The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-01-11
LABRADOR PEARLS.
DESoLATE LAND HAS LITTLE
KNOWN SOURCE OF WEALTH.
Immense Masses of Water Mussels
in Many of Which Jewels Are
Found Choke the
Rivers.

nlNeTS.
The deep sea fishermen and whale
or seal hunters are about the only
people who know much of the north.
ern Labrador coast, where II runs up
into Hudson bay territory Barren
ness and desolation, rocky shores
beaten by the icy Atlantic, long win
ters and short, inclement summers are
its chief characteristics.
There are but few signs of human
life; merely ancient rockbuilt shelters
set up by whalers from Nantucket or
Gloucester, when Greenland whales
we're hunted among the icebergs, or
rude seal hunters shanties. where OBJ
servation parties land for day or two
at q time. But curious as 1t appears,
there Is little known source Of
wealth In that lone land.
II is found In the rushing rivers,
which generally make their last leap
into the ocean over a steep and high
waterfall. The immense masses Of
fresh water mussels, which In many
places actually choke the streams. first
directed attention to il in late years.
Men wondered why the old-time
whale or seal hunters and other early
navigators had collected such quanti-
ties of the shells as were to be seen
piled about the camping places. Then
short search by well-read ne'er-do-
well few years ago revealed a large,
irregularly shaped pearl, under a pile
Of old shells. and Immediately valu-
able secret was revealed to few per.
sons.
Since that time a certain number
of men have become expert pearl fish
ers, and now shipments are period.
ically, 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 indi.
vidual.
Some of the pearls are large and Of
great value. Last year about this time
one was sold TO New Yorker of rare
discrimination in the purchase OF
curios for upward of 81 1000. In ap'
pearance these fresh water pearls are
not easily distinguished from those OBJ.
tained in southern seas, though unfor.
tunately a certain percentage of them
are irregular in shape.
Usually they are silver white in
color; though a young man who has
just returned from Labrador has a
pair of rose pink pearls, perfectly
matched, which weigh about II grains
each and are worth probably $50 or
$40 apiece.
Strangely enough. this lucky one
was not n pearl hunter, but took a
cump 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 find he spent
a fortnight in searching for more, but
only secured about half dozen small
ones. worth perhaps three dollars tho
| lot.
AS a rule the pearl hunting is gone
about in more scientific manner
than that. The mussels are regularly
stacked on fiat rocks or sand bars
| and are allowed to decompose, wheI
the shells open naturally and are easi
| ly examined for the pearls, which liz
loosely embedded in the flesh OF th'
fish.
IL appears that the Indians OF tha
district have always known OF thes'
fresh water pearls, and that several o
the rivers running north have beef
regularly hshed for them for man!
generations. Most Of the pearls col
lected by these people in olden time
were ruined by being rudsiy bored, s.
that they might be strung for neck
laces or for the adornment OF wan
pun belts.
Nowadays the wideawake Hudson
Bay company traders pay iair prlc
for all the Indians can collect. som
of the Montreal houses have reguia
dealings with the pearl hunters OF IN
coast. and have agents on the spe
who secure shipments for them.