The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-26
AUSTRALASIA PEARL CULTURE
Pursuing the system That Has Been
Known to the Chinese for Centuries.


From the Morning Oregonian.
1t took us II days from Brisbane to
reach Thursday island distance OF
about 1000 miles. The island is about
30 miles long and about 20 wide and is
about 10 degrees south or the equator;
so you can imagine how hot it b in
December when the sun is south.
Here the great pearl fisheries are car
ried on, not only on a gigantic scale,
but also on a scientific scale. James
Clarke, with whom / had the pleasure
of travelling to the island, is at the
head of a company who are interested
in pearl fishing. 1t seems that they
have discovered that the bivalve forms
the pearl only when he is compelled
to; that is, he either swallows or i'm
bibes something or when the shells are
open something gets in which he cam
not digest, and, not being able to di-
gest il, he tries another method of rid
ding himself of the object; that is, by
ejecting ii, and as he cannot eject ii,
he falls back on his last resort; that is.
by commencing to form the pearl over
the object. With peculiar saliva that
he emits, he builds layer after layer
until the pearl is formed.
Pearl farming is now carried on by
this company very scientifically. They
have laid out immense pearl beds, just
like oyster beds, divided into four
quarters, where the shells are graded. |
and when the shells attain a certain
age they are partially opened and
something put in, which is a secret. |
This irritates the bivalve. which COM
mences to form the pearl at once. 1t
seems that the Chinese are the original
inventors of this system of pearl farm
ing, for that industry has been in
vogue in China hundreds of years. |
The percentage of pearls that are
found in the shells is very small; as in
10000 shells you will only find from
three to five pearls of any consequence, |
but as there are millions and millions
of shells, the company does very we'll.
Some of the pearls get to be of enor-
nous size, and bring fabulous prices. |
/ saw a pearl as large as n large FL |
bert. perfect in shape and with beau
tiful lustre. 1t was valued at $1,000. |
MIR. Clarke told me that just before the
worlds fair a Chicago man came out
to buy pearls. Mr. Clarke. hearing of
him. came to Sydney to see him. They
made an appointment for meeting next
day at the Australian hotel, whore the
pearls were to be exhibited. When the
Chicago man saw the pearls he was
astonished, for he never had seen such
large ones and so perfect. He at first
thought they were imitation, but on
closely examining them and hearing
the prices he was convinced about
their genuineness, as one pearl alone
would have been enough to have
broke" him. He could not see single
pearl that was worth less than 1000,
and as he only wanted TO buy few
thousand dollars worth, and he would
have only got about one pearl and
half. he concluded not to buy.
Pearl fishing is very difficult and eX-
pensive. This company has between 40
and 80 boats which alone represent
$50 600. As IL costs about $1,000 to fit
n
and as the fishing is done in very deep
water. they have TO go long way out,
and necessarily need large boats. The
divers, who are mostly japanese 30
down n depth of between 20 and 30
fathoms, but. owing to the tremendous
pressure Of the water. they stay there
only a very short time, and very often
have to be pulled up. as they become
completely exhausted. and sometimes
die from paralysis Of the heart, as the
pressure of the water stops the circula-
ton of the blood. Some of the divers
carry a small vial with them. and
through an ingenious invention they
can take a drink OF brandy while at
the bottom of the ocean, $50 feet below
the surface.
The shells are mostly sent TO Europe
for the manufacture of buttons. buck
les. opera glass ornaments. knife
handles. etc. They vary in price ac-
corning TO the SlLt VI Aii' ANhiifr
shells are not allowed to be exported.
and all shipments are Inspected by
government inspectors. The price OF
shells ranges from $500 TO $500 per
ton.
| have secured two OF the largest
pearl shells. They have quite his
tory. as they are the shells i'm which
the famous twin pearls were
found about year ago. The
pearls were formed together like
two large peas. perfect shape and
match. but the most wonderful thing
about them was a peculiar freak in
the formation Of the two gems. Al
though they were thoroughly joined
together. one was black Jet, with
beautiful lustre. and the other silvery
white. The pearls were at once sold
for C4OO then again FOR 4150. then an
offer was made from "A London pearl
merchant Of Ct 800. but the owner tele-
graphed 10 stop the sale.