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end of the island. For most of the way the bottom consisted of 

 coral-clothed ground as before, but when we came to 10 and 

 10|- fathoms extensive patches of white coral sand were en- 

 countered interspersed with patches of live corals. The scarcity 

 of algae other than nullipore was most marked, otherwise the 

 bank appeared excellent as a line-fishing ground as indeed the 

 islanders had already told us. Very probably pearl oysters 

 may also be found, and indeed we did catch some vague hints 

 in the island that such had been found ; nothing definite was 

 elicited however, and this question must await the employment 

 of trained divers before it can be determined. Our time limit 

 for the cruise had now all but expired, so at 4-15 p.m. on 

 1st December we reluctantly bade adieu to these islands of 

 peace and content and set out on our return to Calicut where we 

 arrived the next afternoon. 



] 30. The conclusions at which I have arrived in regard to 

 the present condition of the fishing industry in the Laccadive 

 Archipelago and the possibilities of development may be 

 summed up briefly as follows : — 



(a) Although there is ample evidence that valuable food 

 fishes abound in the Laccadive sea, the extent to which the 

 industries of sea-fishing and fish-curing are carried is extremely 

 limited ; no serious attempt has yet been made by the people 

 of any of the islands we visited to exploit adequately any section 

 of the resources of their waters or their reefs. To a great 

 extent this is a consequence of the extreme isolation in which 

 these people live ; they have few opportunities to profit by 

 the larger experience of the outside world and as a consequence 

 they are ignorant of many of the principal methods of sea- 

 fishing practised elsawhere. Long lining and drift netting are 

 wholly unknown to them, neither are they aware of the special 

 fishing devices employed on the neighbouring Indian coasts to 

 catch such species as the seer and the flying-fish. Thrown on 

 their own resources they have developed several fishing devices 

 which necessitate great individual skill but seldom give returns 

 adequate to the exertions put forth. Judging from the skill 

 displayed in this and in their boat building and by the excellent 

 sailors they make, the islanders should prove apt pupils were 

 new fishing and curing methods to be introduced to their notice 

 and the value of the innovations demonstrated. With fishing 

 carried on by more effective means the material benefit that 

 would result and the new interests aroused, would make greatly 

 for the prosperity of the inhabitants, w T ho under present condi- 

 tions depend for their living almost entirely upon their coconut 

 crop and suffer considerable hardships whenever that harvest is 



