A Deal In Pearls

By Cloghogue

EARLY in the present century, while the blooms of peace still produced the fruits of plenty, Lever Bros, relin quished their tenure of the Island of Suwarrow, one of their soap fundamentals in the Pacific.

Sydney, headquarters of the firm’s in terests in the Pacific, directed the overseer in charge at the island to return the native labour boys to their respective Islands homes, clean up his accounts and, as soon as possible, report to them in per son, so that the books and records relating to the island might be closed.

This overseer, by name Hobbs (his Christian name was never heard)—to which he had prefixed the title of Cap tain, but why or whence derived, remains one of the unsolved puzzles of the Pacific—had an adhesive personality. He was hard to shake off. He stood a little under six feet in height, slimly built, all wire, a strenuous worker, with most per suasive and winning ways. He probably was about 36 years old, blonde and quite good-looking, with a long, well-trained, curving moustache in which—judging by the constant attention he gave it—he took pride.

Frankness beamed from his open blue eyes, and innocence was stamped on every feature. However, those who knew him well maintained that he was running a dead heat with another notorious per sonage of the Eastern Pacific for a championship left vacant in Biblical times by the sudden death of one Ananias.

One of the Cook Islands’ trading schooners carried off the labourers and, with those from that island. Hobbs landed in Manihiki, to catch there, at some later date, a vessel which would carry him on to Apia (Samoa) whence he would take the mail steamer for Sydney.

IN Manihiki, he naturally was a person of some importance. He had humble, willing friends on every side. Not for several months would opportunity present itself for transport to Samoa. So he looked around for something to im prove the present hour.

He was no novice in the pearl business, that most important and valuable side line in the lagoon islands. While examin ing possibilities in that direction, he dis covered that the making of pearls was possibly not a monoply of oysters. He found a few old experts skilled in the production, from the thickened nacre near the hinge joint of large pearl shells, of “pearls” which were, to all appearances, perfect examples of superior efforts on the part of the bivalvous mollusc. Of such, he secured a supply of perfectly matching pairs, sufficient to make a rope of temptation for a princess—one could not foretell what chances the future might disclose.

One who helped in the making told the writer that they were real beauties— good enough to sell to the most exacting stranger tourist.

Hobbs, in due time, reached Apia and, after a few days’ leisure there, caught the trans-Pacific steamer from America to Australia. The USS line through Raro tonga and Tahiti to ’Frisco had not then come into being.

PASSENGERS on the steamer were few. Besides himself, there were but five business men returning from profit-seeking quests in USA, and a newly-married couple on a honeymoon trio to Australia.

By lunch time on the first day out he had become the centre of a happy group of six (the honeymoon couple, engrossed in themselves, disappear from the record).

Five, tired of the journev's monotony, werp but too pleased to hear Captain Hobbs recount, first-hand, his adventures in the Islands of the Pacific, beside which the stories of Stevenson. Becke and other romancers of the South Seas lost much of their thrill.

The Cantain’s thirst was made inex pensive to himself—and he had a generous capacity—although he never showed the least sign of overstepping that capa city. By bedtime he was blood brother to each of the five.

Next morning, just after breakfast, in accord with the sea-habits of passengers, they were all striding in exercise round the deck. Hobbs came along, inquiring if anyone knew where he could find the purser. He added that he desired to place in safe custody some pearls he had. He suggested that if anyone wished to see them before they were put away, he would be pleased to let them have a' look at some of the South Seas’ treasures.

All adjourned to the smoking room.

Hobbs first dilated at large on pearls, their points and values, where they were found, and so on. Having turned the current of their thoughts in the right direction, he untied a small box and, withdrawing carefully from its interior a covering of kapok lint, disclosed a gleam ing pool of liquid light from scores of polished moving pearls. Then, making a barricade with the edge of the cloth, he slowly poured them out, to run like live mercury to and fro, spreading over the enclosed space on the table.

“Ah!” and “Oh!” broke longingly from the lips of his new friends, as he rose in their estimation as a man of worth.

