Some
remarkably large pearls have been secured in the Mexican fisheries,
especially considering the small size of the oysters. In 1871 a pearl
of 96 grains, pear-shaped and without a flaw, sold at La Paz for 3000
pesos. In March, 1907, a beautiful pinkish white one, found near the
lower end of the peninsula, sold for 28,000 pesos or $14,000. One of
the best years for choice finds was 1881, when the scaphanders were
first employed to their greatest efficiency. A black pearl was then
secured which weighed 112 grains, and which brought 40,000 francs in
Paris. In 1882 two, weighing 124 and 180 grains respectively, sold for
11,000 pesos. In the following year a light brown pearl, flecked with
dark brown, and weighing 260 grains, sold for 7500 pesos. These are the
prices which the La Paz merchants received for these pearls, and not
the much greater amounts for which they were finally sold by the
jewelers.
One
of the finest pearls was found in 1884 near Mulege. This weighed 372
grains. The Indian fisherman is said to have sold it for $90; the
purchaser declined an offer of 1000 pesos, and also a second offer of
5000, and soon sold it to a La Paz dealer for 10,000 pesos. Its value
in Paris was estimated at 85,000 francs. Probably the most famous of
all pearls obtained from these grounds was "the 400-grain pearl" found
near Loreto, and "which is now among the royal jewels of Spain." It is
said that this was offered by the lucky fisherman to the Mission of
Loreto, and by the Director of Missions in Lower California was
presented to the Queen of Spain.1
As
in every other fishery, one hears in Mexico of fishermen who have
grasped a prize only to lose it through inexperience or improvidence.
The account given above of the sale of the 372-grain pearl found near
Mulege furnishes an instance of this. It is related in La Paz that in
1883 an Indian sold for ten pesos a gem weighing 128 grains, for which
the purchaser received 27,500 francs in Paris. On another occasion a
Mexican sold two pearls, easily worth $4000, for $16 worth of groceries.
In
the eighteenth century, the Notre Dame de Loreto possessed a remarkable
collection of Mexican pearls, which had been presented from time to
time by the fishermen. During the regime of the Jesuits, it was
customary to devote the proceeds of the last day of the fishery to the
decoration of the altar of that mission. After the expulsion of this
religious order in 1767, the mission was pillaged and the collection
dissipated. From the old aristocracy of Mexico, family heirlooms of
many choice pearls were placed on the European market during the civil
wars in Mexico to contribute to the support of the contending armies.
One lady in Sonora is said to have disposed of her collection for
'Lassepas, "Historia de la Colonizacionde la Baja California," Mexico, 1859.
