Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-13
LABRADOR PEARLS.
A Little Known Source of Wealth In
the Streams of a Desolate Land.

Gaspe Basin tCansda} Cor New York Sun
The deep sea fishermen and whale or seal
hunters are about the only people WAC
know much Of the northern Labrador coast
where 1t runs up into Hudson bay terri
tory. Barrenness and desolation. rocky
shores beaten by the Icy Atlantic, long WIN
ters and short. Indictment summers are It's
chief characteristics.
There are but few signs OF human life;
merely ancient rock-built shelters set up
by whalers from Nantucket or Gloucester.
when Greenland whales were hunted among
the ieebergs, or rude seal hunters shanties
where observation parties land for q day
or two at a time. But curious as 1t APP
pears. there Is little known source OF
wealth In that lone land.
1t Is found in the rushing rivers which
generally make their last leap into the
ocean over steep and high waterfall. Ths
immense masses of fresh water musses,
which in many places actually choke the
streams, first directed attention to II In
late years.
Men wondered why the old-time whale
or seal hunters and other early nayigators
had collected such quantities of the shells
as We're to be seen piled about the camping
places. Then short search by we'll
re al neer-do-well few years ago revealed
large, irregular shaped pearl under a pile
of old shells, and immedia tely valuable
secret was revealed to few persons.
Since that time certain number of men
have become expert pearl fishers. and now
shipments are periodically, and in summer
regularly. made OF pearls. These men make
fair wages by their labors though of course
the returns vary according to the fortune.
good or bad, which attends the individual.
Some of the pearls are large and of great
value. Last year about this time one was
sold to a New Yorker of rare diScrimina-
ton in the purchase of curios for upward
of $1,000. In appearance these fresh water
pearls not easily distinguished from
those obtained in southern seas. though I'M
fortunately certain percentage of them
are Irregular in shape.
Usually they are silver white In color.
though young man who has just returned
from Labra dor has a pair Of rose pink
pearls. perfectly matched. which weigh
about twelve grains each and are worth
proba bly, $50 or $40 apiece.
Strangely enough, this lucky one was not
a pearl hunter. but took a ciump of shells
in his hand and sat down to open them
with his pocket knife. He found the two
pearls in one large shell. After that lind
he spent fortnight in searching for more.
but secured only about half a dozen small
ones. worth perhaps 81 the lot.
AS a rule the pearl hunting Is gon" about
m a more scientific manner than thai. The
mussels are regularly stacked on fat rocks
or sand bars and are allowed to decom-
pose. when the shells open naturally and
are easily examined for the pearls which
lie loosely embedded In the flesh of the fish.
1t appears that the Indians of that dis
trict have always known of these fresh
water pearls. and that several of the rivers
running north have been regularly fished
for them for many generations. Most OF
the pearls collected by these people in olden
times were ruined by being rudely bored,
so that they might be strung for necklaces
or for the adornment of wampum belts
Nowadays the wide-awake Hudson Bay
Company traders pay fair price for all
the Indians can collect. Some of the Mon
treal houses have regular dealings with the
pearl hunters of the coast and have agents
Oh the spot who secure shipments for them.