aT 
abundance and so replenish the sea-bottom with new 
generations. 
~The chank fishery although thus beset with its own 
minor troubles and particular difficulties has been a 
constant revenue yielder. During the 112 years since 
1801 the total ze¢ revenue, after all expenses have been 
paid, has amounted to Rs. 15,41,731, aS against a net 
revenue of Rs. 15,64,071 from the pearl fishery. 
During these 112 years, chank fisher:es were held 
yearly except on four occasions, 1839-40, 1851-52, 1871-72 
and 1884-85, giving 108 fisheries for this period of 112 
years. Asacontrast only 13 pearl fisheries have been 
held during the same space of time and as considerable 
expenditure is entailed annually upon inspection of the 
pearl banks whether a pearl fishery takes place or not, the 
absolute profit obtained from the chank fishery consi- 
derably exceeds that obtained from the pearl fishery. 
Thus while both fisheries yield substantial profits to the 
country, the more showy pearl fishery, invested with the 
false glamour of a gambler’s royal road to wealth, has over- 
shadowed the steady dividend payer which lures no man 
to ruin with false hopes but pays its way year by year 
wth stolid and assured regularity. Well might Van 
Imhoff remark when Governor of Ceylon that the pearl 
fishery is more of glitter than of gold ! 
As carried on at the present day, the Tinnevelly 
chank fishery employs an average of 70 divers, so, allow- 
ing an average of 4 dependents each, some 350 persons 
look to this calling for their subsistence, to say nothing 
of the considerable number who derive substantial indirect 
profit —notably the arrack renters and the toddy-tavern 
keepers. 
The season opens about the middle or end of October, 
when the divers come forward with more orless_ feigned 
reluctance to register their names for the ensuing season. 
A present of Re. 1 is given each man in order to buy and 
prepare his diving rope and other gear while betel leaf 
and pen (pan supartr) are distributed. An advance 
of Rs. 2 per man is also usually given, to be recovered 
when catches become large. 
The men provide their own canoes and diving stones, 
usually hiring the former at Rs. 7 to Rs. 9 per mensem. 
The usual crew of an ordinary sized diving canoe consists 
