shops and at wide intervals; or, if one of more
than ordinary excellence turned up, it had
been found by accident in the bed of one of
the pearl rivers during a more than ordinarily
dry season. So matters remained until about
1860. Then, a German gentleman travelling
in Scotland, having his attention directed to
some gems procured in the northern streams,
was struck by their elegance and the peculiar
tint which distinguished them notably from
pearls of the East. Himself well acquainted
with precious stones, he at once recognised
the value of the Scotch pearl, and the important
place it might be made to take in
modern jewellery. Making inquiries on the
subject, he discovered that there was at that
time only one known pearl fisher in all Scotland,
and that the produce of his exertions did
not reach the jewellers, but was sold to a private
customer. The German felt persuaded
that pearls were to be found in considerable
abundance in certain Scotch rivers, and that
all that was requisite to ensure a large supply,
was, to hold out some inducement to the poor
people to search for the mussels. Full of his
project, he travelled through the districts of
Tay, Doon, and Don, and succeeded in purchasing
from the poor cottagers a great many
pearls, which they had fished for their own
amusement, and which they merely kept as
curiosities, not esteeming them of any particular
value. The price given for the gems
roused their cupidity, and a general desire for
mussel fishing was created—a desire which
rose into something like a mania when the
merchant announced that he would purchase as
many good pearls, at the same price, as could
be forwarded to him through the post to Edinburgh.

Before he completed his circuit, the prospect
of large and easily-earned gains had acted like
a charm upon hundreds, and sent them to the
rivers. Those who were otherwise employed
during the day, devoted hours of the long
summer nights to diligent search after the
coveted shells; while boys and old persons,
who had no regular avocations, waded day after
day where there was promise of reward. In the
course of a short time pearls of all kinds—
good, bad, and indifferent—began to flow in
upon the originator of the idea, from Ayrshire,
from Perthshire, and from Highland regions
far beyond the Grampians. He found himself
the possessor of a collection which, for richness
and variety, has seldom been surpassed. A
trade in this class of gems was opened; the patronage
of royalty was obtained; and once
again Scotch pearls became known.

The principal rivers in which the pearl-
mussel is found, are the Tay, the Don, the
Teith, the Forth, the Ythan, the Doon, the
Spey, the Ugie, and the Earn. The shell-fish
in the smaller of these streams have been nearly
exhausted by the severe spoliation to which
they have been subjected; but in the classic
Doon of Burns and the upper reaches of the
Tay, the fishings still yield profitable results.
When the yield of pearl-mussels was at its
highest, and public attention was largely directed
to the subject, a theory was advanced
to the effect that the shell-fish in which the pearl
grows, was only to be found in rivers whose
sources were in lochs; but this was easily refuted
by the fact that four of the pearl rivers
are known not to issue from lakes. This point
set at rest, it was next thought that the head-
quarters, so to speak, of the much prized mussel,
was in the lochs, and that the rivers contained
only a comparatively small number that had
been swept downward, and gradually accumulated
at the elbows of the streams. The latter
supposition was strengthened in consequence of
a number of pearls having been accidentally discovered
in Loch Venachar. Dredging experiments
were conducted to test the truth of the
new theory, but they ended in failure. Very
few mussels were found, and those were so
much scattered, and in some instances were so
covered with mud, as to make the toil of search
heavy, and the reward light. The hope of
finding large beds of the valuable shell-fish in
the lakes was abandoned, and operations were
confined to the rivers.

The mode of fishing is primitive in its simplicity.
No expense is incurred, no instruments
are required. There is no mystery in
the craft. Nothing is needed but patience.
Men, women, and children, are rewarded indiscriminately;
for skill does not avail. To
search the bed of the stream until a collection
of the mussels is discovered, is the first care;
and this is often the most tedious part of the
work. If these fresh-water shell-fish lay in
such extensive clusters as their brethren of the
salt water, a bank of them might be easily
lighted upon, but they congregate in comparatively
small numbers, and if the river have a
muddy bottom the search is almost hopeless.
Once discovered, however, the operation of
fishing them out is easy. The fisher wades
into the river, armed with a long stick, one
end of which has a simple slit in it made by a
knife. This stick he pokes down among the
shells, and brings them up firmly wedged
in the slit. He tosses the shells ashore, as
he gets them, and usually does not leave off
until he has amassed a goodly heap. Sometimes
he has only to wade above the knees, and can
pick up the mussels by stooping; but more
frequently the water covers his hips, and at
times he is immersed almost to the arm-pits:
on which occasions he must dive with his head
below the current. On some of the streams the
people have hit on the expedient of raking the
bed with a large iron rake and bringing the
mussels ashore; but the cleft stick is the
popular way.

When the fisher has collected shells enough
to try his luck with, he proceeds to open them.
Occasionally he carries the mussels home and
proceeds leisurely; but more frequently, if the
day be not too far upon the wane, he contents
limself with searcliing for the spoil upon the
river bank. Those who can afford a knife,
make use of it to force open the shell; others,
who have none, perform the operation deftly