The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-01

toward oriental contentment with small profits. At Port Darwin, the most north
 rn point, the work is almost wholly in the hands of Asiatics.
 The business was orisina ed by white men, and pearllng in Australian waters is not vet 50 years old A little over 10 years ago a few intrepid aoventurers. ! finding themselves in Torres Strait, ex- amined their new surroundings, and de- eided to give pearling a trial as some of them were expert divers. When they had carried this on for a time they be- thought themselves Of turning over the diving branch of the work to the col ored people who hung about here were aboriginal Australians, Maiays, Rotumah h men, Loyalty Islanders and Japanese at hand, and the white divers proceeded to Instruct them in the art In a few yea S there was no demand for white divers
 and the colored man had monopoly of the work. Legislation in tie interest of white divers has been passed. but the results are still uncertain.
 Australian pearls are of many shapes and colors, and in the trade lave names
 10 distinguish them. Pearls under Id grams are sold by the ounce above that py the grain Color has deal to do with the value. The white pearls 20 mostly to Europe, and the yellow ones to india In Australia an ounce of good white pearls will fetch up to a1oo. but sometimes realize only fifth of that amount The yellow pearls mav he rated on an average of about half the valua ol the white ones The seed rearls used for cheap jewelry can be had fo- q Der ounce, and discolored pearls for shillings and pence; but if the discoloration is peculiar the value is sometimes enhanced. When the discoloration consists of a Ina F or a tip the price may run very biph For the lowest class of seed pearls there Is constant demand among Oriental physielans and apothecaries who grind them into a powder and administer it to patients as curative of many ills.
 Al one time-before the diving dress be- came general and supervision the thor oush business 1t is now-divers were sus- peeted of much ingenious dishonesty. and the suspicion was often well founded IS they sometimes secreted q pearl when opelng the shells; but supervision nas pfaeucally put an end to that. Some boat owners keep the shells in water fake them ashore and open them at leisure With their own hands; others stand over couple Of kanakas who do the work on | board. The idea that the Rotumah boys and Japanese-both among the best divers can tell pearl bearing oyster by touch- Ing the shell is still widely prevalent: and It IS alleged that when the touch so ad- Vises the diver thrusts the oyster into the ereNlce ot some rock from which it | IS aiterward taken out and appropriated to his own property; but as a rule the suspicion is groundless. Divers who are on bad terms with their employers or l are about to hire a boat of their own may come upon a nest of oysters, and on re- | turning to the boat declare that there is | nothing below; but even that trick is be- | coming less effective day by day. The 1 gass-bottomed boat is coming into use in l pearing waters, and the master of sucn boat is able, if the water be fairly clear, | to inspect the sea bottom while the diver is at work.
 Diving makes peculiar demands on the l mental and physical systems of the men 1 engaged. Some declare that during a part | of his time below the divers mental con | dition borders on insanity. A grudge l against, or a suspicion of, those above l becomes suddenly magniied in the divers 1 imagination, and he signals to be pulled |