92 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



refused £15,000 for that pearl : have I lost or won ? u 

 " I yield the wager as lost," said the Ambassador, 

 "and I do not think there are four subjects in the 

 world who would do as much for their sovereign." 



It was not unusual for the Romans to adorn their 

 horses and other favourite animals, with splendid 

 necklaces; and we are told that ' Incitatus/ the 

 favourite horse of the Emperor Caligula, wore a pearl 

 collar. The Roman ladies even wore pearls at night, 

 that in their sleep they might be conscious of the pos- 

 session of these valuable gems. Julius Csosar pro- 

 hibited the use of purple and pearls to all persons who 

 were not of a certain rank, and the latter also to un- 

 married women. 



Marco Polo speaks of the pearl-fisheries of the Great 

 Province of " Maabar " (Ma'bar), the name given by 

 the Mahomedans in the 14th and 15th centuries to a 

 tract corresponding in a general way with what we 

 call the Coromandel Coast, and " that the king of that 

 state hath a very great receipt and treasure from his 

 dues upon those pearls." He gives a description of the 

 king, viz., as follows : — " Round his loins he has a piece 

 of fine cloth, round his neck a necklace entirely of 

 precious stones, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, and 

 the like of great value. He also wears, hanging in 

 Iront of his chest, from the neck downwards, a fine 

 silk thread, strung with 104 large pearls and rubies of 

 great price. The reason why he wears this cord of 

 104 great pearls and rubies, is (according to what 

 they tell), that every morning and evening he has to 

 say 104 prayers to his idols. Such is their religion 

 and custom, and thus did all the kings his ancestors 

 before him, and they bequeathed the string of pearls to 



