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sometimes cry ‘“‘shark” as others have cried “ wolf, 
wolf” when there was no wolf. 
Until a few years ago whenever large sharks did 
appear the men were ‘accustomed to have recourse to 
wizardry for help against the intruder. The members of 
acertain Parawa family called Kadalkatti (‘‘ Tiers of the 
sea’) accredited with power over sharks, were appealed 
to and propitiated with gifts that they might exercise 
their powers. Mantrams were said, and paid for, and 
the divers were told that the danger was averted. If 
the shark declined however to depart the usual excuse 
of an adverse influence was alleged and means were 
taken to combat this. Asa man-eating shark finds little 
food on the fishing grounds it seldom stays long and the 
wizard thereby becomes justified in the eyes of his 
clients. Both wizard and divers were Parawas and 
Roman Catholics but it goes without saying that the 
parish priest was keptin ignorance of the proceedings. 
The Kadalkattis were also credited, as the name im- 
plies with power over the winds and currents and, until 
the male members of the family died out a few years ago, 
they were employed to procure a change of weather if 
head winds seriously interfered with fishing operations. 
Unseasonable cloudiness of the sea, preventing the 
divers from distinguishing objects on the bottom, was 
also believed to be within the power of the Kadalkattis 
to disperse. These wizards were in consequence people 
of some importance and were salaried by the chank 
hshery renters prior to the time of direct Gevernment 
apicenmen in 1876. To-day the family is extinct in 
the male line and the profession of shark-charming has 
become lost. Not so the control of the winds. Various 
men in [Tuticorin both Roman Catholics, Hindus and 
Muhammadans still claim this power and several instan- 
ces have come under my personal observation. The 
most noteworthy is one concerning the crews of several 
caroes who had been employed in collecting coral stone 
for the bridge works at Pamban. Having been sum- 
marily dismissed for misconduct, they were anxious to 
return home as quickly as possible. But the wind was 
dead ahead and after lying wind Lound for many days 
they sent word of their predicament to Tuticorin. The 
best wind-wizerds were sought out and five left for 
