The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06
PANAMA'S PEARL HARVEST.
ATERAGE TALUE OF 0EHS SECURED
ny DJyERs AMOUR sISO,OOO 4 YEAR.

--+--t1
Searching for These Ornaments has Boz
come an Important Industry - Oysters
Containing Belgian SusuERlers
Belt of Uncut stones Worth Saso0eo'
From the Chicago Record.
AT SEA IN THE SourH PACIFIC. July I-Ths
magnificent pearls which ornament the crown
OF Spain and which are so much admired BY
tourists who visit the cathcdrals at Seville ana
Toledo were found in oyster shells in the Bay
| OF Panama, and the large strings and clusters
which the Spaniards took from the Indians
both on the north and west coasts OF Soush
America came from tho same source. Pearl
fishing Is still carried on to n considerable ex-
tent at Panama. In the spring OF 1871 boy
ID years old found an oyster that concealed
Jewel now offered tor sale In Paris for $4,000.
He received $4,000 for II from a negro specu"
lator named Justiana. The latter broughtN
to Panama and sold it to Felix Erhman. the
banker. for a considerable advance on that
| price At the Erhman banking house the other
day saw an assortment OF pearls valued oil
| the way from $50 to 1000. which are Panams
| prices and considerably lower than those that
| would be nsk cd for the same Jewels in London,
| Paris or New York Few pearls are sent to
| New York because Of the duty imposed upon
| them by our Government Those that 60 are
| struggled.
The annual harvest OF pearls here will aver
age "a value OF about $4,000 There are sew
| eral firms engaged in the business-Prospero
| Penal. Pisa Pisa. Arosenema Hermanos. Ma.
| dura iermanos and others. The Erhmans do
| no fishing. but buy pearls Of spectators.
| Pearl oysters are found in all parts Of Panama
| Bay. Two years ago an ordinary fisherman
| found one near Taboga Island. not more than
| half mile from the regular steamship an
| chorage that contained n pearl worth $1,000.
hut the largest beds are about thirty miles
from the city. The oysters are much larger
than those found in northern waters, and the
shells even larger still. The oysters are
rank and coppery. but are healthful and are
eaten by the natives. The smaller ones are
often brought to the Panama market
Tho pearl islands. as they are called. compose
an archipelago on the west side OF Panama
Bay. about thirty miles from ths steamship
landing. There sixteen islands and several
large rocks. with between thirty and forty
little villages Of negroes and mixed Indians.
population of perhaps 900 all told. engaged In
pearl diving. Tho Islands are low and heavily
timbered and the soil is fertile. The cocoanut
groves and long stretches of white beach that
glistsn like silver in the sun make pretty
| picture. Most Of the Islands belong to the NOR
chants l have named. who cultivate the soil as
we'll as manage the fisheries The largest.
called Rey. which has about one-haf the
| population. is fifteen miles long and seven
| broad. san MlEucl-St Mlchael-tne cnlet
town and headquarters of the fsheries, Is
| nothing more than a cluster OF palm: thatched
| huts. Several stores are bu 1t OF wood and cor
| rugal"d iron. and church OF stone Is larger
| and more costly than all the rest Of the build
| ings Of the town combined.
The population. mostly colored, nre de-
scended from the slaves that were originally
emrIoyed by the SpaniardS in pearl diving;
| the old villagers have carried on the business
under different regulations. The divers, like
the gold miners who were also slaves. were
f?rmerly kept in pens like the diamond diggers
of Brazil and South Africa. Perhaps that was
used for this work, 1t must have been difficult
| to induce INDEPENDENT citizens. however hum
bIe, to submit to such treatment; but even then.
islands. Just as the finest diamonds have been
hmugglcd out from tho corrals in Brazil and
| south Africa. | saw in Paris few years ago
gen l. With With
grees Ike horses and pictures. and experts can
trace them back from owner to owner until
never seen or heard OF until 1t was offered for
sale at the Paris Exposition in 1889. and was
surprise to all of the dealers in Europe. There
was undoubtedly stolen BY some miner and
some years ago when the royal mail steamer
Gu3d@na was wrecked on the coast Of Brazil.
mond smuggler, who went into the mining dis.
trlcts n the interior every year and purchased
could communicate with miners inside Of the
pen. lie had belt around his waist contain
| ing Sg3n,OiW worth OF uncut stones OF various
s2cs. and was in constant terror for fear they
would he discovered and contiscated; because
IS b. h fBB 1pS1a nu'y Th he
bought his stones very low. Of course. because
the d rs nor the saloon d tSss h ba
few opportunities for selling them They were
therefore glad to get the best price that was
offered.
There are two methods Of operating at the
pearl islands in Panama Bay. The owners OF
| the oyster beds give permits to natives TO fish
| in them upon the payment OF q certain rental
and a heavy percentage Of the pearls recovered.
W"nt The divers can bring up all the oysters
they please ThS 5he H. are ya@ n foF
even II they contain no gems
The divers plunge into ten or twelve fathoms
deepest beds. and bring up as many shells as
they can in their arms which their wives or
few contain pearls, which are deformitles -ex-
crescences formed by the sccretons OF the
weh have uR no Il.
| c!oister Sometimes a tiny bit OF sand lodges
in the shell. and the saliva and other secretions
bathe 1t day alter day. Just as they battle the in
side of the she, and form the nearly coating
It always contains. Pearls arc therefore acct
tnins them. The divers work for days. some
times for weeks, without finding single pearl.
which are worth from five 70 eight cents each
in the New York market and from three to five
cents in Panama.
Mos, of the rears are, small according to tho
growth. and If they could be left In the water
| would grow larger. some minute. Ilk0
Eiriohot which are worth IRON 81 to $40 each:
| Occasionally they find one big as small
| pea, which will sell Tor 50 or so The value
beautiful great black pear ped pearl at Mr..
| Erhman's that would have been worth thou
| sands OF dollars but for an imperfection. which
| reduced its value to hundreds 1t can he set
| in n brooch with the fairside out, like we wear
| our best manners in company, and the world
at larg" may admire it, but every expert will at
| once recognize WIN ii was sci that way.
All the Panama merchants ] have named
! employ diving bells and send men down to the
bottom OF III" bay 10 pick out the best-lookinR
shells. which are mt III baskets and hauled up
T. The surface ot the water and dumped into
| boats. Th"s" men are paid by the month and
! work in gangs nil day under a foreman. receiv-
inG stated wages and rutlous They have no
share In tn" J"w"is they md. and II is difficult
| for them To- stenl unless the whole party, fore
man and all enter into the conspiracy.
the LITELY YOUNG DRUMFISH.
| Aquarium Visitors Amused by Its Picking