40 



The dead or sub-fossil chank industry is carried on In 

 the Jaffna Lagoon, a vast sheet of very shallow landlocked 

 water some 24 miles long by 6 miles wide. The chief 

 collecting grounds are between Tannankelappu and 

 Kilali along the north shore and around Punaryn on the 

 south side. The shells are found both buried in the mud 

 of the lagoon, and in pits dug along the shore at 

 Tannankelappu. Latterly some deposits have also 

 been found and worked in the shallow strait between the 

 islands of V^elanai and Punkudutivu. 



These dead chanks are collected by the people of the 

 villages scattered along the lagoon. They wade out into 

 the shallows, sometimes even up to their shoulders, and 

 with the assistance of a long iron rod probe about in the 

 mud till the point strikes against a chank, when they 

 use the second instrument they carry, a hook fastened to 

 the end of a pole, to hook the shell and haul it to the 

 surface. These men become wonderfully expert in the 

 use of the probe and hook ; to hook the shell properly 

 and get it out require no mean dexterity. 



Stores are situated along the shores of the lagoon 

 wher'e the shells are collected by the merchants who buy 

 up the catches from the villagers. 



The catch of dead shells is estimated at from twelve 

 to fourteen lakhs per annum, while that of live shells is 

 a'ljout ten or eleven lakhs, varying according to the 

 amount of labour available. 