Hobbs then walked off to the purser’s office, to deposit the box in the ship’s During the next couple of days, he dis closed a tale of his past and his position which lost nothing in the recital. He finally admitted to one of them, as some thing almost secret, that he was on his way to Sydney to seek financial backing, if possible, in a venture which held out every prospect of a magnificent profit.

“Profit”, the never-failing lure for the predatory birds of business, ensnared the merchant. At his request, Hobbs agreed that he might mention the matter generally to the others.

THE following day, the merchant ap proached Hobbs with the suggestion that if he were willing, he and the other four friends would like to discuss the matter with him. It was very probable that they would be able to carry through any financial proposition he might make.

Hobbs said he would think it over. He withdrew somewhat from their company, and spent most of the time in seeming meditation.

After dinner, he invited the five to the smoking-room for a conference.

“As you know,” he said, “I have spent much of my life out here among the Islands. Recently, when looking for any lagoon which might prove to be a virgin bed of shell and pearl, I came on a small atoll far out of the way, and off any usual s&iling course. There, high and dry up on the reef, lying on her side, was a derelict barque of 1,500 tons or so. She was practically undamaged, with a full cargo aboard, in AI condition.

“I had a look at the lagoon, but it was no pearl-shell producer, being too shallow. I spent two days on -and about the vessel and satisfied myself that she carried valuable cargo, most of it well cased and water-free. I estimate that the cargo, properly salvaged, will bring not less than £lO,OOO. There will be no great trouble about geting it away.

“I want to get a small steamer to go and recover that cargo. I could carry the thing myself, so far as the cost is con cerned, but I could not also remain behind, looking after the Sydney end of the business. I brought those pearls with me to sell, if I failed to find suitable partners in the venture, but I would much prefer to have partners. Are you gentlemen interested?”

The five agreed to form a syndicate, and pledged themselves to secrecy.

Hobbs proceeded; “Now, this is the proposition. I alone know the position of the atoll and . the wreck. The atoll is small and, at present, uncharted and the wreck undiscovered by others. My know ledge will be my investment in any partnership I may enter into. Partner or partners must bear all expenses and for that he or they jointly will receive half the nett profits. If I obtain a small steamer, such as I have in mind at the moment. I estimate that £3,000 should be more than sufficient to meet every possible expenditure, and if no hitch occurs it should be much less than that.

In order that there shall be no wasteful dipping into funds, I am quite willing that finance be contributed only when and as required. Personally, I shall draw

none from the fund save for needful payments entailed by the venture.

“With a captain and small crew we shall sail from Sydney to Tutuila, in the ordinary way, but not call there or at any other intermediate port, lest talk of what we are after get about. From Tutuila I will direct the navigation to the atoll. A week or so, given good weather, should see the cargo transferred and, then, back to Australia. You will understand that it is imposible that I should disclose the exact position of my find. It will be enough to say that it lies less than a week’s steaming from Apia.

“Those pearls you have seen, by no means exhaust my stock. I have many more some of which are better than the best of those. But those, matched in pairs, make a perfect rope of pearls. So you can believe me when I say that it is not for finance alone that I seek partners in the affair. I have no acquaintances in the Svdney business world, apart from yourselves, and might find difficulties

which would cause delay—the very thing to avoid in a case where an unseasonable storm could wash the wreck off the reef into deep water, or some prowling craft might discover it and get away with the goods.”

An agreement was signed and wit nessed, and Hobbs entered Sydney as the leader of the clique of six “South Sea adventurers”, fast bound by the glue of anticipated gain. He was the guest of one of them at his home in Mosman, and he was feted and fussed over. He completed his business with Levers.

Eighteen days later the small steamer chartered by the syndicate was ready and waiting. Hobbs’ hostess bade him “good-bye and good luck”.

Hobbs turned to the husband, saying: “If you will permit me, I should like to make your wife a present, as some recognition of her great kindness to a stranger” and, with that, he produced

SSSLiJ? 8 p 2 cke k his , .box of “pearls”, Husband and wife objected to such a valuable gift, but Hobbs overruled them, pointing out that these were by no means the last of his store, and that they had oUght P IOVl 0V t P u Urp ? s £ ™ hicb th 9 good offices of her husband had rendered lv?ilf£ eSS -h^ y 'v. ood thanks, his hostess accepted them.

