North-west Australian Fishery. 161
scheme came to an untimely end in the wreck of the " Gothenburg."
Pearl
fishing has perhaps about it a glamour of romance, but in order to
bring about successful results, it requires, as much as any other
industry, economy and experience. If ever there was an expedition fated
to end in disaster it was this : roomy, even-keeled vessels are
required, not beautiful yachts, and the failure may be said to have
occurred in consequence of the expedition having been carried out in "
white-kid-glove " fashion.
To the southward of the North-West Cape, the smaller Pearl-oyster {Avicula or Meleagrina fucata) is
found in Shark's Bay. Here dredging is carried on, and the oysters are
allowed to decompose, in order that the Pearls may be more easily
secured. It is, however, an industry conducted only on a small scale ;
it is not very remunerative, and it presents no features of interest to
the general reader.
From
the following statistics of exports, which unfortunately are of
necessity incomplete, we may trace the history of the Pearl-shell
fishery in Western Australia so far as our data permit :
