NACRE AND PEARLS. 219 
fishing for the pintadines in the Gulf of Manaar, a large bay on the 
north-east coast of the island of Ceylon, commences in February or 
in March, and continues thirty days. Upon this ground 250 boats 
are occupied, which come from different parts of the coast. At ten 
at night, at the sound of a signal gun, they put to sea; and as soon 
as the dawn furnishes them with sufficient light, they commence 
their day’s labour. Each boat is manned by ten rowers, and ten 
divers occupy the deck, which covers half the vessel. Five of the 
divers rest while the others are gathering the pintadines ; and each 
boat's crew is attended by a negro, who makes himself generally 
useful. The divers descend usually about forty feet, and the best 
of them can keep under the water one and a half minutes. To 
accelerate their descent they attach to their foot a stone of the shape 
of a sugar-loaf, which weighs about fifty pounds. Arriving at the 
fishing-ground, a diving-stage, which projects over the sides of the 
boat, is made by lashing the oars to each other. To the edge of 
this stage the diving-stones are hung. When a diver descends, he 
places his right foot in a stirrup, which is attached to the conical 
point of the stone, or he holds the cord which suspends the stone 
to the boat between his toes; with the other foot he carries a net in 
which the shells are to be placed; then seizing in his right hand a 
signal-cord, conveniently arranged for his purpose, and tightly 
closing his nostrils with his left hand, he plunges, holding himself 
vertically over the sinking stone. Lest his descent should be in 
the slightest degree impeded, the diver is naked, with the exception 
of a piece of calico round his loins. Upon reaching the bottom he 
withdraws his foot from the stirrup, and the stone is at once drawn 
to the top, ready for the use of another diver. He then throws 
himself upon his face on the ground, and stretching out his arms 
he gathers all the mollusks within his reach, and places them in 
his net. When he wishes to ascend he pulls the signal-cord 
sharply, and is rapidly drawn up. There is always one stone for 
two divers; one rests and refreshes himself, while the other is in the 
water. The time the divers ordinarily keep beneath the surface is 
thirty seconds; and in favourable circumstances they can make 
fifteen or twenty descents in succession. But sometimes they are 
unable to go down more than three or four times. Even then, 
when they come up, water coloured with blood comes from their 
