Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-09-25
Worlds Biggest Peas
Fisheries. ..el
Pearl

while the price Of pearls has not shot
up with the some velocity that has been
the case with the diamond nevertheless
the demand for nrst class pearls all over
the world has been very iusiztens and the
price has slowly risen to q very high
level The most valuable pearl fisheries
In the world ars those near the island OF
1eylon. The British government which
has control Of the leasing Of the valuahks
oyster beds whence the pearl oysters are
taken by divers has just leased the privi-
ieges Of taking the oysters out OF the
water TO a London syndicate at a greatly
incl essed price
The way the actual work is done Of
getting ont the pearl oysters is interest.
ing. Each night at twelve o'clock num-
Der Of big sail boats start for the oyster
beds and they stay there until the
next afternoon. Thus the divers do thu
bulk Of their work during the night
which seems 10 have brought about the
best results The boats usually sail ont
some twelve or fifteen miles to where tho
government buoys mark out the space
where the pearl oysters lie.
The divers, who are almost invariably
Arabs, put their feet on top a heavy
weight sttached TO rope and are lowed
ed over the side OF the saiiboatn Thsy
gather all the oysters they can tear away
from the pearl beds and are swiftly pulled
up TO the surface OF the water. There
they remain for about two minutes. ris-
ing and falling with the swell Of the In
dian ocean and then sink down into the
sea again with their rude baskets. Each
diver ran work Abont six hours. The
only appliance used by these pearl divers
is tortoise shell clip which is placed %
49, At
this 10 not always used As for diving ap-
psratuH 1t 10 never used. The average
dive takes from IS to so seconds willis
the maximum dive has been ninety sec
onds. 1t must be remembered that the
diver 10 working as bard and fast as be
can drive his body the whole time be is
on the sea floor and that the pressure Of
the water against the lungs 10 something
terrific to withstand.
IL In Just about noon the next day when
the divers climb aboard the sail boats
and stand for shore. As soon aR the eye
ters are landed they are taken into
huge and picturesque stockRde where
each diver has bis sacks checked and IL
given one third Of the oysters as his pay
inert for the work He Immediately
sells these oysters on the streets 10000
oysters are usually brought In and the
enormous record Of ave million oysters 10
a single day has been made In the Ceylon
pearl fisheries.
The buyers OF pearl oysters are really
more interesting than the divers They
are OF all races and from every land un-
der the sun Many are backed by enor-
nous capital man may loss ave thou.
sand dollars In a bad days buying or buy
only a thousand oysters and become a
millionaire over night. Every shell IL
lottery ticket Of the most uncertain value.
The bids are required TO be repeated In at
least two languages and In more II re-
CURED By any individual bidder. All the
pearl oysters taken oct are sold by the
syndicate. This may seem strange but
the syndicate makes tremendous press
by this method aud takes absolutely NJ
chances Whsn the oysters are opened
the lucky merchants send their pearls -
India and from there they ara shipped b
Paris and London. New YORK taxed yeAsI
" raiiIiaps o. dollars worth Of CsytQD
pearls all Of which have beea found 10
Just the way described above