IV.-NOTE ON THE CEYLON PEAEL 

 FISHERY, 1889. 



On the completion of ray investigation of the Tuticorin 

 pearl fishery, in accordance with instructions received from 

 Government, I proceeded to Ceylon to report on the pearl 

 fishery which was being carried out at Dutch Bay. 



It was originally intended that I should travel up the 

 coast by S.S. Active ; but, as she was laden with stores for the 

 pearl camp, there was no available space, and I had, unfor- 

 tunately, to wait for a passage on the small coasting steamer 

 Prince Alfred, which left Colombo two days later. As we 

 neared Dutch Bay in the early morning, the well known 

 odour of decomposing oysters was perceptible some distance 

 out at sea, and we watched nine boats at work on the pearl 

 bank. A single haul of the dredge in the shallow water of 

 the bay brought up a number of small mollusca, worms, and 

 a gephyrean, which I had not seen before. Arrived at the 

 camp I found Mr. Twynham, C.M.G., Captain Donnan, 

 (whose name is connected with a Gulf of Manaar sponge 

 Axinella dcnnani), and other administrative officers living on 

 board S.S. Serendih which was moored close to the shore, 

 communication with which was maintained by means of a 

 gangway. Several deaths from cholera occurred on board 

 during the return journey of the Serendih to Colombo, and, 

 among others Captain Eobson, who had acted as Kottu 

 Superintendent throughout the fishery, fell a victim to the 

 dread disease. 



The nine boats which had been at work on the bank were 

 towed into the bay by the Active, reaching the shore opposite 

 the kottus before 4 p m. I gathered that the steamer had 

 been of very great service during the fishery ; for, with her 

 assistance, not only were the boats enabled to get to and 

 from the bank in spite of contrary winds, but the work of the 

 divers, which is very severe, was considerably lightened by 

 the simple fact that the steamer could bring them back at an 

 early hour on days when, without her assistance, they would 

 have been out at sea until late in the evening and not ready 

 to start off for the bank on the following morning. 



