9i 



only 4 to 5 inches high, his toes are pressed. The space 

 between the two stakes measures no more than 18 

 inches, hence the workman although he sits with his 

 knees widely separate is very tightly jammed between 

 the rests. This is found essential as it is necessary that 

 his limbs should be rigid during his work, as his feet 

 have to function as a vice during^ the sawingf of the 

 sections, the shell to be cut being placed between the 

 right heel and the toes of the left foot. 



After the columella and lip of the shell are removed, 

 a disc of hard wood is placed over the mouth aperture of 

 the shell to provide a firm purchase for the foot pressed 

 against this side of the shell. The worker is now ready 

 to begin sawing the shell into sections. For this 

 purpose he is provided with a heavy hand-saw of great 

 apparent clumsiness. The iron blade, as seen in fig. 2, 

 pi. VI, is of a deep crescentic form ending in an 

 attenuate horn at each end. A little way from each of 

 these tapered extremities the end of a long iron tang is 

 rivetted to the back of the saw ; the further ends of the 

 two tangs are connected by a thin cane cross bar or handle 

 lashed by twine to the tangs which are covered with- 

 a serving of the same twine. It is noteworthy that the 

 tangs are not straight but have a hook-like bend near the 

 attachment to the blade. The latter is a stout forged iron 

 plate, 2 mm. thick except for a distance of one inch from 

 the cutting edge where it is worked down to a thickness 

 of o"6 mm. Between the tangs the back of the saw is 

 protected by a piping of iron. A saw of this description 

 costs Rs. 12, each workman providing his own. After 

 sharpening, a new saw is adorned on each side of the 

 blade with a number of red spots as auspicious marks. 



In beginning work, the shell is placed somewhat 

 obliquely between the feet, the apex directed to the right 

 and away from the worker, who places his left hand on 

 one twine-covered tang of the saw and the other on the 

 horn of the blade at the opposite extremity. Balancing 

 the saw carefully in his hands, and at right angles to his 

 body, he applies the edge to the shell and begins a 

 vigorous to and fro movement of the saw from side to 

 side, the course of the hands being through a short arc 

 of a circle at each swing. Several times he pauses 

 momentarily to adjust the shell anew as the work 



