black head-lines, and the morning papers of the following day enlarged the story by adding fanciful details.
Undoubtedly
in the old days of license when immense fortunes were made not only in
trade but by piratical wars, large prices were paid by fortune's
favorites for pearls but it is extremely probable that report, bruited
from mouth to mouth, exaggerated even more than the printed fables of
our times do. It is doubtful if the pearls of ancient chronicles were
as fine, judged by the standards of to-day, as we imagine or that all
of them were as large as reported. The public were more ignorant about
them than now and also more credulous and these invite exaggeration.
Very
large pearls which for perfection of shape, luster and freedom from
flaws are beyond criticism, are the most rare of all gems. The
conditions under which a pearl grows, makes large size, without the
development of irregularities in the form and imperfections in the
skin, almost impossible; and as they all grow in the same way, by the
same process, out of the same sources of supply and subject to the same
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