PEARLS. 283 



value of each ; others^ again, hawking them about ; while a 

 considerable number occupy themselves in drilling and pre- 

 paring the pearls for future use. 



Occasionally a few fantastic figures are seen to mingle 

 with the motley groups. These are conjurers, known in the 

 Malabar language by the appellation of Pillal Karras, or 

 binders of sharks. They are held in great veneration by the 

 credulous natives, who firmly believe in their miraculous 

 pretensions. Each boat is accordingly accompanied by one 

 or two of these impostors, who frequently carry off the rarest 

 specimens ; whilst others take their stations on the shore, 

 where they spend the day in muttering prayers, distorting 

 their bodies, and performing unmeaning ceremonies. 



Meanwhile the bay is thronged with vessels of various 

 descriptions. The boats employed in the fishery assemble 

 at the same period, and wait the signal for setting sail. 

 This signal is the firing of a gun at Arippo, which is an- 

 swered by a loud huzza ; each boatman then plies his oar, 

 the vessels sail out together, and reach the pearl bank, 

 twenty miles distant, before day-break. Here they con- 

 tinue busily occupied, till warned to retire by the sea-breeze, 

 which rises about noon. Again a signal gun is fired, and 

 the respective owners hail the arrival of their boats. 



