54^ Ainunt of the Pearl Fificry in fhe Gulph of Manaf. 



Ciiger of the fame hand into the water of the cocoa nut fliell, with a dexterity that can 

 onlybe attained by conftant praflice. 



Anioiigfl: the crowd are found vagabonds of every defcriptioii, fuch as Pandarams, Andce, 

 or Hindu monks, fakirs, beggars, and the like, who are impertinently troublefome. Two 

 of thefe wretches particularly attrailed the attention of the mob, though their fupcrftitious 

 penance muft have difgufted a man of the leafl: reflexion-: one had a gridiron, of one and 

 a half foot long, and the fame in breadth, faftened round his neck, with which he always 

 walked about, nor did he take it off either when eating or fleeping; the other had faftened 

 round that member, which decency forbids me to mention, a brafs ring, and fixed to it 

 was a chain, of a fathom in length, trailing on the ground ; the links of this chain were 

 as thick as a man's finger, and the whole was exhibited in a moft fcandalous manner. 



The peftilential fmell occafioned by the numbers of putrifying pearl fifhes, renders the 

 atmofphere of Condatchey fo infufferably offenfive when the fouth-weft wind blows, that it 

 fenfibly affe£ts the olfactory nerves of any one unaccuftomed to fuch cadaverous fmells. 

 This putrefa£l:ion generates immenfe numbers of worms, flies, mufkitoes, and other ver- 

 min ; all together forming a fcene ftrongly difplcafing to the fenfes. 



Thofe who are not provided with a fuflicient (lock of money fuffer great hardfhips, as 

 not only all kinds of provifions are very dear, but even every drop of good water muft be 

 paid for. Thofe who drink the brackifti water of this place are often attacked by ficknefs. 

 It may eafily be conceived what an effe£l: the extreme heat of the day, the cold of the night, 

 the heavy dews, and the putrid fmell, muft have on weak conftitutions. It is, therefore, 

 no wonder that of thofe who fall fick many die, and many more return home with fevers, 

 fluxes, or other equally fatal diforders. 



The many difappointments, ufually experienced by the lower clafl"es of men in particular, 

 make them often repent of their coming here. They are often ruined, as they rilk all they 

 are worth to purchafe pearl fhells ; however, there are many inftances of their making a 

 ■ fortune beyond all expectation. A particular circumftance of this kind fell within my own 

 obfervation : a day labourer bought three oyfters * for a copper fanam (about the value of 

 two-pence) and was fo fortunate as to find one of the largeft pearls which the fifliery pro- 

 duced this feafon. 



The denies appointed for the fifliery are not all procured at Ceylon; many came from the 

 coafts of Coromandel and Malabar, each of which has its diftinguifhing number. About 

 ten o'clock at night a gun is fired as a fignal, when they fail from Condatchey with an eaft- 

 erly or land wind, under the diredlion of a pilot. If the wind continues fair, they reach 

 the bank before day, and begin diving at fun rife, which they continue till the weft or fea 

 breeze fets in, with which they return. The moment they appear in fight, the colours are 



• The Eafi India pearl (hell, is well known to be the matrix perJarum (mother of pearl) of Rumphius, 

 or fhe Myti/us margaritiferus of Linnaeus ; confequently the general term pearl oyfter mult be erroneous; 

 however, as it has long been in common ufe, I hope to be excufed for continuing it, 



hoifted 



