Distribution of Pearls and Pearl-shell. 



95 



Throughout Malaysia, inckiding the rhih"pi)ines and 

 Suki Islands, tiie pearl is known as niutya, inootnra, 

 })iutyara, or some similar name, closely resembling the 

 Sanskrit i/ntkta, or the Cingalese viootoo, indicating the 

 source of the influence that inaugurated the fishery and 

 trade of this region.'' 



At I'cidos Bay, island of Jx:)rneo, Placnua fishing is 

 also carried on, and the shells, dried meat, and the seed- 

 pearls they contain, all form important articles of 

 commerce. The seed-pearls are used as a form of currenc}- 

 between the fishermen and the Chinese traders.'-' 



Throughout the Malay Archipelago, and espcciall\- 

 on the coast of Borneo, the natives allege that " breeding 

 pearls" exist, that is to say, there are pearls which possess 

 the power of reproduction or rather germination. It is 

 the generally accepted belief that if a few pearls of good 

 size are sealed up in a box together with some grains of 

 rice and a little cotton wool, they will increase in number 

 as well as in size. It is asserted that on opening the box 

 after several months, one or more small pearls will be 

 found therein, and the original ones none the worse ; but 

 the grains of rice will have the appearance of having 

 their ends nibbled as if by rodents.''' 



In China pearls appear to have been held in great 

 esteem since before the Christian era. They are re- 

 peatedly mentioned in the ancient literature of that 

 country, but, owing to the traditional nature of some of 

 these works, it is impossible to fix, with any degree of 

 accuracy, the period when they were first appreciated. 

 Some translators of Chinese books give a date as early as 



"' Ibid. 



''- Kunz and Stevenson, op. cil., p. 221. 



"' Slreeler, op. cii., p. 69 ; Kunz and Stevenson, op. cit., \\ 296. 



