No. 4 (191 7) INDIAN BECHE-DR-MER 131 



of providing additional remunerative employment to the chank 

 divers of the Ramnad district. 



Accordingly I outlined proposals for the establishment of an 

 experimental factory to be located at Tirupalakudi, the chief settle- 

 ment of chank divers on the Palk Bay coast of the Ramnad 

 district. Government sanctioned the scheme in G.O. No. 2739, 

 Revenue, dated 9th December 191 5, and as soon after as circum- 

 stances allowed, I constructed a store and a boiling shed to 

 accomodate three cauldrons. I also designed a special smoke- 

 kiln to hold eight trays made of expanded metal, at appropriate 

 intervals one above the other. On August 6, I916, actual opera- 

 tions began, after settling the rates to be paid with the divers of 

 the place. The latter were very pleased with the step thus taken, 

 for it gave them an additional string to their bow ; on certain parts 

 of the ground where they fish chanks, beche-de-mer are also found 

 and although the price provisionally fixed was low in view of the 

 uncertainty prevailing as to the eventual sale proceeds of the 

 cured material, it was sufficiently remunerative to mean an appre- 

 ciable and welcome addition to their earnings. Then on certain 

 days when diving was not possible in the deep-water beds, the men 

 were able to make a living wage by fishing specifically for the 

 smaller sizes found in great abundance in certain shallow water 

 areas. Usually a few chanks were also found in these inshore 

 beds and these were an additional source of profit both to the men 

 and to Government. They would have remained unfished had 

 no beche-de-mer fishery been started. 



The methods previously in vogue, stripped of their more obvious 

 defects, were employed during the first season's work. Great care 

 was exercised in denuding the animals of their chalky coat, and 

 scrupulous cleanliness was enforced, particularly in the drying 

 process. Further, in place of permitting the boiled material to be 

 dried on mats, laid on sandy and often dirty ground, drying plat- 

 forms raised 2^^ feet above the ground level were erected, and 

 on these were spread expanded-iron trays whereon the material 

 was laid to dry. By this simple device, the drying period was 

 considerably shortened and the animals were kept clean and free 

 from the adherence of sand and dirt. The product in consequence 

 was improved greatly in appearance, being obviously brighter 

 and cleaner than material prepared after the more primitive 

 method. 



