The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-21
The Pearl Hunter.


known as clean" fisher-that is, he
never rotted his clans in, the vat. The
jack light was his particular method.
Nights without number, since his ear
lest recollection, he had floated with
his mother over the clam beds of many
streams under it's glare. The industry
furnished no greater experts in this
method of pearl fishing. Only the
choicest mussels were lifted, and they
were opened next day with the knife,
one by one. But with all the patient
toll, the stimulating thrill of expecta-
ton as the knife laid open each sue
cessive shell, the result was always
the same; disappointment-a living,
but little more; never the pearl.
The Boss was in the very act of
turning the boat across the river camp
when he was startled by an excited ex-
clamation from his companion, who
had suddenly leant low and danger
ously far out over the water. He was
I'D on the instant and had flashed the
jack light around into the boat. In his
dripping hand there was an immense
river mussel.
The old Boss had no sooner caught
the blush purple glitter shedding from
than he uttered shout that walked the
echoes up and down the river shore,
and brought the five men at the camp
running down to the waters edge.
"A Blue Moon "~he yelled. BY the
gods, a Blue Moon!"
He snatched it from the hand Of his
companion and held it under the full
glare of the jack light. Next moment
he had handed it back and was driv-
ing the boat to shore. where the first
glance at the peculiar markings of the
mussel instantly threw the whole camp
into the widest excitement.
They spread down by the light Of the
fire the whitest cloth the camp af-
forded, and the Boss cut the muSsel
open. One pearl, large. lustrous.
dropped out upon the cloth and lay
twinkling up into their faces like
fallen star. 1t passed from hand to
hand, the pearl fishers struggling with
each other for the privilege of holding
it.
IT never seed a one b'fore," cried the
oldest "clammer" present, but I
knowed hit were a Blue Moon tn min
ute lamped tn she'll"
"Huh!" snorted another. Who
wouldn't "a knowed a Blue Moon! ]
once't. That wus tn one they histed
down blow Vincennes."
The pearl, passing from hand to
hand, had come round to the Boss
again. who, STOPPING close to the fire
light, examined it through a small hand
lens such as most pearl fishers carry.
Il seed that'n they h'isted down
blow Vincennes in 81, too" he OBJ
served meditatively, glancing around
at the others. "Also that'n tn Injun
picked up in tn Wisconsin in Al. But
neither one wus a patchn' t this.
Pearlhunter," he continued, turning to
the young man, you shorely air lucky!
You've found y'ur pearl,-an' for
tune it were!"
Then it's you that's lucky was the
slow answer. ITS not mine"
Had the others not been too excited,
they might have noticed that his lips
were drawn; his voice strained.
The grizzled old river Boss .gripped
his calloused hand shut upon the pearl;
his seamy old face hardened, and there
sprang up in his deep-set eyes an ex-
preston not unlike the expression in
the eyes of a hawk when titls to the
prey in his claws is disputed. But the
expression passed. He threw back his
head and laughed; racously; as if to
scare away some specter that had just
faced him. He thrust the pearl back
into the young mans hand as though
half afraid of it.
Say" he growled, what do you
think / ann"
1T was taken from your boat, in
waters you expected to fish tomorrow
You'd have found it anyway"
The hawkish glover left the blue |
eyes of the older man, leaving him the |
old Boss again. He stud |
led his young friend curiously.
well, I'll be damn'di" he chuckled
good naturedly to himself, still study