Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-03
AMONG THE
PEARL DIVERS.
A Visit TO Thursday Island. the Pearl Fishing Me.
tropolis Of the Southern Pacific Ocean.

~ ~
Thursday Island9 It Is the
metropolis Of the pearl fishing
industry OF the Pacific ocean'
The seas about It are spotted
with banks Of pearl oysters
IN and hundreds Of divers are
always moving about through
them. They bring back tons OF yalu-
able shells and often pearls Of great
price. Already millions Of dollars
worth OF shells and pearls have been
gathered, and still there are fortunes
in sight. The same business is going
on on the coast OF western Australia,
where $500. 900 worth Of shells are an
nually raised and where some shells are
found worth $1,000. a pearl, discovered
there q few years ago, sold for $500
and onother one, found in 1890, brought
$4,000.
ON THURSDAY ISLAND.
But first let me tell you just where
Thursday Island Is and Of my strange
trip to II. II you Will take your map
Of the Pacific ocean you viii see, just
north OF Australia, the enormous Island
OF New Guinea which Is, not counting
Australia, the largest island OF the
world. II Is about 1900 miles long and
IN places more than 400 miles vide.
This great mass lies within eighty miles
OF Australia and the strait between inc
two Is spotted with Islands and coral
reefs. There arc hundreds Of islands,
some inhabited by strange tribes, others
mere coral rocks jutting out of the sea,
and Others half settled by Australians
There are islands for every day Of the
week. There is n Sunday Island, a
Monday Island, a Tuesday Island and
q Thursday Island. When We came in.
TO the harbor we were told we must go
10 Friday Island for quarantine, and
we sailed by other Islands later on be-
fore we came to Thursday Island.
Thursday Island commands Torres
strait. The British government Is
building Notifications upon II, and II
now has a garrison on a hill back Of the
harbor. 1t has six inch guns already
mounted. and II expects TO establish a
big coaling station here 10 aid II In de-
Tending lis possessions In this part of
tie world.
Thursday Island is one Of the small
est In the strait. but owing TO It's excel
lent harbor II Is the port Of call Of all
ships going through. Vessels OF any
size can anchor In It's waters and be
safe. and the result Is that all tho
steamers which go about North Aus
tralia to Europe stop here. There are
also steamers for Japan, China, the
Philippines and other parts Of the South
seas.
Through its commerce and the pearl
fisheries a considerable town has grown
up about the harhor. There are several
hundred buildings. and the Queensland
government. which controls the island.
has a number Of public offices, such as
a court house, a customs house, n post
and telegraph Office and "A savings bank.
The biggest house OF the town IL fhat
OF the governor, standing on a little hill
as one end, with a fiagstaf on Its roof.
Near by are the barracks, great two
story buildings with galleries around
them, looking not unlike our second
class seaside hotels. In front Of the
town two piers have been built out into
the harbor for the accommodation OF
the smaller steamers. and back Of these
are the warehouses and stores. The
town has six hotels and three or -four
churches. Its inhabitants come from
all parts OF the Pacific. Az you step on
the wharf you are SURROUNDED by rep-
resentatives OF all the nations Of the
far east. There are brown men. black
men and yellow men. There ore Fill
pinos, Japanese, Chinese. East Indians
Fijians and Papuans. More than hal
OF the population Is semi-sayage, and
among the floating population are pear
divers. beach combers and beche de mel
fishermen OF all colors and races,
THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.
In coming to Thursday island from
Brisbane. Queensland, ! had n OF the
wonderful trips Of the word. The mo-
of the way was inside the Great
Barrier reef. which Is made altoGeths,
Of coral. Suppose you could construct
q wall OF coral from Boston TO the Mis-.
sissippi river. or 80 that the length of II
should be at least 1900 miles. Suppose
the wall to be from 10 to 20 miles wide
and to be made entirely Of coral; now In
atolls, great rings OF coral walls encir-
cling lagoons; now In long ridges and
now In gardens and beds OF most beau
tiful red, white and pink flowers OF
coral, built by these insects OF the sea.
Such a wall Is the Great Barrier reef
which extends along the whole eastern
coast OF Australia from Torres strait
southwark for more than 1000 miles,