60 THE TEARL-DIVER. 



come over us that our feelings rise against a trade which 

 has seemingly no other object than 



" To spangle the attires, and deck the amorous brows" 



of our fair ; and then we are disposed to sympathize in the 

 sentiment which Mrs. Hemans has embodied in the follow- 

 ing beautiful verses to the pearl-diver. 



" Thou hast been where the rocks of coral grow, 

 Thou hast fought with eddying waves ; 

 Thy cheek is pale and thy heart heats low, 

 Thou searcher of ocean's caves ! 



Thou hast look'd on the gleamy wealth of old, 

 Midst wrecks where the brave have striven ; 



The deep is a strong and a fearful hold, 

 But thou its bars hast riven. 



A wild and weary life is thine, 



A wasting toil and lone ! 

 Though the treasure-grots for thee may shine, 



To all besides unknown. 



A weary life ! — but a swift decay, 



Soon, soon shall set thee free ; 

 Thou art passing fast from the strife away — 



Thou wrestler with the sea ! 



In thy dim eye, on thy hollow check, 



Well are the death-signs read : 

 Go ! for the pearl in its cavern seek, 



Ere hope and power be fled ! 



And bright in beauty's coronal 



That glistening gem shall be ; 

 A star to all in the festive hall, — 



But who shall think on thee ? 



None ! — as it gleams from the queen-like head, 



Not one midst throngs will say, 

 A life hath been like a rain-drop shed, 



For that pale, quivering ray." * 



The pearl-fishery of South America has of late years been 

 revived, with what degree of success is unknown to me, 

 though I believe it has been small. I have, indeed, seen it 

 somewhere asserted that the value of the new trade is very 

 considerable, and that Congress had, in 1823, granted the 

 exclusive right of the Colombian fishery to Rundell, Bridge, 

 and Rundell, of London, for the term of ten years. The 

 " General Pearl and Coral Fishery Association " of London, 



* " The Pearl-Wearer," a short poem by Mr. Proctor, has a similar ten- 

 dency and moral. It is quoted by Dr. Baird in his tract entitled " Pearls 

 and Pearl-Fisheries," which every reader interested in the subject should 

 consult. — Chambers's Misc. Use/, and Entert. Trucis, No. 167. 



