patches
of mussels are discovered, and this is usually the most tedious part of
the work. These may be in very shoal water, where a small boy has only
to wade with water above his knees and pick up the mussels by
stooping; but more frequently the water covers a man's hips, and at
times he is immersed almost to the shoulders.
The
equipment of a pearl fisherman is simple. If he wades, he commonly
wears long boots with tops reaching to his breast. Provided with a pole
five or six feet long having a cleft at the lower end, and with a tube
several inches in diameter with the lower end closed by a glass, he
invades the home of the pearl-mussel. Thrusting the tube or water glass
beneath the surface, he scans the bed of the stream, and when a mussel
is sighted, the cleft pole is brought into use and it is picked up by
means of these primitive tongs. Owing to the close resemblance which
the pearl-mussel bears to the stones in the riverbed, good eyesight is
required to avoid overlooking it. A bag by the fisher's side receives
the catch; and when this is well filled, he goes to the bank of the
stream and opens his lottery, in the great majority of cases to find
that he has drawn a blank.
A
boat is seldom used, simply because it is not available, but in the
tidal waters it is indispensable. The "box" is a risky device for
fishing in the deeper waters. It is a small contrivance, somewhat like
the ancient British coracle, in which the fisherman sits or lies over
on his chest; venturing out in the deeper parts which can not be waded,
he carefully peers through the tube and draws up his find with the long
cleft stick. This is a tiresome method, but some places can not be
readily fished in any other manner.
In
Aberdeenshire, Perthshire, etc., there are a few men who regularly
spend the season "at the pearls." The knowing ones dispose of their
best finds to wealthy residents or to strangers and tourists who
frequent the vicinity. In addition to these experienced fishermen, many
of the idlers and unemployed about the riverside towns, and also the
farm servants in the country, search the waters in their neighborhood
in the hope of picking up some gems. But very often it is severe and
disappointing labor, for the pearl-seeker may travel far and endure
privation and hardships for days, and yet, after destroying hundreds
and even thousands of mussels, he may be rewarded with only a little
almost worthless dross; but again and again he returns to the elusive
game, inspired by the "hope which springs eternal in the human breast."
The
British pearls are in great variety of colors, but most of them are
practically valueless on account of the absence of orient or luster ;
for one possessing the white pearly luster, fifty may be found of a
dull color and devoid of value. Many of these opaque pearls are dark,
