["Correspondence", The West Australian, Friday 18 March 1887, page 3]

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE "SOUTHERN CROSS" PEARL.

To the Editor.

Sir,--Having had my attention drawn to two paragraphs published in The West Australian Catholic Record of the 14th October 1886, in which it was stated that "Shiner Kelly" was the finder of the now well-known pearl cross, and that he, through superstitious awe, buried it for a length of time, and also that Mr. Alexander Forrest had seen it in Roebourne in the year 1879, I feel it to be my duty, being the person referred to, both to myself and to the public, such statement being wholly inaccurate, to give a true account of the facts of the case. The Catholic Record copied the paragraphs referred to, from the Weekly Register. The Weekly Register is alleged to have published the same on the authority of Mr. Maitland Brown. To Mr. Maitland Brown, I wrote on the subject, (copy of my letter attached), but received no reply.

I left Cossack on a pearling cruise on the 12th November, 1882, and on the 25th March, 1883, I and three natives were out "beachcombing." I found one shell only, and the natives two, and I returned at night tired, and so disgusted with my bad luck, that I determined to go back to my home at the Lacepede Islands. Next day, however, I was more successful, getting altogether about 200 pair of shells. During my absence a boy named Clarke, in my employment, in opening one of the shells obtained the previous day, found the pearl above-mentioned. He said it was a perfect cross when he got it, but when he handed it to me, it was in three pieces. In this condition, i.e. in three distinct pieces, I sold it to a fellow-pearler, Mr. Frank Roy for £10, subsequently he sold it to Mr. Frank Craig, for £40, Mr. Frank Craig sold it to a syndicate of leading gentlemen in this colony. This pearl was found off Baldwin Creek, in lat. 17 south, long. 122·30 east. What I wish particularly to impress on the public is (1) that the pearl when sold by me was not a perfect cross, but was in three distinct pieces. (2). That it was not buried by me as stated, and (3) that as it was not found till March '83, Mr. Alexander Forrest could hardly have seen in the year 1879.

I would only add in conclusion, that I have no interest now in the pearl referred to, and that my chief object in writing is to protect such of the public as may be interested.

Yours, etc.,

James William Sherbrook Kelly.

Cossack. Feb. 28, 1887