The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-06-26

tiy after nightfaH of a pleasant evening
our little steamer sailed out of the harbor of Co
lombo, bound for the "pearIy shores" for an
anchorage few miles off the port of Arippu
near which place the pearI-fshing fleet was 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 Singa-
lese, and those from various other branches of
midas teeming Millions
The experience of the stranger with the unique
meet is not disappointing. The sight of thou
sands OF divers from hundreds of little boats.
pIunging into the water or riding downward
astr1de heavy weights, rising with their treas
hres, others returning to the watery depths the
babeI of strange voices combine to paint pic
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-produc-
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
IortaDly eight or twelve persons. The
wear few clothes, and each man takes turn at
diving, for all of them appear to be experts. A
rope with weight attached is thrown over the
side of the boat, the diver attaches himself to
the rope, and his assistant lowers him into the
water Other divers plunge downward unassist-
ed. Around the diver hangs bag within which
he places the oysters rapidly as he can pick
them from the bottom.
On the Mexican coast of which La Paz is the
general rendezvous, the method of pearling is
much the same in Ceylon Many of the YES
sells used are larger, and the modern diving suit
is more in evidence. There is usually a large
sailboat called the mother" and probably half a
dozen smaller ones termed '1uggers." The lat
ter manned by a of six or eight men,
two of whom divers. The small boats
transfer their catches at frequent intervals to
the larger vessel standing by where the shells
opened and carefully examined for pearls
What is pearl? Before considering other
pearlfshing grounds especially those of the
Americas. it may be of interest to know just how
the pearl is produced; that is far as the scen-
tifc reader is concerned. One of the shortest
and most striking definitions is that suggested
by a French scientist, who says "a pearl is the
brilliant sarcophagus of a worm" Others go
more into detail and declare that the growth of
the pearl is often associated with a possible de-
gree of annoyance or pain The tiny deposit that
finds itself within the shell of mollusk oyster
may be introduced accidentally or purposely, as
we shall see later. The foreign substance within
the shell is believed to irrttate the oyster and
he begins to cover it with a series of thin layers
of calcium carbonate Little by little these Pc
culiar layers are formed, and in a few years a
beautiful pearl may be the result. the forma-
ton may prove absolutely worthless.
Forthcoming mollusks widely distributed
over the world and they may be univalves or
bivalves; in the former shape sometimes find
them in conchs and in the latter classification in
CLANS and oysters The subject in various rami-
fcations has proved interesting and fascinating
to investigators; but this story is only a general
talk about the pearl, and the scientific details are
left to those who make a serious study OF the
nature of this famous and muchprized ornament
Saltwater pearl fishing in the Americas has
been pursued from earliest history, and while
these pearling waters may not be as ancient as