456 Captain Srrvarr on the Pearl Fisheries of the Island of Ceylon. 
the diving-stone, and the bight of the double cord being passed over a stick 
projecting from the side of the boat, he is enabled, by grasping all parts of 
the rope, to support himself and the stone, and raise or lower the latter for 
his own convenience, while he remains at the surface; he then puts his left 
foot on the hoop of the net, and presses it against the diving-stone, retaining 
the cord in his hand; the attendants taking care that the cords are clear for 
running out of the boat. 
The diver being thus prepared, he raises his body as much as he is able, 
drawing a full breath, and pressing his nostrils between his thumb and 
finger, he slips his hold of the bight of the diving-stone double cord, from 
over the projecting stick, and descends as rapidly as the stone will sink him. 
On reaching the bottom, he abandons the stone (which is hauled up by 
the attendants to be ready to take him down again) clings to the ground, 
and commences filling his net: to accomplish this, he will sometimes creep 
over a space of eight or ten fathoms, and remain under water a minute ; 
when he wishes to ascend, he checks the cord of the net, which is instantly 
felt by the attendants, who begin hauling up as fast as they are able; the 
diver remains with the net until it is so far clear of the bottom as to be in 
no danger of upsetting: he then pulls himself up by the cord, which his 
attendants are likewise pulling, and when by these means his body has 
acquired an impetus upwards, he forsakes the cord, places his hands to his 
thighs, rapidly ascends to the surface, swims to his diving-stone, and by the 
time the contents of his net have been emptied into the boat, is ready to go 
down again. A single diver will take up in a day from one thousand to four 
thousand oysters. 
They seldom remain above a minute under water: the more common time 
is from fifty-three to fifty-seven seconds ; but when requested to remain as 
long as possible, I have timed them from eighty-four to eighty-seven seconds : 
they are warned of the time to ascend by a singing noise in the ears, and 
finally by a sensation similar to hiccough. 
Many divers will not venture down until the shark-charmer is on the 
bank, and has secured the mouths of the sharks: while some are provided 
with a written charm from their priests, which they wrap up in oil-cloth 
perfectly secure from the water, and dive with it on their persons. Others, 
being Roman Catholics, appear satisfied with an assurance from their priest 
that they have his prayers for their protection ; but I am informed they are 
all happy to secure the interest of the shark-charmer. 
