April 12, 1913 
FOREST AND STREAM 
459 
button, the dumb bell and the turtle back. These 
are the most common forms of what is con¬ 
sidered perfect pearls. 
Next in the high value class come the freak 
pearls that from some unknown cause have taken 
strange forms—perhaps that of a berry, a horn 
or some other odd shape. One was found near 
Allendale. Illinois, that was the exact form of a 
bulldog’s head, only the eyes had to be added to 
make the likeness perfect. This was done by the 
use of two small seed pearls, thus making a 
valuable find for the owner. No matter what 
shape a pearl may be, the form must be perfect 
to have a high commercial value. The slugs are 
ill formed pearls and are graded as to their size 
and shape, the same as the perfect pearls. The 
small ones are used in the setting of cheap 
jewelry and are sold by the ounce, bringing from 
$2 to $9 per ounce. High grade slugs are known 
as spikes, rose buds and apple seeds, and are 
sold separately and in sets. A set of high grade 
spikes is a very valuable find, and several months 
or perhaps years are required to match up a 
set. The number required will depend upon 
what is to be made. The lowest set is five, while 
three hundred have been used in making a neck¬ 
lace. The pearl or slug is found in various colors. 
Pure white is the most common and is also one 
of the most desired when of perfect form. Pink 
is the next most common in all shades from 
darkest shade to a mere tint. Purple and black 
are seldom found and usually of little value, as 
they are given to faulty formation, such as 
cracks, specks and curds. The blue steel is the 
only blue pearl formation found and is most 
always a valuable find, perfect in form and color. 
Gold and silver tints are found, but seldom of 
any valuable size. The gold pearl is one of the 
most beautiful, but is seldom larger than a buck¬ 
shot. The rose bud slug, to be of value, must 
be white or pink. They are in form as an open¬ 
ing rose bud and are valued as ring and pin 
sets. 
The camp life of the pearl fisherman is best 
seen along the Wabash and its tributaries. From 
the mouth of the river to the headwaters of its 
feeders can be found one continued chain of 
clam fishing camps. From the time the early 
spring freshets drive the ice from the river 
until the cold weather again closes his fishing 
grounds, the surface of the river is covered with 
boats of clam fishers. Camps are established at 
the most favorable location, each camp working 
the section of water nearest their encampment. 
The home of the clam fisherman is usually a 
tent or boat, the houseboat being the most suit¬ 
able and comfortable, as the tent must be placed 
on the damp overflowed soil of the river bank 
near the vats and shelling tables, which fill the 
air with disagreeable odors. The houseboat is 
anchored in running water, giving ventilation 
from the open river. 
Aside from the catch of slugs and pearls, 
the season’s catch of shells adds much to the 
profits of the labor. The shells are used in the 
manufacture of buttons, knife handles and fancy 
articles of jewelry made from mother of pearl. 
Shells are sorted and graded, the button shells 
being known as pig toes, negro heads and 
mucketts. They are all thick, heavy shells yield¬ 
ing a clear smooth working material that is used 
in the making of high class buttons. The wash¬ 
board clam, the largest of fresh water clams, has 
a shell of e.xtra large size and of various colors 
ranging from a deep pink, blue and green to a 
pure white. One shell may contain all these 
colors or be a pure white. The washlioard clam 
is also found to produce more perfect ball pearls 
than any other clam. These large fancy colored 
shells are used in the making of cut pearl articles. 
Although pearl fishing is a ‘comparatively new 
industry, thousands of tons of shells are taken 
from the. rivers of Illinois each summer. The 
river banks are lined with tents and paper shacks 
of fishermen, while the water is constantly cov¬ 
ered with fishing boats, yet the supply of clams 
seems to be limitless. The yearly catch is con¬ 
stantly growing larger, as more men engage in 
the business. Grab nets of clam fishermen are 
bringing to light many relics of by-gone days, 
such as articles lost in the river from sinking 
boats and other mishaps, anchors from the steam¬ 
boats and flatboats of early days. One fisher¬ 
man found in his net a large silver watch of 
old-time style, another a heavy set of handcuffs 
made of brass. 
