45 



plying between Kilakarai and l J amban even when the south- 

 west monsoon is at its worst. Pilots conversant with the 

 intricacies of this inner channel, as it is called, are officially 

 recognised but seldom employed as few vessels save local craft 

 pass this way at the present clay. 



As a direct consequence of the excellent shelter afforded 

 at frequent intervals along this coast, several types of small 

 sea-going craft, as distinct from larger tiading craft such as 

 brigs, schooners, and barques, have arisen at various centres, 

 Muttupet, Pamban, Kilakarai and Tuticorin, each distinguished 

 by special features designed to meet special local conditions or 

 particular requirements. These in several instances require 

 comparatively little modification to fit them to become excellent 

 fishing boats for deep-sea work ; as it is they all are capable of 

 crossing to Ceylon and of taking part there in the pearl fisheries 

 of which the scene of operations may lie as far as twenty miles 

 distant from the fishing camp and often involves stormy experi- 

 ences. The boats and men from Pamban, Kilakarai and Tuticorin 

 form the backbone of the Ceylon fishery, while a few quaint 

 Muttupet craft are never awanting. Except the Kilakarai 

 contingent, these boats are seldom or never used for sea fishing, 

 but their existence is a factor of the greatest importance when 

 we contemplate the introduction of fishing craft designed to 

 fish, if need be, far from land and capable of keeping the sea 

 for days together. As it is, the rig and build of some of these 

 boats approximates wonderfully closely to what is charac- 

 teristic of modern Scotch herring drifters. Both use forms of 

 that most useful of sails, the lug — in one the lateen, in the 

 other the clipping lug — and were the Pamban boat to have more 

 beam and the Tuticorin lighter to have less heavy lines, these 

 boats if decked would pass muster as very serviceable fishing 

 boats in the waters of Northern Europe. 



20. A few details of the principal havens under notice 

 may be useful for further reference. 



MuUupel and Adirampatam are situated 20 and 30 miles 

 respectively westward of Point Calimere. Both are subject to 

 the same disabilities so that particulars of Muttupet will suffice 

 for both. This town lies some seven miles up the winding 

 river Korayar and is a large settlement of the Lubbais, who 

 here trade largely with Ceylon. The carrying craft are princi- 

 pally native schooners snd brigs of considerable tonnage, which 

 on account of the extreme shallowness of the sea, generally 

 anchor several miles from shore. The boats by which cargo 

 is conveyed to these vessels have long journeys to make and 

 have to combine the handiness of river boats with sufficient 



