The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-14
MEXICAN PEARL FISHING.
The Annual Yield of the Gulf of California
Is About S35O,00O.
(From the Mineral Collector. J


The agents of the English proprietors Of
the concession granted by the Mexican
republic for monopoly of pearl fishing
in the Gulf of California recently arrived
in San Francisco and gave some interest
ing details of the present methods en-
ployed in their industry, which has con-
tinued ever since the occupation of the
country in the time of Cortez.
The whole coast of the Gulf of Califor-
mia abounds in pearls, and the conces-
sions 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 thirty
five feet. With the introduction of diving
apparatus the limit of depth was in
creased to thirty fathoms. The best di-
vers could formerly remain under water
not to exceed two minutes. A modern
diver thinks no thing of 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
a rope, which is hauled into the boat on a
given signal. Sometimes the number of
oysters secured is large; at other times
only few are caught.
The diver does not confine himself to
the pearl oyster alone, but If he sees a
rare specimen of coral or new species of
shell he places it in his bag and 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 har-
vested in Lower California was alone
1857, 900. In addition 5000 tons of shells
were exported, which were valued at
81 $50, 600 more. Pearl fishing is the en-
tire occupation of the natives, and La
Paz, the headquarters, city of the
peninsula. with about 1900 inhabitants,
is solely dependent upon the industry.
The business is one of chance, and the
pursuit is fascinating one to the natives,
who are born gamblers.
Every oyster does not contain its pear
and only at intervals, and rare ones at
that, is 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 100000 Many black pearls
are found in Lower California 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 Lon
don and Paris and distributed fom those
great markets.
The dangers of pearl fishing have al.
ways been exaggerated, possibly to give
a fictitious value to the beautiful gems
The loss of life in the fisheries in Lower
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 diff
cult to substantiate them so much the
greater.
The occupation at best is hazardous
one, and those who were engaged in il
before the introduction of diving apparat.
us were always short lived The demand
in the world markets for pearls of extra
beauty is always far in excess of the sup.
NV