The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-13

oysters left for a fishery.
Previously, In 1907, one Isaac Solomon
had formed the Ceylon Company of Pearl
Fishers. His Idea was to radograph the
oysters collected and return to the water
those that the radioeraph showed to pos
sess seed pearls capable of cultivation
The oysters photographed did not take
kindly to the process, however, for they
all died after being returned to the water
Under British administration the master
attendant of the port of Colombo has been
md is now the inspector of the pearl
banks, while the government agent of the
northern province is superintendent. In
til recent years a good deal of mystery
was purposely allowed to enshroud the
pearl banks; no beacons or marks were
erected on the shore. and the difficulties
Of locating the banks were increased
wherever possible, probably to prevent
coaching, but certainly with the effect of
adding romantic interest in the public
mind to the pearl fisheries.
The potential paars or oyster beds are
formed by an smalgam of coarse granite
sand and old osyster shells cemented to-
sether with coral lime. On these paars
there is little, If any, movement of sand,
md were 1t not for the fish that prey on
hem the oysters would thrive. 1mmedi-
ately off the paars the sand moves in gi-
santic loose waves. and oysters falling
'nto this are Immediately covered up and
destroyed. Among the predatory fish
the stinging ray or skate seems to be the
most voracious enemy of the pearl oyster
Pearl Oyster Lives Eight Years
The life of a pearl oyster is not more
than eight years, and from about its third
year it seems to be more productive both
in number and size of pearls Very few J.
year-old oysters contain anything larger
than the seed pearls, but if bed could
be fshed just as the oysters were dying
off from old age the pearls obtained
would be many and large. The oyster at
tains it's largest circumference at it's
fourth year, but thickens afterward and
increases in weight.
True pearls, which are the results of
disease, and not due to the admission OF
foreign matter into the shell, are formed
In the intestines of the oyster, and when
they reach a size to cause 1t great dis
comfort the bivalve either dies or forces
the pearl toward the opening between the
valves where It Is usually halted and re-
tanned. to increase in growth, by a trans
parent membran1. Very large pearls are
rarely found on The Ceylon banks. dead
pearl loses Its weight and becomes dullish
brown in color.
When a fishery is established and the
divers have arrived they are divided into
two parties and fish on alternate days
They are allowed one-third of their catch
in payment while the government auc-
tions the remainder on the beach the
evening they are caught. The oysters are
then placed in private kottus. OF incios-
ures by their purchasers and allowed 10
rot for eight or 10 days in a receptacle,
generally a wood canoe. which is covered
over to shade the oysters from the sun,
but enables the flies to obtain free access
and assist In the rotting. After this the
mass is washed with clean water, the
shell, stones and byssus picked out ana
the residue spread on lengths of black cal
leo to dry During the drying process IT
Is picked over again and again and care
fully scrutinized for the smallest pearl.
The apparatus used for classifying
the pearls is series of brass colab-
ders about the size of tobacco ash
trays, which are called baskets, There
are 10 or IL of these baskets or sleeves,
with holes In them varying from some
what larger than a pea to the size of
a pinhead, and through these the pearls
are sifted. The larger pearls are all
found in the Sitting, but multitudes of
the tiniest seed pearls are left In the
sand near the washing places, and for
months after a fishery Is over and the
camp abandoned to desolation jungle
men and women may be seen securing
the sand for these treasures
Fishing Time Short
1t is only possible to fish the Cey-
lon oyster from early in March to late
In April, owing to the monsoons. Be-
fore fishery Is settled upon the in
spector has in the previous November
to lift sample of about 10000 oysters
extract the pearls by, rotting and have
them valued. The valuation at this
point is done by native Moormen jew
elers by secret handclasps under a
cloth. After sitting and weighing the
gems through brass sleeves and on del
icate scales the value Is fxed upon in
old Portuguese or Dutch coinage, ac-
cC.ding to tradition. and afterward
reduced to the coin of the realm. This
practice is invariable, although the
valuation so determined has very little
relation to the real market value of
the sample upon which 1t IL established.
At fishery each boat contains 10
divers who work five at a time and
each pair has one attendant called a
"manduck." who rows or sails the boat.
In addition there is a tindal, a rep
rcsentative of the owner OF the boat.
and a peon or individual representing
the government interests. Each boat
has FIVE stone sinkers. sometimes rath-
er handsomely carved, having a hole
at the upper end to which the rope
is attached. A second rope Is attached
to small circular frame or hoop.
which has coir netting across It,
This Is called the basket. The local
basket is shallow. but that Of the Arab
divers of the Persian gulf has a small
circumference and Ia deep net.
When the divers are ready they get
over the side, place one foot on the
stone which is held clear of the side
Of the boat by two poles fastened at
right angles over the side of the boat
and a third pole lashed to each end of
them parallel to the boat. Graspins
the rope to which the stone is fast
ened and 1itchtng the loop of the rope
attached to the basket over his arm,
the diver takes his nostriis in his free
hand, takes q deep breath and, slight
ly raising himself to add impetus to
his descent, gives the signal to the
''manduck" to let go the rope fastened
to the stone, and down he goes.
Divers Sometimes Collapse
fhe instant he reaches the hcttc.. he
releases the stone. which is hauled up
preparatory to the next descent, while
the diver. swimming on the bottom with
his eyes open, grasps all the oysters
within reach In the limited time at his