Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-08-05
MEXICAN PEARL FISHING.

Order OF the Redemption. -Pcarson's
Weekly.
MEXICAN PEARL FISHING.
:ho Annual Yioid of the Gulf Of CaIIfor.
MIA Is About $4,000.
Tho agent of the English proprio-
fOrs of the concession granted by
tho Mexican republic for monopoly
of pearl fishing in tho gulf of Cali
fornia recently gavo some interest
ing details of the present methods
employed i'll their industry, which
has continued ever since the ocCupa-
ton of the country i'll the time of
Cortes
The whole coast of the gulf of
California ahounds in pearls, and
the 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 exceed 80 feet. With
thu introduction of diving apparatus
the limit of depth was increased to
30 fathoms. The hest divers could
formerly remain under water not to
exceed two minutes A modern
diver thinks nothing Of u two hour
stop i'll water 100 feet in depth,
though at greater depths the stay is
necessarily shortened on account Of
tho enormous pressure of the super
incumbent 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 at
taChcd, and places it in small bag
hanging To II rope, which is hauled
into the boat on given signal.
Sometimes the number of oysters
secured is large. At other times
only few are caught.
The diver does not contine himself
to the pearl oyster alone, hut if he
sees rare specimen of coral or a
new species of shell he places it in
his bag ANA sends it to the surface,
where 1t becomes the property of
the concession and one source of its
large income.
Last year the value of the pearls
harvested IN Lower California was
| alone $500. 600. In addition 5000
tons of shells were exported, which
We're valued at 81, $50, 600 more.
Pearl fishing is the entire occupa-
ton of the natives, and La Paz, the
| headquarters, Il city of the PENN
sula, with about 1000 Inhabitants,
IL solely dependent upon the indus
try. The business is one of chance,
and the pursuit il II fascinating ono
to the natives, who are born gam
blors
Every oyster does not contain it's
pearl, and only ut intervals, and
rare ones ut that, is Il really valua-
bic pearl discovered. The largest
one over 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 G lifor-
MIA and arc valued higher than the
pure white. The large majority are
seed pearls and are only Of moder-
ate value.
San Francisco is not tho market
for Mexican pearls, though it ought
to be. The harvest is exported
straight to London and Paris and
distributed from those great mar
kets.
The dangers of pearl fishing have
always been exaggerated, possibly
to give Al fictitious value to the beau
tiful gems. The loss of life in the
fisheries in Lower California was
undoubtedly larger before the intro
duction of the diving dress, but it Is
not an established fact that the
deaths were always caused by the
shark or octopus, though these ma
rine monsters were without doubt
responsible for tho loss Of many
lives. Every diver has plenty of
hair raising stories to relate Of mar
row escapes from death, but as he
Is the only witness of these affairs it
makes the difficulty to substantiate
them SO much the greater.
A''N S>p'Nioii tb bCSt 10 Il IldZdTu-
Gus one, and those who were engaged
in it before the introduction of div
ing apparatus were always short
lived. The demand in the world
markets for pearls of extra beauty
is always far in excess of the sup
Dlv.-Mineral Collector.
IT is ALWAYS gratifying to receive
testimonials for Chamberlain s Collie,
Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy, and
when the endorsement is from a physi.
clan 1t is especially so. There is nc
more satisfactory or effective remedy
than Chamberlain s Collie, Cholera and
Diarrhoea Remedy" writes DIR. II. f..
Robey, physician and pharmacist, of
Olney, Mo-; and as he has used the
Remedy in his own family and sold it i'm
IA fa Il aNg e..