Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-06-07
NO. 46.

in a loop of the rope attached to the
fastened to their waists. releasing 1t
on ascending. On filling the basket,
or on becoming exhausted, the diver
releases his foot from the loop and at
taches the latter to the basket, as
cending independently or at times
hand over hand up the rope when
hauled taut. Both classes carry the
divers knife incased in a tubular
sheath, with which he cuts the oyster
loose from the rock to which 1t clings
by a greenish black fbrous beard The
diver receives a monthly salary and
tenth Of what he finds.
The greater part of the shell Is
shipped to San Francisco, the pearls
going to Mexico city and Paris. In
1908 the production of these fisheries
was valued at $4,000 the pearls
represented $3,00O,0OO and mother of
pearl shell the rest
The Lower California pearls are Of
a great variety of shapes and color,
round pear shaped, button pearl or
fiat on one side, baroque or pearl OF ir-
regular shape and in color ranging
from white and pink to blue, green,
brown and black. Some very famous
pearls of history have been taken
from these waters. One Of the most
beautiful gems Of the Spanish crown
Is an enormous Mexican pearl found
near Loreto by native diver and
weighing 400 grains.
With hardly an exception there are
American pearls among the crown
jewels of every ruler in Europe. In
1889 at the worlds fair in Paris there
was exhibited a set Of seven black
pearls from these Mexican fisheries
at Of ho nd
day worth much more. One of the
largest pearls ever found here was sold
n Paris to the emperor Of Austria for
$4,000, and the Spanish government
presented Napoleon III. with a black
Mexican pearl valued at $4,000. In
the early sos three magnificent black
pearls were found on the La Paz fish
cries ranging in weight from % to As
carats and worth from $1,000 to $6,-
600 each.
A very beautiful pearl Of a delicate
brownish tint was also found about
the same time, weighing rs carats and
valued at $4,000. The brown, green,
blue and black tints are very unusual,
and Mexico and Panama are famous
for the combinations Of these colors
found In the pearls from their coasts,
Sonora DiaZ, wife Of President Diaz,
Of Mexico, has a magnificent collec-
tion Of Mexican pearls which rivals
many Of the famous collections Of Eu-
rope. Among the poorest natives Of
Mexico beautiful pearls are often to be
found, usually crudely mounted in
rings, combs, earrings, chains, etc.
The Gulf Of Mexico was at one time
famous for its production of the rare
black pearl, and quite a number of
these have recently been taken from
the beds in the Gulf Of Campeche.
Other American pearl fisheries are
on the coasts Of Venezuela, Of Pana-
ma, of Colombia and of Costa Rica.
These fisheries are famous for green
ish black pearls.
The twin towers of the old Cathe-
dral Of Panama are thickly studded
with mother Of pearl shells Of excep-
tional size and beauty from the nearby
fisheries, and on a clear morning, just
as the sun seems to rise out Of the Pa
cific from behind Chepillo to the east
ward and suddenly lights up its gray
white walls through the line Of royal
palms on the eastern side, their con-
cave nacreous surfaces reflect the rays
in thousands Of tiny pink and white
lights.
In the clear depths Of the sheltered
waters Of many an atoll of the South
Pacific, often 60 feet below the sur
face, pearls Of great beauty and value
nave been found by the expert Polyne-
sian head divers. The women here
engage in diving too, often rivaling
the men in endurance. They first
cover their bodies with a preparation
OF cocoanut oil and in many cases use
no weights to facilitate their descent.
The bronze tinted pearl so much
sought after by the collector comes
r,rif al fo1 nd
though the brown and gray tinted
pearl of the west coast Of the Ameri-
cas- is equally as beautiful and as much
in demand.