Pearling at Mangareva

When Mr. Gabriel H. Lepage, choolteacher at Mangareva, Gam ier Islands, for the past year, came d Auckland by Wairuna from •apeete in January, he had some iteresting details of the present earling operations at that once amous lagoon.

The big Mangareva lagoon is ivided into three areas—only one f which may be “worked” for MOP aell during any one season. The jason lasts for four months of the jar. Last season—from November, >5l, to February, 1952 —the Rikitea rea was worked and produced aout 40 tons of shell. This season from January through April and is expected that about 25 tons ill be produced. Next season the iarei sector will be worked. No ving suits are used and the rerage depth is about 10 fathoms, tough one sector is deeper. The •esent Mangareva divers are not )ted for their skill in deep areas, any of the Tuamotu divers being ipable of working at much greater jpths, MOP shell has been bringing 45 ancs per kilo on the beach cently, but the price was expected go to 50 francs (about 2/6d Stg.) January.

A large “black” drop-shaped pearl ihed by one diver and weighing carats, was successfully skinned a blemish—losing only 2 carats jight in the process—and was sold r 90,000 francs (£Stg.soo) in ipeete recently.