50 



that in the case of the Mogers both men and women work whereas 

 the Pudu Islam women do not go into the villages for selling fish 

 and they depend entirely on the earnings of their men. The fish 

 when sold in the interior villages fetch double what they would 

 get if sold on the beach, so that the Moger women, by simply 

 carrying the fish a moderate distance earn a modest income in 

 support of the family. 



KASARAGOD. 



Mukkuva fishermen are mostly poor and are gradually being 

 supplanted by Mappillas with better boats and capital. All curers 

 are Mappilla fish merchants who advance money to fishermen in 

 return for catches. The Mukkuvas of this place are completely 

 under the control of Mappillas and are not able to improve their 

 condition. Hired labour is employed and paid by jobs. 



BAIKAL. 



All curers (except one Mappilla) are Mukkuvas who are also 

 fishermen owning boats and nets. Some well-to-do Mukkuvas 

 advance money to poor fishermen and curers on condition that their 

 fish is sold to them at lower rates than usual. A few fishermen take 

 advances from Mappilla fish merchants who simply trade in dry 

 fish. Generally the fishermen here are better off than those in 

 Kasaragod and are independent of the Mappillas, so much so that 

 this is the only yard where the curing industry is still in the hands 

 of the fisherfolk. Their condition is much better than that of their 

 fellow caste people in other places on the coast. Their men catch 

 the fish which is dealt with by their own women-folk who sell it 

 either as fresh or as cured. Thus the women being enabled to con- 

 tribute their labour are not only able to keep the middlemen out but 

 get the highest price possible and the combined earnings of men 

 and women go to support the family. At one time there was a 

 strong caste Panchayet among these people but in recent years it 

 has lost its power. They are beginning to understand the value of 

 education and those who can afford it send their children to school. 

 A few of them have also invested money in other industrial 

 concerns. 



Hired labour is very seldom employed in this yard as the curers 

 do their work themselves especially through their females. 

 Coolies on days of heavy catches are engaged at 3 to 4 annas per 

 day, and the system of payment by piece-work is also current. 

 Coolies are generally Mukkuva females. Some well-to-do curers 

 who carry on curing on a large scale engage permanent female 

 coolies on monthly wages of Rs. 3 to 6. These permanent coolies 

 attend to curing work only on days when operations are in hand 

 and the remaining days they are free to attend to their own work. 



HOSDRUG. 



Fishermen are Hindus called Moonnillakkars and are mostly 

 poor and depend entirely on the fishing industry. They take 

 advances of money from merchants in return for sale of their 



