The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-14
MEXICAN PEARL FISHING.
Tho Annual Yield or the Gulf or California Is
About $3.50, o

From the San Francisco Call.
The agent Of the English proprietors Of tho
concession granted by the Mexican republlc for
a monopoly OF pearl fishing in the Gulf Of Cali
fornia recently arrived In San Francisco and
gave some interesting details OF the present
methods employed In their industry. which has
continued ever since the occupation OF the coun-
try IN the time of Cortcz.
The whole coass OF the Gulf OF California
abounds in pearls, and tho concessions control
the entire territory. Until within the last
few years native divers were employed. and
the depth TO which they could descend did not
,xceed tnirty-nvo feet. With tho introduction
OF diving apparatus the limit Of depth was In
crca led to thirty fathons. The best divers
could formcrly remain under water not TO ex-
coed two minutes. A modern diver thinks
nothing OF u two-hour stop In water 100 feot in
depth, though at greater depths the stay is
neccss ,rily shortened on account OF the cnor-
nous pressure OF the superin cumbcnt water.
a diver when upon the floor of the ocean looks
about for the oyster, which he tears from the
object ~ which IL Is attached. and places IL In
n small bag hanging to Il rope, which Is hauled
into the boat on a given signal. Sometimes
The number OF oysters secured Ia large, at other
timcs only a few are caught.
The diver does not confne himself to the pearl
oyster alone, but II ho sees a rare specimen Of
coral or n new species OF shell he places " In
his bag and sends IL to the surface. where II
becomes the property Of the concession and
enc source of its large in come.
Last year the value of the pearls harvested In
lower California was alone S35o.ooo. In addi.
ton. 5000 tons of shells we're exported, which
we're valued at l.o5U.0O0 more. Pearl fishing
Is the entire occupation of the natives. and La
Paz. the headquarters. a city OF the peninsula,
with about 1000 inhabitants, j. solely depen.
don't upon tho indus,rJ. The business Ii one
y chance, and the pursuit Is Il fascinating one
to the natives. who are born gamblers.
Every oyster does not contain It's pearl, and
only at Intervals. and rare ones at that. i =
| really valuable pearl discovered. The largest
one ever found was about three-quarters Of an
inch in diameter. and was sold In Paris to the
Emperor OF Austria for $40. 900. Many black
valued higher than the pure white. The large
majority are seed pearls and are only of mod
crate value.
san Francisco Is not the market for Mexican
pearls. though IL ought 10 be. The harvest Is
exported straight to London and Paris and dis
trihuted from those great markets.
The dangers OF pearl fishing have always been
exaggerated. Jos ibly to give n fictitious value
to the beautiful gems. The .o-s OF life I'm the
fisheries in Lower California was undoubtedly
larger before the introduction Of the diving
dress. but II 10 not an established fact that the
deaths wero always caused by the shark or &C.
topus. though these marine monsters were
without doubt RESPONSIBLE FOR the loss Of many
lives. Every diver has plenty OF Embarrassing
stories to relate OF narrow escapes from death,
but ss he IL the only witness, of these affairs. IL
makes the difficulty TO substantiatc them so
much tho greater.
The occupation at best IL q hazard JUS one. and
those who were engaged In IL before the intro
duction Of diving apparatus were AWAY short
lived. The demand In tae world's.marHets for
pearls OF extra beauty is always far in excess OF
the supply,