The steamer was gone about a week, when one morning, as her husband was eaving for business, the lady produced the pearls and said she would like them made up into personal ornaments. The husband agreed, and took them with him.

Someone suggested that Peter Dawson’s might value them, so that he should be the better judge of a fitting expenditure ° n Da^son^°expert’ said- “I don’t know Dawson s expert said. I don t know

what you gave for these, but if you paid 5/- for them it is about their full value unpierced”.

The astounded merchant n<=v Pf q.

“What’s wrong with them?” d ‘ “ The y are about the best examples of manufactured pearls I’ve seen, and they will make a fine imitation necklace or rope.”

“What do you mean bv mamifartnrpri pearls’ They’re not artificial’’ t d “When I say ” reniied DawsSn" mam ““ Sean they’ are P nlt artificial or wnthpfip hnt a v e a out of the lining nacre b o? 7pa? npari shells shaned and nolishPdtnti P n p r

fection voifsee still P thevare^ nonpar!*

af jewellers use the word 3 ” P ’

The merchant pocketed his pearls and his pride, and at once informed his

partners in the salvage venture that it was likely they had been “stung”.

They could do nothing about it, how ever. There was no radio in those days Hobbs had insisted on a route to his treasure island which would take him clear of intervening ports.

IN the meantime, the steamer, with Hobbs in control, had reached a small, lonely island, on whose reef there stood high and dry the ribs and remains of a wrecked shin. But there was not a vestige or sign of cargo Hobbs and the steamer Captain landed and satisfied themselves that nothing remained worth taking away. “Ah!” said Hobbs. “As I feared, there was too much delay at Sydney. Now someone else has found this wreck and cleared It.

The Captain removed his cap to scratch his forelock and remarked - “It looks to me as if it were a pretty old wreck. Been here a long time, and cleaned out months ago."

“No, no” said Hobbs. “I saw it all here about two months ago.”

“Well, it’s not my business,” said the Cantain. “What do I do now?”

“We’ll get back to Apia and cable for instructions. You see, it was the Sydney people who chartered your boat, not I.

I have no responsibility in the matter,” replied Hobbs.

Arrived at Apia, after a few days’ steam, Hobbs wrote out a message:— “J , Sydney—Too late stop sal vage gone stop wire instructions— . , P , Captain.” and he directed the Captain to send it off when he went ashore.

After the departure of the Captain, Hobbs himself landed, but he had his luggage with him. He left a note for the Captain that he was going to spend a few days with some local friends, until a reply was received. If, however, he was not on board for return to Sydney when orders came, the steamer was to proceed without him. He would follow on the mail steamer, in a few days.

Almost immediately, the order came from Sydney that the steamer was to return there at once. She left without Hobbs, who was not on hand for her departure. He had had his fun, a free time in Sydney and a steamer, yacht like, to bring him back among his loved Islands, He got no money out of it all, but he was happy.

Shortly afterwards, he reached Raro tonga, where I heard his tale —which later, was confirmed from other sources.

He was a quaint bird; he simply could not help adding imaginative embroidery to bare facts, which he stretched and twisted to suit stories of his own clever ness and exploits.

The Turnbull Library, maintained by The Polynesian Society of New Zealand, is anxious to purchase a complete set of the first five volumes of “PIM”— for the years 1930-31, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1933-34, and 1934-35. Any reader wishing to dispose of his early volumes should write to: Hon. Secretary, Polynesian Society. Woodward St., Wellington, New Zealand, Before the Free French contingent sailed from Noumea last month for Australia, Governor Sautot presented the troops with the colours of the Corps Expedition naire du Pacifique at a ceremony in the war memorial square. The colours were blessed by Rt. Rev. Edouard Bresson, SM, DD, Catholic Bishop of New Cale donia. As each soldier stepped on board the transport, two days later, he saluted the Caledonian land. Their departure in a sudden rain squall recalled similar conditions on April 23, 1915, when the first contingent left Noumea for the last war.