Page:All the Year Round - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/136

 shops and at wide intervals; or, if one of more than ordinary excellence turned up, it had been found by accident in the bed of one of the pearl rivers during a more than ordinarily dry season. So matters remained until about 1860. Then, a German gentleman travelling in Scotland, having his attention directed to some gems procured in the northern streams, was struck by their elegance and the peculiar tint which distinguished them notably from pearls of the East. Himself well acquainted with precious stones, he at once recognised the value of the Scotch pearl, and the important place it might be made to take in modern jewellery. Making inquiries on the subject, he discovered that there was at that time only one known pearl fisher in all Scotland, and that the produce of his exertions did not reach the jewellers, but was sold to a private customer. The German felt persuaded that pearls were to be found in considerable abundance in certain Scotch rivers, and that all that was requisite to ensure a large supply, was, to hold out some inducement to the poor people to search for the mussels. Full of his project, he travelled through the districts of Tay, Doon, and Don, and succeeded in purchasing from the poor cottagers a great many pearls, which they had fished for their own amusement, and which they merely kept as curiosities, not esteeming them of any particular value. The price given for the gems roused their cupidity, and a general desire for mussel fishing was created—a desire which rose into something like a mania when the merchant announced that he would purchase as many good pearls, at the same price, as could be forwarded to him through the post to Edinburgh.

Before he completed his circuit, the prospect of large and easily-earned gains had acted like a charm upon hundreds, and sent them to the rivers. Those who were otherwise employed during the day, devoted hours of the long summer nights to diligent search after the coveted shells; while boys and old persons, who had no regular avocations, waded day after day where there was promise of reward. In the course of a short time pearls of all kinds—good, bad, and indifferent—began to flow in upon the originator of the idea, from Ayrshire, from Perthshire, and from Highland regions far beyond the Grampians. He found himself the possessor of a collection which, for richness and variety, has seldom been surpassed. A trade in this class of gems was opened; the patronage of royalty was obtained; and once again Scotch pearls became known.

The principal rivers in which the pearl-mussel is found, are the Tay, the Don, the Teith, the Forth, the Ythan, the Doon, the Spey, the Ugie, and the Earn. The shell-fish in the smaller of these streams have been nearly exhausted by the severe spoliation to which they have been subjected; but in the classic Doon of Burns and the upper reaches of the Tay, the fishings still yield profitable results. When the yield of pearl-mussels was at its highest, and public attention was largely directed to the subject, a theory was advanced to the effect that the shell-fish in which the pearl grows, was only to be found in rivers whose sources were in lochs; but this was easily refuted by the fact that four of the pearl rivers are known not to issue from lakes. This point set at rest, it was next thought that the headquarters, so to speak, of the much prized mussel, was in the lochs, and that the rivers contained only a comparatively small number that had been swept downward, and gradually accumulated at the elbows of the streams. The latter supposition was strengthened in consequence of a number of pearls having been accidentally discovered in Loch Venachar. Dredging experiments were conducted to test the truth of the new theory, but they ended in failure. Very few mussels were found, and those were so much scattered, and in some instances were so covered with mud, as to make the toil of search heavy, and the reward light. The hope of finding large beds of the valuable shell-fish in the lakes was abandoned, and operations were confined to the rivers.

The mode of fishing is primitive in its simplicity. No expense is incurred, no instruments are required. There is no mystery in the craft. Nothing is needed but patience. Men, women, and children, are rewarded indiscriminately; for skill does not avail. To search the bed of the stream until a collection of the mussels is discovered, is the first care; and this is often the most tedious part of the work. If these fresh-water shell-fish lay in such extensive clusters as their brethren of the salt water, a bank of them might be easily lighted upon, but they congregate in comparatively small numbers, and if the river have a muddy bottom the search is almost hopeless. Once discovered, however, the operation of fishing them out is easy. The fisher wades into the river, armed with a long stick, one end of which has a simple slit in it made by a knife. This stick he pokes down among the shells, and brings them up firmly wedged in the slit. He tosses the shells ashore, as he gets them, and usually does not leave off until he has amassed a goodly heap. Sometimes he has only to wade above the knees, and can pick up the mussels by stooping; but more frequently the water covers his hips, and at times he is immersed almost to the arm-pits: on which occasions he must dive with his head below the current. On some of the streams the people have hit on the expedient of raking the bed with a large iron rake and bringing the mussels ashore; but the cleft stick is the popular way.

When the fisher has collected shells enough to try his luck with, he proceeds to open them. Occasionally he carries the mussels home and proceeds leisurely; but more frequently, if the day be not too far upon the wane, he contents himself with searching for the spoil upon the river bank. Those who can afford a knife, make use of it to force open the shell; others, who have none, perform the operation deftly