4 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



lying off Aripu, in the centre of the bight of Kondatchi, and yielding the most 

 important fisheries now as they did in the days of the Tamil Queen Alliyarasani. 

 The list of the fisheries given on p. 2 shows that the Cheval has given as many 

 fisheries as those of all the other paars together. 



There is some uncertainty in regard to the early records of the nineteenth century. 

 Tine Cheval and Modragam banks are apparently sometimes entered as the Aripu 

 paars or the paars off Aripu ; the subdivisions, such as North Cheval, South-East 

 Cheval, &c, have not a uniform nomenclature in the reports of different Inspectors, 

 and the Government records do not agree in all respects with Captain Donnan's MSS. 

 and charts to which we have had access. These discrepancies do not affect, however, 

 any important points from which conclusions are drawn in this Report. 



Record""' of the Cheval Paar. 



Mar., 1802. Whole Cheval covered with oysters 4 to 5 years old. 

 Oct., 1802. Sample of 1668 oysters 5i to 6 years old lifted. 

 Mar., 1804. Fishery (yielded 770,202 rupees). 



,, 1805. Oysters 5 to 6 years old on east side. Sample lifted. 

 18 6. Fishery (yielded 412,842 rupees). 

 1808. 842,577 



1809. 272,463 



Oct., 1809. Very few oysters on Aripu Paar and on Cheval, 6 fathoms. On 

 South-east Cheval oysters 6 to 7 years old. On the North, 6 fathoms, 10 to 

 70 oysters at a dive. On the South, 7 fathoms, young oysters 2 years old. 

 In 6 fathoms, on Koddai Paar (west end of South Cheval), oysters 1 year 

 old. On the south-west, in 9 fathoms, oysters 3 years old. 

 Nov., 1810. Oysters 2 to 4 years old of 'Koddai 7 ' and "Cheval" kind. On 

 South and South-west Cheval abundance of oysters 2 to 4 years old. On 

 the north end, a very small spot, 5 to 6 years old. Sample lifted. 

 ,, 1811. Oysters 4 to 5 years old on East Cheval. A few 1 year old on the 

 . north-east side of the Aripu Paar. Abundant, 3 to 4 years old, on North- 

 east Cheval. On West Cheval abundant oysters of " Kottapakku" variety. 

 Pearls from 943 oysters valued at Rs. 8.93. 

 Mai-., 1813. On the South-east Cheval oysters 5 to 6 years old, in 6 fathoms, and 

 a great proportion 6 to 7 years old, with many dead shells. The hank 

 measures 2X2 miles and should be ready for fishing in Mar., 1814. On 

 the East Cheval abundant oysters 6 years old. On the North-east Cheval, 

 on a bank measuring 2 X 1 miles, abundant oysters 5 and 6 years old and 



* Condensed from all the records at our disposal Inspectors' repoits and other papers by Captain 

 Donnan, Sir WILLIAM Twynam, and others, MSS. and charts in the Government Offices at Colombo, and 

 other information obtained by Mr. HoRNELL and myself. 



