PEARL FISHERY OF 1903. 57 



If the decision is in the affirmative preparations have to begin 

 at once. The fact that there is to be a fishery is made known 

 throughout India and the Eastern world, and even in Europe. 

 This is done partly by the prosaic system of newspaper advertise- 

 ment, partly by that far more wonderful passing of the word 

 from man to man which, as is now well known, can carry news 

 across a continent with amazing speed. On land which is at the 

 moment a desert an elaborate set of temporary Government 

 buildings have to be erected for receiving and dealing with 

 many millions of oysters and their valuable if minute contents. 

 Court-houses, prisons, barracks, revenue offices, markets, residences 

 for the officials, streets of houses and shops for perhaps some 

 thirty thousand inhabitants, and a water supply for drinking 

 and bathing for these same people have to be arranged for. 

 Lastly but, in view of the dreadful possibility of the outbreak of 

 plague and cholera, not least, there are elaborate hospitals to be 

 provided. 



After an interval of eleven years it was announced at the end of 

 1902 that there would be a fishery in the following spring. The 

 difficulty of making the above-mentioned preparations in dvie time 

 vas enormously increased by the fact that so long an interval had 

 elapsed since the last fishery, and that so few persons were conver- 

 sant with what had to be done. Mr. levers, the Government 

 Agent of the Northern Province, and his immediate assistants 

 Messrs. Horsburgh and Denham were, however, equal to the 

 occasion; and when the time appointed for the commencement of 

 the fishery came, a complete temporary town had sprung as well 

 and minutely ordered as are most permanent towns. 



A fleet of some 200 large fishing craft had gathered, and with 

 the help of an occasional steamer from Colombo had brought 

 together, chiefly from India but partly from Ceylon, a popu- 

 lation which during the course of the fishery varied from about 

 25,000 to perhaps 35,000 or 40,000 souls— -men, women, and 

 children. 



It was my great good luck to pay two visits of considerable 

 duration to the camp and, especially as I had had considerable 

 part in arranging for it, to see it thoroughly. Many men have 

 written and many others will write of this camp and of the Ceylon 

 pearl fishery generally, but I believe that I saw it from a point of 

 view peculiarly advantageous for seeing and understanding its 

 general effect ; and this is my sole excuse for acceding to the 

 request of my friend Dr. Willey that I should describe, as I saw 

 it, this great effort of recovery of spoil from the Ceylon deep in 

 Spoiia Zeiila n i<r( . 



