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198 THE BOOK OF THE PEARL
At
the end of the day's work, the catch is opened by means of a large
knife, and carefully searched for the much prized pearls. Usually the
fisherman finds none ; occasionally he discovers ä small round one or a
large baroque, and at long intervals—possibly once in two or three
years—his search is rewarded with a fine pearl for which he may receive
$50 or $60, and there is always the chance that the very next oyster
will disclose a gem which will make him independent for the remainder
of his life ; and if no pearls whatever are found, there are the
shells, the sale of which furnishes sufficient to purchase tobacco,
knives, fish-hooks, the gaudy cotton cloths, the flour and other simple
articles of food, and especially rum, that fatal gift of civilization
which has been the curse of so many primitive peoples.
Some
of the individual pearls secured have been remarkably large, weighing
100 grains and over. Returning visitors from Tahiti, with views
magnified doubtless in proportion to the distance of the objects of
their description, credited Queen Pomaré with the possession of some
sufficiently large to be used for billiard-balls. Sixty years ago
superb pearls could be obtained from the natives for a few gallons of
rum or a small number of pieces of cheap calico, and several shrewd
traders made great profits in the business. But as trade at the islands
was open to vessels of all nationalities, the competition increased,
with the result that the natives gradually learned the high estimation
in which pearls are held, and in recent years it has not been unusual
for one of medium grade to sell higher in Oceanica than it would in
Europe.
It
is difficult to form a reliable estimate of the value of the pearling
industry of the South Sea Islands. The Tuamotu group, with 4000
fishermen, yields, in an average season, about 450 tons of
mother-of-pearl, worth about £65,000 in London, where most of it is
marketed. The yield at the remaining French islands is less than that
of the Tuamotus. Probably the total yield of mother-of-pearl in all the
South Sea Islands is not far from 900 tons, worth about $700,000.
No
statistics whatever are available regarding the yield of pearls, and
the estimates sent from the islands are small compared with those made
by London and Paris firms who import the pearls. A large number of
persons living in Papeiti and many traders visiting the islands depend
very largely on pearl-dealing for a livelihood. From the yield of pearl
shell and estimates made by dealers, we are inclined to put the value
of the pearls secured in an average season from all the South Sea
Islands at about $125,000, only a small portion of which goes to the
fishermen themselves, the greater part representing profits of the
traders.
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