Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/549

Rh, and its abundance of tortoise-shell turtle. Every year numbers of the inhabitants engage in diving for them, at some risk of life, as everywhere on this coast, and in the gulf of California, from sharks; but they are skilful at killing them. Pearl-oysters have been plentiful also near the Piedra de Zipegua, a reef of rocks north of Tehuantepec. The richest field, however, seems to be near La Paz, in Lower California, for details on which I will refer to the volume of this work that specially treats of that territory. It is understood that down to 1860 the pearl fisheries in Lower California and elsewhere, together with coral, oysters, clams, sponges, shells of all kinds, produced annually about $150,000. In 1874 the Mexican government permitted foreigners to participate in the trade, but under such onerous conditions that the native divers could have but little to fear from foreign competition.

The western coast, especially that portion lying between the gulf, the Three Marías Islands, and Cape San Lúcas, teamed with cachalots or spermaceti whales, which became, as early as the past century, a profitable business for English and American whalers, the Mexicans never taking any part in it. A decree was issued by the Spanish córtes, April 16, 1811, granting to the colonists permission to engage in all kinds of fishery on the coast.

Among the means employed by the general and local governments for the encouragement of national industry has been that of public exhibitions, of which several were held at different dates and localities. Some of those fairs were of a general national character, comprising works of art, natural and agricultural products, including domestic animals, and manufactures; others were limited to the industries of a single state.