Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01
BY MAUDE C. LUKENS.


~ UT of the West has come a new ro-
nance, a new discovery, and because
of it Uncle Sam has taken up a new
line of farming It all happened on
one OF the far islands of the Hawaiian
group where pearl oysters bearing lustrous
pearls of high quality were recently discovered
now the United States Government proposes
to transplant, cultivate and guard them-ln
fact, has already done So thus putting into
operation the first American pearl farm
With gold strike every one is familiar, but
to find lagoon Of pearls, ah that is different
matter. There have been gold strikes the
country over; the cry of there's gold in them
thar hills" has swept many locality into
sudden prominence; but to date only one pearl
lagoon within the territory of the United States
has been found and that by lowly fishing
schooner, the Lanicia, some 1900 miles west
nor'weSt of Honolulu; it is known as Pearl
and HermeS" Island.
The romantic find was made back in 1927
by Honolulu fishing company, but so closely
was the secret guarded that the lagoon was
fished out and then the first intimation was
had when pearls so gorgeous as to arouse the
curiosity of pearl dealers in New York and
Paris appeared in the markets. Indeed. $1,000
was refused for one pearl and many brought
from 81 500 to $4,000.
If you suddenly found a pearl lagoon in
your front yard as the territory of Hawaii did
you would probably do exactly as they did
ask the Federal Government TO evaluate and
advise as to what steps should be taken for
the protection and conservation of the gem
bearing mollusks.
And thus the matter came to the Bureau of
Fisheries, presided by MIR. Henry OMalley,
and so to DR.. Paul S. Galtsoh, head of the
shell-fiSh division. DR.. Galtsof spent all of
last Summer this errand and has but re-
Gently returned to his desk in Washington.
His word is the final word of authority in such
matters he is the author on numerous treat
ises on oyster culture and his story of the expe-
dition to "Pearl and Hermes" reef is for the
first time made public.
THE history of pearls is a romantic history
OF travel exploration, hardship and reward;
volumes could be written have been written
about them. 1t is likely they were discovered,
rather stumbled upon by some fish-eating tribe
possibly on the coast Of India or bordering
Asiatic river as they opened the mollusks for
food; later on the pearls were sought because
of their luster and beauty. In the East they
have been especially loved and because of the
possession of rich pearl resources it follows
that the people of India and Persia would be
among the first to value and collect them.
And so 1t is far cry from the time Of the
first recorded interest in the gem down to their
present highly-prized estate thousand years
before Christ they mentioned in the sacred
book Of the Brahmans and again in the fifth
century Be pearl amulets and adornments
used as taliSrnanS in magic formulas
priced from time immemorial. mention of them
there dating back to about 1900 BIC.
As pearl oysters had heretofore been confined
almost entirely to Ceylon, Japan, Philippine
Islands, Central and South America, the Red
Sea and the Gulf of California, it was certainly
good news to the Bureau of Fisheries that the
waters of the Hawaiian Islands adapted to
their growth and needs. But an island lying
hundreds of mikes out in the Pacific Ocean isn't
easy place to reach, the Navy Depart
ment agreed to assist the expedition in reach
ing it and did by assigning the u. S. S.
Whippoorwill stationed in Honolulu trans
portation.
Before the journey began, however, DR.. Gait
soft made investigations of pearl conditions in
the waters adjacent TO Honolulu and found II
island of Oahu Thus was recorded the first
bit of luck, for it the intention of the
bureau to bring live oysters from the distant
atoIl and transplant them where they could be
more conveniently cultivated and studied.
After this discovery the expedition made ready
to start; Filipino divers procured, large
tanks constructed to carry back the oysters
and the party sailed into the West.
Pearl and Hermes Island Is one of the long
line of reefs and atolls stretching from Oahu
to Midway and is well out of the track of
Pacific travel; the existing charts of this 10
cality are sketchy, although at the present
time the Coast and Geodetic Survey has one
vessel engaged in making new and detailed
surveys.
As the expedition approached the aton it
seemed to rise gently out of the scintillant blue
sea; then a circulet of frothy, white breakers
came into view they launched their assaults
at the coral walls and ground up the white
sand that looks like nothing so much as sugar.