79 



the interment and when they place the body in the 

 oTound, they take off all the bracelets which are on their 

 arms and legs and bury them with the defunct." 



Coming to our own days we find that according to 

 the Bengal Customs returns the following are the 

 declared values of chank shells imported into Calcutta 

 during the past five years : — 



Table showing the value of Imports of Chank Shells into 

 Calcutta from 1905 to 1910. 



Except in respect of the Ceylon imports the weight 

 of the shells unfortunately is not available. 



For Cevlon they are as follows : — 



1905-06 — 10,941 cwt. 

 1906-07 — 15,125 ,, 

 1907-08— 7,259 ,, 

 1908-09—15,962 ,, 

 1909-10 — 12,480 ,, 



Apjaroximately. 

 Bags. 

 = 6,000 

 =: 8,000 

 = 4,000 

 = 8,500 

 = 6,500 



Approximate annual average — 6,600 bags of 



250 shells each. 



For our purpose it is of importance to know the 

 number of shells from each producing district ; after 

 careful consideration of the comparative statistics given 

 above taken in conjunction with information gleaned 

 when in Ceylon and from men in the trade in Calcutta, 

 and with the exact knowledo-e we have of the Madras 

 production, I am able to state with comparative certainty 

 that the imports into Bengal for all practical purposes 



