average of black pearls than any other. Beautiful iridescent pearls are also found there.
The
Pearl islands are on the east side of the Bay of Panama about forty
miles from the city. The banks there may only be fished by divers but
between Chiriqui and Veragua dredging is allowed. Since the United
States government has become interested in this section there is a
tendency here to exploit the Panama coasts and companies have been
formed in the States for that purpose. The pearl fisheries formerly
carried on along the coast of Ecuador about two hundred miles north of
Guayaquil, are no longer operated.
On
the Atlantic coast of South America the most fruitful pearl-banks lie
along the coast of Venezuela and west to Rio Hacha on the Colombian
coast. This was the first part of the American mainland sighted by
Columbus and the quantities of pearls owned by the natives did much to
draw the tide of adventurers which set this way in the sixteenth
century.
The
oysters are taken from reefs and bars about one mile from shore and
about the islands. The principal beds are at El Tirano,
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