CHAPTER VII. 



THE NEED OF LAWS FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEARL 

 HUNTERS. 



PEARL hunting is an important industry. During 

 its history it has grown from a few temporary 

 "pearl fevers" to a well established business. 

 Every home from the log cabin to the king's palace con- 

 tains something which is the result of the efforts of pearl' 

 hunters. 



The valuable pearl jewels, buttons for clothing, um- 

 brella handles, knife handles, hat pins, penholders, and 

 a hundred other articles in common use can all be traced 

 back to the efforts of pearl hunters. The occupation is 

 an honorable and necessary one. There are many of our 

 best citizens engaged in this profession. Some of them 

 follow the business of pearl hunting during the entire 

 year, working in the northern streams in the summer 

 and in the southern streams in the winter. Others hunt 

 pearls in the summer and cut blanks in the button fac- 

 tories in the winter. The great value of this industry to 

 our commonwealth is now recognized. 



The pearl hunter's life is a strenuous one. The work 

 calls for great endurance and patience, and often the 

 life of the pearl hunter is subjected to dangers in swift 

 rivers, which other men would wish to avoid. The rush- 



