i8 



sometimes cry " shark " as others have cried " wolf, 

 wolf" when there was no wolf. 



Until a few years ago whenever large sharks did 

 appc:ir the men were accustomed to have recourse to 

 wizardry for help against the intruder. The members of 

 a certain Parawa family called Kadalkatti (" Tiers of the 

 sea") accredited with power over sharks, were appealed 

 to and propitiated with gifts that they might exercise 

 their powers. Mantrams were said, and paid for, and 

 the divers were told that the danger was averted. If 

 the shark declined however to depart the usual excuse 

 of an adverse influence was alleo-ed and means were 

 taken to combat this. As a man-eating shark finds little 

 food on the fishing grounds it seldom stays long and the 

 wizard thereby becomes justified in the eyes of his 

 clients. Both wizard and divers were Parawas and 

 Roman Catholics but it goes without saying that the 

 parish priest was kept in ignorance of the proceedings. 



The Kadalkattis were also credited, as the name im- 

 plies with power over the winds and currents and, until 

 the male members of the family died out a few years ago, 

 they were employed to procure a change of weather if 

 head winds seriously interfered with fishing operations. 

 Unseasonable cloudiness of the sea, preventing the 

 divers from distinguishing objects on the bottom, was 

 also believed to be within the power of the Kadalkattis 

 to disperse. These wizards were in consequence people 

 of some importance and Mere salaried by the chank 

 fishery renters prior to the time of direct Government 

 management in 1876. To-day the family is extinct in 

 the male line and the profession of shark-charming has 

 become lost. Not so the control of the winds. Various 

 men in Tuticorin both Roman Catholics, Hindus and 

 Muhammadans still claim this power and several instan- 

 ces have come under my personal observation. I'he 

 most noteworthy is one concerning the crews of several 

 caroes who had been employed in collecting coral stone 

 for tire bridge works at Pamban. HavinsJ been sum- 

 marily dismissed for misconduct, they were anxious to 

 return home as quickly as possible. But the wind was 

 dead ahead and after lying wind bound for many da\ s 

 they sent word of their predicament to Tuticorin. The 

 best wind -wizards were sought out and hve left for 



