The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-23
INDIAN PEARL DIVERS.
Go to Greater Depths and Get Bigger
Returns-Women Also Dive.
SUNDAY

The pearl fisheries of Ceylon are said to
be the oldest and richest OF all These
supervision, the fishing season begins
during the early part of March and con-
tiuueS for q period of four or five weeks
Not only boats and divers from the nelgh-
boring coasts and islands, but pearl mer-
chants from all India assemble on the day
before the fishing. the date OF which IS
announced some time in advance
Each boat carries from ten to twelve
divers They work in pairs. the one div
and they reeve each other from time 10
time.
Weighted With Stone.
The Cinsalese1 diver generally carries a
stone. or other weight OF about nfty-
rounds attached TO the maui line I MS Is Is
IN order 70 laciltate 4 rapid descent IN
addition he carries basket made fast
70 the girdle about his waist In this he
places the oysters 2S found
There are divers who, working IN shal
lower waters, use no weight in descend
ing, but who. while at the bottom. make
good use Of both hands and feet 10 seize
upon and wrench loose any oyster seen
WITHIN the limited area over which they
can work The diver who works without
diving apparatus Is called a head diver
He works in from thirty-fiVe to forty-flye
feet OF water and can make from forty 10
tifty deSceuts in morning. bringing up
from fifteen TO thirty oysters each time
Has ''Charner" Along.
The Ciusalese diver never deseends
without first providing for attack against
sharks or other dangerous fish lnlEnJlu-
ir,- from these dangers he seeks by in
locations. a hereditary endowment among
tie East Indians one of these chariu-
ers-' generally accompanies each boat
lined of seeking pearls is not, however
the only one Pearls are now sought in
Indian waters by the most up-to-date
granted 70 a British corporation
The world has never known richer pearl
fisheries than those of Ceylon- Ire pearls
Of finest color come from these waters,
and the mother-of-peaFl shell Is the
largest and most irIceScent- IL was IroiIi
this region that La PeIlegrina came said
To be the finest and most perfect pearl II
turtles the Indian princes have aEnassed
great wealth. in pearls. and those Of the
Rama of DhOlpuT were valued at $t-0Ov-v"
The Australian Pearls.
The most extensive pearl oyster GROUNDS
OF rhe world are situated on the northern
and western coasts of Australia These
Queensland. western Australia and South
australia. and extend in irregular patches
from near Cooktown on the northeast al
f7oSr TO Freemsntle on the southwest
distance OF nearly three thousand miles
In one year alone. according 10 the
latest available figures. these. fisheries
employed a total OF as vessels with o.0'9
men. and had an output valued az AS9o;-
90 Here is found the finest rnother-ot-
uear1. which exceeds the value or the
pearls by more than 50 per cent
The richest pearl fisheries in the Amer
iCas at the present time are those OF the
Gulf OF California centering around La
Paz and along TIE outer GqasL OF f,-beTies
California in Mexico 1hese IS 1t
were discovered by Hernando Cortez
Wen he marched across Mexico IN lo-o-
Up 10 q short time ago only head dlv-
eris'- were employed. but nowadays the
fisheries are conducted under the most
modern improved apparatus Their oper-
atiors are conducted in from forty TO one
hundred and twenty feet of water out
the work can only be continued from
three 70 three and a half hours at a time
bv reason of treacherous tidal conditions
The California pearls are OF 4 $50,
variety of shapes and color They snow
specimens Of round. pear-Shaped, outtoIl77
riearI or flat on one side. ba=oque or pear
Of irregular shape. In color they range
from white and pink TO blue green
In the clear depths OF the sheltered eit Re-
waters of many atOll of the South IA
G tic often 81 feet below the sur ace
raarIs OF great beauty and value nav
Aoeu found BY the expert Paiyuesiau heau
dfve-S The women too, here engage III
.7i,iu- often rivaliiug the men In endur-
80 They first cover their bodies with
a preparation of cocoanut oil, and m
--sr1- cases use TO weights 10 factiitate
descent The bronze-tinted pearl comes come,
,-i7,cfT,s11y- from these islands, although
he brown and gray-tinted pearl Of the
veS+ coast of the Americas Is equaiy. q
nesl1tffJ1i and as much in denand--t'Illia-
e>iphia Record