PEARL SHELLS. 243 
“A signal gun is fired at Arippo about ten 
o'clock at night, when the whole fleet sets sail 
with the land-breeze. They reach the banks before 
daybreak, and at sunrise commence fishing. In 
this they continue busily occupied till the sea- 
breeze, which arises about noon, warns them to 
return to the bay. As soon as they appear within 
sight, another gun is fired, and the colours hoisted, 
to inform the anxious owners of their return. 
When the boats come to land, their cargoes are 
immediately taken out, as it 1s necessary to have 
them completely unloaded before night. What- 
ever may have been the success of their boats, the 
owners seldom wear the looks of disappointment ; 
for although they may have been unsuccessful one 
day, they look with assurance of better fortune to 
the next; as the Brahmins and conjurors, whom 
they implicitly trust, in defiance of all experience, 
understand too well the liberality of a man in 
hopes of good fortune, not to promise them all 
they can desire. 
‘‘ Hach of the boats carries twenty men, with a 
tindal, or chief boatman, who acts as pilot. Ten 
of the men row and assist the divers in re-ascend- 
ing. The other ten are divers; they go down 
into the sea by five at a time; when the first five 
come up, the other five go down, and by this 
method of alternately diving, they give each other 
time to recruit themselves for a fresh plunge. 
“ In order to accelerate the descent of the divers, 
large stones are employed: five of these are brought 
in each boat for the purpose; they are of a reddish 
granite, common in this country, and of a pyra- 
midal shape, round at the top and bottom, with a 
hole perforated through the smaller end sufficient 
