Shell-Bearers 



The oysters are simply left to rot, the process being 

 much assisted by vast numbers of a species of blow- 

 fly, which after the first day or two infests the whole 

 camp. The maggots of this fly eat their way through 

 everything. 



" After a week's rotting, the seething and disgusting mass 

 is sorted by hand and the pearls, or such of them as are of 

 sufficient size, are picked out. The residue is now ready 

 to be washed. This is carried on in dug-out canoes or 

 ' ballams.' The bivalves are put in and water is poured 

 over them. As the water rises, a wriggling mass of 

 maggots floats up from the lower recesses. The shells 

 are rinsed, and the valves separated and rubbed to remove 

 any detritus in which a pearl might lodge. The men 

 scrutinise the nacreous lining for attached or shell pearls, 

 placing any found in a special basket. After the quantity 

 has been reduced somewhat the floating maggots are 

 skimmed off. 



" Some of the water is baled out through a sieve, any 

 material that remains therein being carefully returned to 

 the ballam lest a pearl may be contained or entangled in 

 the dirt. More water is then added and the process of 

 washing the shells is continued. Finally, after all the 

 shells have been removed a fresh supply of water is 

 poured into the ballam until it overflows. By this method 

 the lighter filth is got rid of. The remainder of the water 

 is decanted and the heavy debris in which the pearls are 

 mingled is exposed at the bottom. More water is added 

 and the detritus or 'sarraku' kneaded and turned over 

 and over again. The * sarraku ' is sorted and winnowed 

 at leisure, and examined till the smallest-sized pearls have 

 been extracted. The final search is carried on by women, 

 and it is amazing to see what a large quantity of small 

 pearls their keen eyes and fine touch enable them to 

 obtain. 



" The whole process is intensely interesting and 

 picturesque, but it leaves much to think about afterwards 



285 