The work of the clam fisherman is also put¬ 
ting out of business tbe net, set lines and fish 
traps, so common along the rivers in past years, 
use of the drag net making it useless to set out 
lines or nets, as they become entangled and are 
dragged from their anchors. This has prevented 
the catching of fish by these methods, and the 
streams are becoming well stocked with the 
native fish. 
Inside Route to Maine 
By JOHN D. SCHMIDT AND “COMPANY.” 
T he completion of a four-year engineering 
course in three made the last a more or 
less strenuous year. Before being loose 
into the cold world we decided to spend the 
summer in some sort of outdoor life. The in¬ 
side route from New York to Maine by canoes 
w'as chosen. 
Now. in the course of college events it 
many times happens that one’s collection of 
wherewithal approaches a minimum, and we 
were not an exception. Therefore strict econo¬ 
my was practiced in the selection of outfit and 
throughout the trip. Careful perusal of maps 
led us to accept this course, which briefly is as 
follows: Starting from New York city, up the 
Hudson to Troy; through the Barge Canal into 
Lake Champlain; dowm the Richelieu and St. 
Lawrence rivers to Quebec; thence up the 
Chaudier to its source; next a twelve-mile 
portage over the height of land into Maine, 
thus reaching the Moose River; down this 
stream, passing through Moosehead Lake into 
the Kennebec River and down to Bath, the 
home of one of us. 
The party consisted of four — Fat, Spider, 
Van and Unc. The expedition recognized no 
leader, the majority ruling, and in case of tie, 
the longest and loudest thunder. Fat, in absent- 
minded moments, had sometimes concocted a 
passable rarebit, which, of course, made him 
the cook. Spider, in coincidence with his ability 
as a story teller, could graphically describe 
certain German dishes that his aunt cooked, 
and therefore w'as commissioned as assistant, 
which rendered him very serviceable as chief 
dish-wrestler. The rest of the crew were to 
make camp and collect fuel. Van kept the log. 
Unc, being about a good sized infinitesimal in 
stature, had to be banker, chief economizer, 
steward and official photographer. The fact 
that only one had had any experience in canoe¬ 
ing made the anticipation amusingly interesting, 
and the selection of the outfit brought forward 
many theories as to \vhat were essentials. Save 
a little superfluous clothing, nothing could have 
been eliminated, knowdng that it w'as merely 
an outing, and that we never w'ere to use guides 
for heavy work. We purchased two eighteen- 
foot White Guide Special canoes, yclept 
“Hoh” and “Wnj.” When loaded with one 
hundred ])Ounds they could bear one man sitting 
on a gunwale. For the bow man we rigged a 
suspended cane scat. Four paddles were of 
maple and two of spruce, all untipped. The 
latter are still in good condition, after having 
been used continuously, besides often doing 
service as setting poles. The rest of the outfit 
went into five watertight bags—tent, blankets. 
grub, dishes and clothing. The tent was flyless 
and waterproofed with paraffine. Each had an 
army blanket and poncho. A set of tinned 
dishes telescoped into a cube of fourteen inches. 
1'he clothing bag also contained a camera, 
medicine, repair kit. maps and lantern. Author¬ 
ities prohibit a lantern, but ours was cheap, 
substantial, folding, and candle-burning, with 
mica faces. It was very useful, especially for 
innochle. No firearms were carried. 
At the last moment the plans were wisely 
changed, that a twenty-five foot launch might 
be taken to Lake Champlain, wherein we 
avoided paddling against the Hudson in an un¬ 
toughened condition, and also obtaining a di¬ 
versity of experiences. Tbe start was made on 
June 14. 1908. Up the Hudson and through 
the Barge Canal was uneventful, excepting the 
piping hot sun and some twenty odd locks to 
l)ass. Fortunately we had no “tire troubles,’’ 
so made good time. At Fort Ticonderoga we 
left the boat, trucking tbe canoes two miles to 
I,ake George. The next day we paddled up 
the lake thirty miles against a headwind to 
Ivanhoe Island, where we spent a rare week of 
loafing, a friend having kindlj^ given us the 
use of a cottage. 
The return to “Tye’’ was a little delayed, as 
we wished to make it a regatta day. A strong 
