Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-03-07
WONDERFUL PEARL
FROM SULU.
Found One rs Big aS n Marble, worth
sixty Thousand Pesos.
Grom the Honolulu Telegraph

(From the Honolulu Teegraph)
a single pearl worth sixty thousand
pesos. The possibilities Of pearl fishing
in the Sulu sea seem unlimited. Accord
to stephen Jurika Of Joio vino Is now
a visitor In Manila. the greatest pearl
ever claimed from the sea in the Sulu
archipelago was recently marketed in
Singapore for sixty thousand pesos. re-
ports the Manila Times. II is the size
OF marble, perfectly round and OF beau
tful color. The finding of the gem by
a poor Moor fisherman. its seizure by the
sultan and the Interference of Governor
Stcever, who took the part OF the poor
man and saw that he had justice, make
good reading matter
Under the old Moro law in force when
the Amer an troops first took charge of
Jolo, all pearls of unusual size must be
sent 10 the sultan. who in return made
the finder a present" The only alter
native the finder OF large pearl had was
to sell his treasure privately to the pearl
traders. thereby placing his life in jeop-
ardy, for the trader. il he could not buy
at his own price. would report to the sui
tan, who had power to seize the fisher
man and execute him If he so desired.
OF course under the American admins
tration this unjust law was abolished but
so great was the fear of the poor Moros
Of their powerful dattos that It has been
the custom during the last few years for
them to carry on their business secretly
with the traders.
In this instance the Moro fisherman,
somewhat more enlightened than his pre-
dccessors. when forced to give up his
great find to the sultan. treiked into
Jolo and made complaint to Colonel
Steever, governor of the Sulu group. Tho
matter was soon brought to the courts
and the greedy sultan forced to disgorge
the pearl.
Governor Steever commissioned the Jolo
Trading company to sell the gem for the
benefit Of the finder. and II was recently
sent to Singapore and there sold for
900 pesos. The Jolo Trading company
received a commission Of 10 per cent
SO far as is known, this is the largest
pearl ever taken from the Sulu sea.
Three years ago a pearl, found some
where to the south Of Jolo, was carried
to Batavia and there sold to a European
buyer for $4,000 pesos. As previously
stated, however. the business has been
carried on secretly. owing to the old
law, that pearls of great value rarely see
the light before they reach Singapore.
and many of them not short OF Europe.
Mr.. Jurika states that during the re-
cent fair at Joo instituted by the gov
eminent for the purpose OF bringing the
Moros together. Captain Trainer of the
Jolo Trading company exhibited n magni-
hcent black pearl valued at 700 pesos,
a rare gem of unusual size and beauty.
The firm of Hernandez & Co.. of which
Mr.. Jurikl is u member. has been en-
ploying japanese divers for pearlng, but
has been the case elsewhere in the is
lands the Japanese as soon as they get
a little money ahead, ignore their con-
tracts and outfit balandras (sloopsI Of
their own, entering into active competi-
ton with their employers. The best and
Jurika. are the Malays. who stand the
hardshps and do the work better than
any others, and spend their earnings in
the country. The japanese have already
established settlements of their own at
Zamboanga and Jolo, and trade only
among themselves.
The Moro who secured the great pearl
was only a poor fisherman using the
three pong deep sea rake of his fore
fathers. He refused to divulge to any
one the vicinity in which he made his
lucky find. When he receives the pro-
cecds of the sale he will be one OF the
wealthiest Moros in the Sulu archipelago.