satian
Neisse to Görlitz, the Queiss above Marklissa, and in the Juppel as far
as Weidenau. The Queiss has been famous for its pearls since the
sixteenth century, and even yet specimens of great beauty are obtained
therefrom. As long ago as 1690, Ledel complained of the diminution of
the number of mollusks owing to their wilful destruction by children;
and in 1729 the government issued a rescript in Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz) recommending the care of the young mollusks.1 Pearls
are also found in the White Main a short distance from its source, in
the head waters of the Saale, and in numerous other mountain-draining
streams of middle Germany. Indeed, references could be made to the
discovery of pearls in nearly every stream of Germany at some time
during the last three or four centuries.
The
records of pearl fisheries in the province of Hanover were traced by
Von Hessling as far back as the sixteenth century, when they were
prosecuted in the Aller, Ovia or Om, Lua or Low, and in the Seva in the
district of Lüneburg. During the reign of Christian Ludwig (1641-65)
and in that of George William (1666-1705), pearl fishing was carried on
by the state, and old records of the former district of Bodenteich
note the customs and practices of that period and of earlier times, and
the implements employed. In 1706, for instance, 265 clear and 292
imperfect pearls were taken by three official fishermen from the
Gerdauerbach. Gradually, however, owing to indifferent management, the
brooks yielded less and less; the government seems to have entirely
abandoned supervision of them, so that, according to Taube's
"Communication," 2 slight results were obtained in 1766; indeed, only a few pearls could be shown as curiosities.3 Regarding
the condition of the Hanoverian pearl-brooks, especially of those in
the vicinity of Uelzen, Möbius wrote : "Uelzen lies at the confluence
of eleven small rivulets, three of which, the Wipperau, the Gerdau and
the Barnbeck, contain pearl-mussels. Fishing has been pursued here for
centuries, and there exists an old regulation of the sixteenth century
in regard to the pearl fisheries in the Ilmenau. Even at the present
day, hundreds of pearls are found here which command a good price when
they are bright and of good form. These either have a silvery sheen or
they are of a reddish color. The season for fishing is during the
months of July and August. The pearls are usually found in deformed
shells. Their shape varies greatly ; most of them are flat on one side.
Naturally those which are spherical are the best, but the pear shapes
are highly prized." Möbius
