Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-07
PEARL DIVERS.
interesting Occupation of the lnhah-
itants of Thursday Island.


Bombay Gazette.
Thursday Island is one Of the most
curious and interesting bits of land on
the globe. II is the commercial center
OF a race OF people who live practically In
the sea.
They are the pearl divers Of the Pacific
ocean.
Thursday Island is one of the little
group of coral formation lying between
Australia and New Guinea. Taken to-
gether, the largest Of these islands con-
stitute a calendar. with an island for
every day in the week, beginning with
Sunday Island. Thursday Island COM
mands Torres Strait.
Representatives of nearly all the nations
Of the far east may be seen any day
along its shores. disporting themselves in
the water-FilipinOs Japanese, Chinese,
East Indians, Fijians and Papauans. To
the right of the island. running 100
miles down the Australian coast. is a
stretch of waving green vegetation, APP
parently afioat upon the surface of the
placid ocean.
This is the top of the Great Barrier
reef, the most notable coral reef in the
world. Throughout its. length its banks
are lined with pearl oysters.
Thursday Island forms the great market
for these oysters. About N,000,0O0 worth
OF shells are raised annually along the
reef and on the western coast of Aus
tralia. The business Of pearl fishing is
conducted on the basis OF the profit from
the oyster shells.
The pearls are clear gain. the value
varying a great deal. One pearl found in
1890 sold for $4,000. another for $500
Pearls worth 500 are quite common.
The shells of pearl oysters are of enor-
nous size. measuring frequently eighteen
inches across. The oysters lie in the sea
fastened to rocks, especially coral rocks,
and quite away from sand and dirt. They
hang by thread like filaments. about a
dozen In a bunch.
The business of the diver is to cut this
thread and bring up the oysters. The
shells are worth from $500 to $1,000 ton
for the best, the poorest from SIS to $500 a
ton.
The natives trade them for merchandise
and realize about $75 ton on the. aver
age
Fishing is done in small boats or lug
gers. Each boat has a pumping apparatus
to force air to the divers under water
The smallest boat, with apparatus, is
worth $1,000
The business is very dangerous. Poison
Gus fish, sharks and squid abound. Sharks
rarely attack divers. but contribute i'm
nensely TO their nervousness. Squids
exude a quantity of inky black liquid,
which dangerously clouds the water.
Japanese are the best divers. They stay
under water longer, dare more and can
be relied upon better than any of the
other types.
Among the Malay natives women are
successful divers. They go down without
diving suits, fastening stones to their feet
TO help them sink.
Natives and divers are not allowed to
open the oysters. A careful watch is kept
TO prevent the theft of gems. under the
eye OF an experienced foreman. good
operator can open a ton Of shells in one
day.
1t is supposed that grain of sand get
ting underneath an oyster shell trritates
the bivalve and causes IL to exude a carbon
ate of lime, which gradually coats the OBJ
struction until a pearl is formed.
Attempts to obtain pearls artihcially
by slipping sand or glass under oyster
shells shave been but partially success
full
The greatest pearl fisheries Of the world
are in the Indian ocean. The product
there is but one-tenth the amount OF
former years.