boundary river of Manchuria. Pearl fisheries were established at these places by the Russians nearly two centuries ago.1
Pearls
become finer and more plentiful the further we penetrate into
Manchuria; and they are numerous in the lake of Heikow or
Hing-chou-men, "Black Lake" or "Gate of Precious Gems," where they have
long been exploited for the account of the emperor of China.
The
occurrence of pearls in many parts of Asiatic Russia was noted by Von
Hessling. In northern Siberia, according to Witsen, writing in 1705,2
pearls were found in the waters about the town of Mangasea on the
Turuchan ; and Von Middendorf notes that they were found in the
Tunguska River, which flows into the Yenisei. Whether, however, they
come from the Unto margaritifera is considered doubtful by Von
Middendorf. Witsen referred to their occurrence in the rivers and
streams of Irkutsk and Onon, and this is confirmed by several writers
of more recent times. Pallas says that the mussels found there are
quite large, and speaks of the Ilim, which flows into the Angara, as
another river where they occur.
Ancient
books relating to Japan repeatedly allude to the occurrence of pearls
on the coasts of that country. They are mentioned in the Nihonki, of
the eighth century, the oldest Japanese history.
Tavernier
wrote about 1670: "It is possible that of those who have written before
me concerning pearls, none have recorded that some years back a fishery
was discovered in a certain part of the coasts of Japan, and I have
seen some of the pearls which the Dutch brought from thence. They were
of very beautiful water, and some of them of large size, but all
baroques. The Japanese do not esteem pearls. If they cared about them
it is possible that by their means some banks might be discovered where
finer ones would be obtained."3
In 1727, Kaempfer wrote that pearls, called by the Japanese kaino-tamma or
shell jewels, were found in oysters and other mollusks almost
everywhere about Saikokf. Every person was at liberty to fish for them.
Formerly the natives had little or no value for them, till they learned
of their estimation by the Chinese, who were ready to pay good prices
for them, their women being very proud of wearing necklaces and other
ornaments of pearls. "The largest and finest pearls are found in the
small sort oi oysters, called akoja, which is not unlike
the Persian pearl-oyster. These are found only in the seas about
Satzuma and in the Gulf of Omura (Kiusiu). Some of the pearls weigh
from four to five candareens4 and these are sold for a hundred
1 Ranft, "Vollständige Beschreibung des *
Tavernier, "Travels in India," Ball edi-. russischen Reiches," Leipzig,
1767, p. 415. tion, London, 1889, Vol. II, pp. 113, 114.
2 Witsen, "Nord en Oost Tartarye," 1705, * One candareen equals 5.72 grains, p. 762.
