The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-11-21

ciety, Washington, d. c.
Ceylon has the oldest pearl fisheries
in the world save perhaps those of the
Persian gulf. And the Ceylon fisheries
have been among the most prolific. Mil
lions and millions of dollars worth of
those lustrous gems have come from
the waters off the western and north
western shores of the island since this
fascinating sort of fishing began prob
ably 1000 years before Christ. Most
of the pearls gathered in this long
period have gone to the rajahs and
princes of India; and even in the re-
cent years in which there have been
fisheries, these same Unsuitable collec-
tors of pearls have absorbed from 90
to 80 per cent of the Ceyion catch"
One unfortunate feature of the Cey
Ion pearl fisheries is their undependa-
bility. At intervals the pearl oysters
mysteriously disappear and a number
of years may pass without their reap
pearance. Then just as mysteriously
hundreds Of millions of the young BIZ
valves will be found on the banks and
lucrative fishing will again be possible.
There was such a disappearance fif
teen years ago, and no important fish
ing has been possible since. But this
year it has been found the sands and
rocks of the banks are covered by count
less young oysters, and it is believed
that once more in 1924 the famous old
Ceylon pearl banks will be adding
their wealth to India's vast stores.
The pearl "oyster" of Ceylon, like
those of other lands, is really not an
oyster at all. 1t is more nearly re-
lated to the mussels than to the oys-
tiers, and it differs markedly from the
latter in having a byssus, or a bundle
of tough fibers, by which it attaches
itself to the bottom. The maximum
size attained by the Ceylon pearl oys-
ter is only four inches, and the shells
are so thin that they may be crushed
between the fingers.
Most of Them in Gulf of Manaar.
Pearl oysters are found on all parts
of the coast of Ceylon, but exist in suf- |
ficient abundance to support an impor-
tant fishery only in the Gulf of Manaar,
which is a large indentation between |
Ceylon and India, lying Immediately |
south of the line of giant stepping |
stones known as Adams Bridge.
The pearl oysters are more or less
on banks, which occupy |
level plateau extending from
the shore for a distance of three miles
in the southern section to 20 miles in |
the northern and broadest part of the
gulf. This plateau is bounded by the
zen or twelve fathom curve, and falls
away quite abruptly, so that within q
very short distance of the fishing
grounds we may get soundings Of 100
'athoms, or even 1000 fathoms. The
lrea of the pearling grounds is about
800 square miles. The bottom is for the
most part sand, diversified by outcrop-
,ings of calcareous rocks, which form
lat or slightly inclined lodges, on
which the pearl oysters grow. Aggre
,ations of lodges constitute 'paars," or
'anks, which centuries ago received
James that are still applied.
The largest and most important of
hese grounds is Cheval paar, lying
rom nine to thirteen miles offshore at
depth of five to eight and one-half :
athoms and extending about six and
ne half miles from north to south and ,
our and one-half miles from east to
Test. ,
The number of oysters produced are {
bsolutely beyond comprehension. s
ONE years ago, on one paar five miles s
ing and two miles wide, small pearl I
ysters were ascertained to be present
, the number of 10000 per square f
ard, in places forming a layer over t
he bottom nine inches deep. One r
ver, who was down only 80 seconds, b
rought up 1925 young oysters by
,tual count. This condition of the V
rounds was determined in November d
Y government inspectors; in Deem o
er of the same year no oysters what p
GER were found-all HAD disappeared r