Pea7'ls and the Pearl Fisheries. 417 



0 holes in it, and the pearls that do not pass through 

 lese holes, after being well shaken, are called of the 

 ventieth basket. The succeeding baskets have 30, 50, 80, 

 DO, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 holes ; each basket giving the 

 ame, corresponding with its number of holes, to the pearls 

 lat do not pass through ; so that there are pearls of 

 ventieth, thirtieth, fiftieth, and so on, to the thousandth 

 asket. The pearls which do not pass through the eleventh 

 r twelfth baskets, when they are used, are called masie. 

 he pearls having been sorted into 10 or 12 sizes by means 

 r the baskets, are carefully examined in regard to their 

 sauty of shape and colour, and each size, except the masie, 

 susceptible of seven distinct descriptions. After being 

 assed, they are weighed and valued according to their 

 :spective qualities. The price of pearls is expressed at a 

 irtain rate per chow, which term has reference to the 

 aality ascertained from the size, the form, the colour, and 

 le weight. 



The number of pearls which are valuable as gems, and 

 srmanently retained as such, is limited ; the larger pro- 

 Drtion of the small seed pearls, and of the defective ones, 

 ■e used as ingredients of a highly prized native electuary ; 

 id occasionally the extravagance is committed of reducing 

 lem to dmnam, or lime, to be used with betel-leaf and 

 •eca-nut as a masticatory. The pearl-powder of the 

 )othecary was even a sovereign remedy for many diseases 

 this country a century ago ; but whether it were made of 

 iarls is questionable. 



Declared Value of the Pearls imported into the United 



Kingdom. 



1853. 

 1854 

 1855 



• •• ;^6q,735 



41,001 

 30.476 



2 E 



