1922] MADRAS PEARL FISHERIES 143 



Government can agree to close their fishery some three weeks after 

 the date of actual opening and just when the fishing is probably 

 at its best. Apart from governmental considerations such a pro- 

 ceeding would be deeply resented by the divers and the merchants ; 

 if they were compelled to go, the fishery being summarily closed, 

 the consequences would be felt at subsequent fisheries. The 

 proposal is only practicable if fishing could be begun early in 

 February and this as I have said is impossible owing to circum- 

 stances beyond the control of the Ceylon Government. Neither 

 can the Ceylon Government limit the number of boats participa- 

 ting if there be sufficient abundance of pearl oysters to justify the 

 work, indeed it would be an advantage to Madras if the Ceylon 

 Government were able to obtain such a number of boats as would 

 clear the bank to be fished in a limited period, as then the divers 

 would be at liberty to depart and would be available for the Indian 

 beds. However, even in the case of a cessation of the Ceylon 

 fishery at the end of March, I am convinced that an Indian fishery 

 in April and May would benefit thereby very little if the Ceylon 

 fishery had been at all successful. At a fishery such as the Ceylon 

 one of this year (1904), the divers make so much money as to be 

 wealthy beyond their dreams of avarice for that year at least. The 

 more prudent Moormen have made enough money to enable them 

 to invest in new fishing nets, new boats, or jewellery and dowries 

 for their women, while the thriftless Paravas find enough money in 

 their pockets to hand a substantial sum to their Church and leave 

 enough over to permit them to feast and be merry for several 

 weeks or, perhaps, even months. 



Such men will be induced only with the utmost difficulty to 

 undertake a second diving season hard on the heels of the first; 

 they will be restless, discontented, and eager to seize any excuse 

 to get away. Witness what happened in 1890 when a number of 

 divers returning from fishing on the Ceylon banks, were pursuaded 

 to resume operations off Tuticorin ; only eight days fishing was 

 obtained as the divers utilized with their usual skill the stalking- 

 horse cry of " sharks on the banks." As any stick is good enough 

 to beat a dog, so any excuse is considered good enough to utilize 

 when the divers for any reason wish a fishery to come to an end. 

 At one time it is " sharks " ; at another, the alleged scarcity of 

 oysters, " chippi illei." Illness, rumours of cholera, small profits, 

 rough weather, chill winds, are all utilized with the utmost cunning 



