i^6 Travels in India. Part. H 



The third Fifhery is at Camogcte, near the Continent. 



The fourth at Rio dela H*ctoa, all along the fame Coaft. 



The fifth and laft, at St. Martha's, fixty Leagues from Rio de la Hacha. All 

 thefe three Fiiheries produce very weighty Pearls j but they are generally ill- 

 fhap'd, and of a water enclining to the colour of Lead. 



As for Scotch Pearl, and* thofe that are found in the Rivers of Bavaria, tho 

 a Neck-lace of them may be worth a thoufand Crowns, yet they are not 

 to be compar'd with the Eaftern and Weft Indian Pearls. 



Some years fince there was a Fifhery difcover'd in a certain place upon the 

 the Coaft of Japan, and I have feen fome which the Hollanders have brought 

 thence. They are of a very good water, and large, but very uneven. 



Take this obfervation along with you, touching the ditference of their wa- 

 ters} fome being very white, others inclining to yellow, others to black, others 

 to a leaden colour. As for the laft, there are no fuch but only in America, 

 which proceeds from the nature of the Earth at the bottom of the Water, 

 which is generally more ouzy than in the Laft. I once met with fix Pearls in 

 the return of a Cargo from the Weft Indies that were perfectly round, but 

 black like jet, which weigh'd one with another twelve Carats. I carried them 

 into the Eaft Indies to put them off, but could meet with no Chapman to 

 buy them. As for thofe that incline to yellow, it proceeds from hence, that 

 the Fifhermen felling the Oyfters to the Merchants in heaps, while they ftay 

 fourteen or fifteen days till the Oyfters Jofe their water, the Oyiters waft and be-^ 

 gin to fmell, for which reafbn the Pearl grows yellow by infedion, which ap- 

 pears to be a truth, in regard that where the Oyfters preferve their liquor the 

 Pearls are white. Now the reafon why they, ftay till the Oyfters open of them- 

 felves, is becaufe that if they fhould force them open, they might perhaps in- 

 jure and cut the Pearl. In fhorr, the Eaftern people are much of our humour 

 in matter of whitened, for they love thewhiteft Pearls and the blackeft Dia- 

 monds j, the whiteft bread, and the faireft women. 



CHAP. XVIII- 



Huzv the Tear Is are bred in the Cyflers ; k*M) they F/Jh i for them, 



iind at v;hai time. 



SOme ancient Writers have vulgarly reported, that Pearls are produe'd by 

 the Dew of Heaven, and that there is but one in an Oyfter j but experience 

 teaches the contrary. For the Oyfter never ftirs from the bottom of the Sea, 

 where the Dew can never come, which is many times twelve fathoms deep; 

 befides, that it is as often obferv'd, that there are fix or feven Pearls in one 

 Oyfter j and I have had in my hands an Oyfter,, wherein there were above ten 

 beginning to breed. 'Tis very true, that they are not always of the fame bignefs \ 

 for they grow in an Oyfter after the fame manner as Eggs in the Belly of a 

 Pullet. But 1 cannot fay there are Pearls in all, for you may open many Oyfters 

 and find none. 



'Tis no advantage to them that fifh for Pearls j for if the poor people could 

 find any other employment, they would never ftick to fuch a one as meerly keeps 

 them alive. But the Land is fo barren, that you may travel twenty Leagues before 

 you meet with one blade of Grafs ; and the people are fo miferably poor, that 

 they feed upon nothing but Dates and Salt-fifh. 



They fifh in the Eaftern Seas twice a year j the firft time in March and April, 

 the fecond time in Augufi and September ; and they keep their Fairs in June 

 and November. However they do not fifh every year ; for they that fifh, will 

 know beforehand whether it will turn to account or no. Now to the end they 

 may not be deceivM, they fend to the places where they are wont to fifh, 

 feven or eight Barks, who bring back each of them about a thoufand Oyfters, 



which 



