The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-06-26

o+N4tly after nightfa of pleasant evening
our little steamer sailed of the harbor of Co
. lombo bound for the 'peary shores" for an
anchorage few miles of the port of Arippu
near which place the pearlfshng feet to be-
gin operations at the rising of the sun. In Cey
Ion the oyster beds under government super.
vision, and about March of each year great
pearl-fshing expedition hovers over the waters
OF the Gulf of Mannar The personnel of the
fleet is made up of Malays, Arabs Indians Sinsa.
lese, and those from various other branches Of
midas teeming millions
The experience of the stranger with the unioue
heet is not disappointing. The sight of thou
sands of divers from hundreds of little boats
piuhging into the water riding downward
astrloe heavy weights. rising with their treas
ures' others returning to the watery depths the
babel of strange voices combine to paint mic.
turesque and lasting impression upon the mind
of the visitor
The waters around Ceylon and those of the
Gulf of California have the richest pearl roduc.
Ing oyster beds in existence. Situated on oppo-
site sides of the earth, it is interesting to com
pare the Work OF the pearl hunters divers so
far separated, yet pursuing many methods in
common in the search for precious gems beneath
the waters. In Ceylon upon given signal the
diving begins; the boats small and hold com
fortably eight or twelve persons The men
wear lie" clothes, and each man takes a
olVlns, Tor all or them appear to be experts. A
rope-with weight attached is thrown over the
size or the boat, the diver attaches himself to
the rope, and his assistant lowers him into the
wa&6ks Other divers plunge downward unassist
ed{ Around the diver hangs bag within which
hetpaces the oysters rapidly as he can pick
tn IN from the bottom
On the Mexican coast Of which La Paz 1. the
general rendezvous, the method of pearling is
nv ch the same in Ceylon. Many Of the YES
seq used are larger, and the modern diving suit
is more in evidence. There is usually a large
fboat called the mother" and probably half a
dozen smaller ones termed "luggers." The lat
ten manned by a of six or eight men,
onH or two OF whom are divers The small boats
trahs their catches at frequent intervals to
th4 larger vessel standing by, where the shells
ard opened and carefully examined for pearls.
What is pearl? Before considering other
pe4rlfshing grounds, especially those of the
Americas it may be OF interest to know just how
thu pearl is produced; that is, so far the scien
tiff geader is concerned One Of the shortest
ana most striking definitions is that suggested
by "a French scientist, who says "a pearl is the
brilliant sarcophagus of worm" Others go
mosasiaAAndetail and declare that the growth of
the -ueall is often associated with possible de-
gree Of annoyance pain. The tiny deposit that
findsIssels-withn the shell of a mollusk oyster
may be introduced accidentally purposely, as
we shall see later. The foreign substance within
the shell is believed to irritate the oyster and
he begins to cover 1t with a series of thin layers
of calcium carbonate. Little by little these pc
culiar layers formed, and in few years
beautiful pearl may be the result, the forma
ton may prove absolutely worthless.
Pearlforming molusks widely distributed
over the world, and they may be univaves
bivalves; in the former shape sometimes find
the., in conchs and in the latter classification in
clans and oysters The subject in various ram
fcations has proved interesting and fascinating
to inveSuSaxTs; but this story is only general
talk about the pearl and the scientific details
left to those who make serious study of the
nature ofJtHs Famous and much-prized ornament
Saltwater pearl fishing in the Americas has
been pursued from our earliest history, and while
these pearltng waters may rot be as ancient as
y ,t,stj 81