form
and become pear or hour-glass shaped.
or mere formless Jumps of pearly mat
ter. Those seen by the writer were at
least three-eighths OF an inch TO half
Bn inch in length After being left I'm
darkness for a period varying from one
10 three four. or even eight years the
bottle or box on being examined Is
found 10 contain number Of other
pearls-varying in size from the rnerest
pinhead TO that used in the best class
Of jeWclry.
In one case a lady well known at
Singapore possessed a box in which as
averred. had been put about twenty
years previously some four or five
breeders" When examined bv the
writer IL contained about one hundred
and twenty Of various sizes. The social
position Of the owner forbade I'm a gen
eral way the supposition Of fraud. Rut
as no class is exempt from a desire to
mystify other people, an isolated case
like this would have done but little TO
strengthen scientific belief In the real
existence OF the breeding pearl" Cor
rObOration, however, came from so MANY
Independent quarters that the statement
above mentioned could not be dismissed
as imaginative
The head mistress Of the local girls
school, a Eurasian chemist and his part
ner. both OF reputable standing a
Chinese clerk, a lady who had disposed
of a number Of pearls thus bred and
who, in fact, was chiefly supported by
such sales, and the wife of govern
ment official of high standing. whose
account was corToborated by three
friends, besides her husband and family
were among the numerous witnesses
who declared most positively that thew
had actually bred pearls in the vvay de-
scribed. In the last mentioned case the
pearls were seen and examined by the
writer, nine having been produced by the
three originally placed in the boxes
The PeeIing Process.
All were unanimous I'm asserting that
after a certain period the mother pearls
lose their luster and die" the outer
surface changing to dirty flake white
and pealing Off the scales. When about
To breed" a small black speck makes
its appearance on some portion of the
pearl and this Speck continues visible
as long as the breeding process con-
ffnues 1t is noteworthy that although
as above mentioned, the giant clam