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is carried on by fishermen and hired labour is rarely engaged, but 

 coolies of various other castes are employed for carrying the fish 

 into the interior markets. 



KILLAI. 



This is the only fish-curing yard in the South Arcot district and 

 has only seven ticket-holders ; it is situated about seven miles south 

 of Porto Novo. Fishermen are Hindus and their women cure the 

 fish without any hired labour. Most of the fishing is carried on in 

 the backwaters and only for a few months in the sea. The fisher- 

 men in this neighbourhood use only dug-out canoes which they 

 import from West Coast, and do not know the use of catamarans. 

 They are mostly poor and depend entirely on fishing though a few 

 of them also own small plots of land. The curing operations are 

 decreasing not owing to scarcity of fish but on account of the 

 increased demand for fresh fish from Chidambaram, Porto Novo, 

 and other towns in the neighbourhood. They carry on their 

 industry without the help of capitalists. The fishermen are more 

 cleanly and not much addicted to intemperate habits. 



NEIDA VASAL, VANAGIRI AND TRANQUEBAR. 



The fishermen are Hindus called Arayanattu Chettis or Pat- 

 tanavars. They are mostly poor or of very ordinary means, and 

 carry on their trade without the help of capitalists or middlemen. 

 Hired labour is not employed except in days of heavy catches. 



AKKARAIKUPPAM. 



This is a fishing village near Negapatam. Sea fishing is 

 carried on by Arayanattu Chettis or Pattanavars and Saluvars, and 

 the river fishing is conducted by Sembadavars and Karayans. All 

 the fishing communities are very backward and lead a hand-to- 

 mouth life without paying any attention to the sanitary condition 

 of their hamlets, education of their children, etc. They make their 

 own nets and catamarans and some of them are also employ in 

 the landing and shipping boats of the port. Their women take the 

 fish for sale into the markets and also do the curing. Only a 

 limited number of the fisherfolk own catamarans and nets, and 

 those who do not possess them are employed by the former as 

 labourers and are paid a share of the catches. These labourer 

 fishermen are under no contract and can serve under any person 

 they wish. The fishermen borrow money from Nattukotta Chettis 

 and other money-lenders on the security of their nets and catama- 

 rans at rates of interests varying from 15 to 20 per cent per annum. 

 Fish are sold on the beach to merchants who are dealers in fresh 

 fish, and those not sold to them are taken by the fishermen to the 

 nearest markets or are cured by them, mostly with duty paid salt in 

 their homes. Fresh fish is also sent daily by rail to Tiruvalur, 

 Kuttur, and other places. Only fish that is not readily sold as fresh 

 or those that are landed late in the evening, are taken to the fish- 

 curing yard for curing. Most of the ticket-holders are Pattanava 

 women and a few are Muhammadans (Sonagars) who buy fish from 

 the fishermen and are well-to-do. The fishermen carry on curing 

 operations without hired labour but theMuhammadan curers employ 

 coolies. There are no capitalists and the fish are sold for cash. 



