3-011-352 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Pearl-fishing near Loch Lubnaig, Perthshire, 1864. Engraving from a drawing by Mr. Clark Stanton. 'In some rural districts, the peasantry are making their fortunes by pearl-seeking for only a few hours a day. Many of the undemonstrative weavers and cobblers, whose residence is near a pearl-producing stream, contrive, in the early morning or after them usual day's work, to step out and gather a few handfuls of the pearl-containing mussels, in which they are almost sure to find a few pearls of more or less value. The pearl-fisher requires no capital to set him up in his trade; he needs no costly instruments, but has only to wade into the stream, put forth his hand, and gather what he finds. Mr. Unger even provides his pearl-gatherers with a waterproof dress, so that their labour may be as little detrimental to their health as possible...It is supposed that the lochs are the natural reservoirs of the pearl-mussel...A skilful operator opens the mussel with a shell, in order to avoid scratching the pearl; the opened fish is thrown into the water and there greedily devoured by the salmon and other fish so that those proprietors of streams who were becoming uneasy as to the effects of the pearl fishery on the salmon may set their minds at rest'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.