Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-03
MEXICAN PEARL FISHING.
The Annual Yield Of The Gull Of California
Is About S350,000.

The agents Of the English proprietors
of the concession granted by the Mexi-
can republic for monopoly of pearl
fishing In the Gulf of California recent
ly arrived in San Francisco and gave
some interesting details of the present
methods employed in their industry,
which has continued ever since the oc-
cupation of the country in the time of
Cortez.
The whole coast of the Gulf of Cali
fornia abounds in pearls, and the con-
cessions control the entire territory.
Until within the last few years native
divers were employed, and the depth to
which they could descend did not ex-
coed thirty-five feet. With the intro
duction of diving apparatus the limit
of depth was increased to thirty
fathoms. The best divers could for
merly remain under water not to ex-
coed two minutes. A modern dive,
thinks nothing of a two-hour stop in
water 100 feet in depth, though at
greater depths the stay is necessarily
shortened on account of the enormous
pressure of the superintendent water.
A diver when upon the floor of the
ocean looks about for the oyster, which
he tears from the object to which it is
attached, and places it in small bag
hanging to rope, which is hauled
into the boat on a given signal. Some
times the number of oysters secured is
large; at other times only a few are
caught.
The diver does not confine himself to
the pearl oyster alone. but if he sees a
nf NJ q crpcin I,
of shell he places it in his bag and
sends it to the surface, where it be-
comes the property of the concession
and one source of it's large income.
Last year the value of the pearls har-
vested in Lower California was alone
$3.50, OO0 In addition 5000 tons of shells
were exported, which were valued at
81, $50, 900 more. Pearl fishing is the en-
tire occupation of the natives, and La
PaZ, the headquarters, city of the
peninsula, with about 1000 inhabitants.
is solely dependent upon the industry
The business is one of chance, and the
pursuit is fascinating one to the ma
tives, who are born gamblers.
Every oyster does not contain its
pearl, and only at intervals, and rare
ones at that, is a 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 $4,000. Many
black pearls are found in Lower Cali
fornia and are valued higher than the
pure white. The large majority are
seed pearls and are only Of moderate
value.
San Francisco is not the market for
Mexican pearls, though it ought to be.
The harvest is exported straight to
London and Paris and distributed from
| those great markets.
The dangers of pearl fishing have al
ways been exaggerated, possibly to give
fictitious value to the beautiful gems.
| The loss of life in the fisheries in Low
err California was undoubtedly larger
before the introduction of the diving
dress, but it is not an established fact
that the deaths were always caused by
the shark or octopus, though these
marine monsters were responsible for
the loss of many lives. Every diver has
plenty of hair-raising stories to relate
of narrow escapes from death, but as
he is the only witness Of these affairs
it makes it difficult to substantiate
them SO much the greater.
The occupation at best is hazardous
one. and those who were engaged in it
before the introduction of diving ap-
paratus were always short lived. The
demand in the worlds markets for
pearls of extra beauty is always far in
excess of the supply.-Mineral Collec-
tor.