HISTORY OF THE PRINCIPAL PEARL RANKS. 7 



deposit of young oysters on South-west and South-east Cheval, extending 

 to south part ofModragam. 



Mar., 1875. Large bed of about 10,000,000 healthy oysters, 2 years old, on 

 South-east Cheval. Smaller bed to east, believed to be of same age. On 

 ground fished last year very few oysters and 40 per cent, dead shells. 

 ,, 1876. On South-east Cheval a few oysters scattered over a large area. 

 Patch to the eastward now joined on. Very few dead shells. On West 

 and North-west Cheval a very large number of small oysters 6 months old. 

 Rock-fish [Batistes] eating the oysters. 



Nov., 1876. On South-east Cheval a bed of 3,000,000 oysters and some dead 

 shells. Pearls valued at Rs. 26.70 per thousand. Oysters supposed to 

 be 4 years old. Fishery recommended for next March. Young oysters on 

 West and North-west Cheval still abundant. 



Feb.. 1877. Oysters dying out. 



Mar., 1877. Fishery on East and South-east Cheval (yielded 184,591 rupees). 

 1878. Large bed, 3 X 1| miles, of 3-year old oysters, thickly spread and 

 firmly attached. Those on the south half are the oldest and should be 

 fished first. To the south-east a small bed of oysters 9 months old. A 

 small patch left over from fishery on East Cheval seemed healthy, and the 

 pearls were more valuable than last year. 



Nov., 1878. Oysters still abundant, but not grown much. 



,, 1879. Bed of about 66,000,000 oysters 4|- years old, extending about 

 3 miles north-north-west and south-south-east, including the portions 

 fished in 1831, 1835, 1855, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1874, and that which failed 

 in 1864. These oysters seem to require another year. They are mixed 

 with younger ones, probably from the patch found in 1878 to the south- 

 east, which had disappeared. On the South-east Cheval 1 square mile was 

 covered with oysters 3 months old, firmly attached. Samples from the 

 south-east of the bed of older oysters were valued at Rs. 9.39 per 

 thousand, and those from the north-west at Rs. 6.43. The south-east 

 portion of this bed is recommended for fishing, as there are so many oysters. 



Mar., 1880. Fishery on North-west Cheval (over 35,000,000 oysters yielded only 

 200,152 rupees). 



Dec, 1880. On the North-west Cheval an extensive bed of 58,000,000 oysters 

 5j years old. Valuation Rs. 21.37 per thousand. Immense numbers of 

 young oysters, 3 months old, on bed fished last season, but the young 

 oysters on the south-east, referred to in report of 1879, are dying oft*. 



Mar., 1881. Splendid fishery on North-west Cheval Paar (27,000,000 oysters 

 yielded 599,533 rupees), but in lifting sample in February before the 

 fishery the oysters were found to have thinned 40 per cent, since 

 November. 



