grounds ; but apparently without financial success, for it liquidated in 1898.
In
the meantime, residents of these islands paid more and more attention
to the pearl fishery; also Europeans, Chinamen and Arabs arranged with
the native chiefs for fishing in their territorial waters, paying
therefor a fixed sum in cash or a percentage of the catch, which was
permitted on approval by the governor general of Dutch India. The fleet
continued to increase from year to year, and in 1905 there was a very
large influx of vessels from the Australian fisheries, no luggers and 7
tenders coming from Thursday Island alone.
The species are the same as occur on the northern coast of Australia, the "silver-edge" or "golden lip" (Margaritifera maxima) occurring in greatest abundance, and the "black lip" (M. margaritifera) to a less extent.
The
shells are the principal object of the search, and the pearls found
incidentally form an additional source of revenue. These shells divide
with those of Australia the reputation of being the most valuable in
the world. They are commonly known in the trade by the name of the port
from which they are originally shipped, as Manila, Macassar, Banda,
Ceram, Penang, Mergui, etc. Before the exploitation of the Australian
grounds, they sold at very high prices, and $2000 or more per ton was
sometimes realized for those of the best quality. Singapore is the
headquarters for supplies for the industry in all this region, and it
is from that port that the shells and pearls are mostly distributed.
The
pearls obtained in Netherlands India are of choice quality and of
relatively large size, a considerable percentage of them weighing over
eight grains, and fairly good pearls of fifty grains or more are
occasionally reported. Colored pearls are rarely met with, nearly all
of them being clear white, like the beautiful Macassar shell.
At
Pados Bay, island of Borneo, one hundred or more persons find
employment fishing the Placuna oysters, selling the shells for about $2
per picul (139 pounds to the picul), the dried meats at $4 to $6 a
picul, and the seed-pearls (seleesip) at about $2 per mayam.
Many of these pearls are sold in the village of Batu Batu. When a
fisherman buys his few necessaries at the Chinese shops, he pulls out
his little package of seed-pearls and pays in that currency, the
Chinaman making a good profit by the transaction.
