Pearls are found in the Urdu marginalia, Lam., and Unio Ilavidum, Benson, of the lihandardalt lake near Berhampore.
In the salt-water inlets along the entire seacoast of Sind, a thin-shelled variety of the oyster occurs; on the sandbanks, called Kenjur, that are left dry at low tides, but chiefly in the creeks near Kurachee, a seed-pearl is found, selling at Ra. the tola. The seed-pearl fishery was let by the Amirs successively for Rs. 650, Rs. 1300, and Rs. 19,000. After 1839, they let them out for Rs. 1100, Rs. 21,000, and Its. 35,000, but the contractors failed.
The produce of the fisheries in the Gulf of Mannar has varied greatly at long intervals. From 1838 to 1854 there was no fishery at all. A similar interruption had been experienced between 1820 and 1828. The Dutch had no fishery for 27 years, from 1768 to 179G; and they were equally unsuccessful from 1732 to 1746. It has now been satisfactorily proved that the pearl-oyster's occasional disappearance is perfectly natural. The Arabs of the Persian Gulf, according to Colonel Pelly, attribute the decay of the Sind and Ceylon fisheries to the mixture of mud and earthy substance with the sand of the beds.
In the Persian Gulf the pearl banks extend 300 miles in a straight line, and the best beds arc level and of white sand, overlying the coral in clear water ; and any mixture of mud or earthy substance with the sand is considered to be detri mental to the pearl mollusc. These banks are front 3 to 6 miles off shore, in 6 to 7 fathoms water. 400 boats of all sizes are annually employed, carrying crews of from 13 to 25 persons, half of them divers. The yearly produce was estimated at 40,000 tomans, each tontan 18 piastres Ruud. —the masters dram ing three shares, divers two shares, and assistants one share. Some of the Arab colonies on the Persian littoral retain a right to fish on the banks, which are appanages of the parent Arabian tribe.
In the Persian Gulf there is both a spring and a summer fishery, and as many as 5000 boats will assemble from Bahrein and the islands, and con tinue fishing from April to September. The
total amount derived in the pearl fisheries of the Persian Gulf has been estimated at £400,000, employing about 30,000 persons. During a recent year, 30 divers engaged in the pearl fishery in the Persian Gulf lost their lives, most of them being victims of sea monsters. The value of the pearls taken in 1879 in the Persian Gulf was set down at about £300,000. There were 7,000,000 fished, and it was believed that but for the frequent interruption by weather, 2,000,000 more might have been lifted.
Off the coast of Ceylon the fishing season is inaugurated by numerous ceremonies, and the fleet, sometimes of 150 boats, then puts to sea. Each boat has a stage at its side, and is manned by ten rowers, ten divers, a steersman, and a shark charmer (Pillal karras). The men go down five at a time, each expediting his descent by means of it stone 20 to 25 lbs. in weight, and, holding their nostrils, gather into a net or basket about 100 shells in the minute or so which they remain under water. Each man makes 40 to 50 descents daily. The pearl-oysters are thrown on the beach and left to putrefy. It has been ascertained that no diving apparatus could, with any advantage, be substituted. The common time for remaining under water is 50 or 60 seconds, but Sir Henry Ward timed one man at 80 seconds, and another at 84 seconds. When the oysters reach the Government kottus, they are divided into four heaps. The divers then remove their share, and the remaining three-fourths, belonging to Govern ment, divided into heaps of 1000 each, are sold by auction to the highest bidder. Sir Henry Ward have seen myself 32 pearls taken out of one oyster, three of which were worth £1 a piece, while even the smallest had a marketable value.
The Ceylon receipts have been £1,117,992, viz.:— 1796 to 1809, . £517,481 I 1855 to 1863, . . £168, 470 1814 to 1820, . . 89,909 1874 to 1881, . 155,000 1828 to 1837, . 227,132 The revenue derived from this source is of a very uncertain and precarious nature.