4O PEARLS AND PEARLING 



These gems are found in the rivers which empty into 

 the Atlantic Ocean, and are also found in the rivers that 

 empty into the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. 



Few pearls have been taken from the rivers that 

 empty into the Pacific Ocean. 



It is impossible to supply exact infoimation in regard 

 to all or even a small part of the pearls that have been 

 found. In referring to the pearls from various rivers, 

 we shall consider the States in which pearls have been 

 found, taking the States separately in alphabetical order. 



There has been some pearl hunting done in Alabama. 

 Some fine round white and rose colored pearls were 

 found in the Tennessee River. A letter from Demo- 

 pblis states that some pearl hunting has been done near 

 that city. The men worked while the river was low and 

 used the crow-foot dredge and tongs. Some small but 

 very pretty pearls were found there. 



Arkansas has been one of the most prominent pearl 

 States. The first "pearl fever" was in 1897 and ex- 

 tended into Indian Territory, Missouri, Georgia, and a 

 part of Tennessee. Pearls were found in White, Black, 

 St. Francis, Cache, Ouachita, Saline and Dorcheat 

 Rivers; also in Murphy and Walker Lakes. Some of 

 the "finds" were very valuable. Many of the pearls 

 from the northeastern part of the State were pink. 



One peculiar feature of the first experiences in the 

 pearl fisheries of Arkansas was that many of the pearls 

 found were not taken from the shells, but were found 

 loose and alone on the ground near the shores of the 

 rivers after the floods. There was a -local belief that 



