38 
spot he first touched the shores of Cey- 
lon. Trincomalée, from the secure re- 
treat which its harbour affords, is of 
more consequence to the English go- 
vernment than the whole of the, rest of 
the island; its imtrinsic value is, more- 
over, increased by its proximity and easy 
access to our settlements in the Bay of. 
Bengal: a vessel from Madras may ar- 
rive here in two days, and can at any 
time make the harbour. ‘The town it- 
self is strong, and occupies more ground 
than Columbo; to which it is in every 
other respect very much inferior. 
Jaffnapatam, the northern district of 
the island, is the most fertile and salu- 
brious: the violence of those hot suf- 
focating land-winds which rage so fierce- 
ly on the continent is broken by the in- 
tervening sea, the fields are clothed with 
verdure, and itis here only that sheep 
are reared with success. The greater 
number of the inhabitants of Jaffna are 
of Moorish extractior, and are divided 
into several tribes known by the names 
of Lubbahs, Mopleys, Chittys, and Cho- 
liars: they are distinguished by wearing 
a little reund cap on their close-shaven 
heads. They carry on a variety of ma- 
nufactures of coarse cloths, calicoes, 
shawls, &c.: here are also a number of 
goldsmiths, joiners, jewellers, &c. Hav- 
ing conducted us round the northern ex- 
tremity of the island, Mr. Percival stops 
at the Bay of Condatchy, whilst he 
gives us a very curious and interesting 
account of the pearl fishery which 1s 
carried on here. The spectacle exhi- 
bited at this season, must be inconcetv- 
ably striking to an European: ‘several 
thousands of people of different colours, 
countries, casts, and occtpations, conti- 
nually passing and repassing in a busy 
crowd: the vast numbers of small tents 
and huts erected on the shore, with the 
bazar or market-place before each; the 
multitude of boats returning in the after- 
noon from the pearl banks; the anxious 
expecting .countenances of the boat- 
owners, while the boats are approaching 
the shore. and the eagerness and avidity 
with which they run to them when ar- 
rived in hopes of a rich cargo ;’’ the 
numbers of jewellers, brokers, and mer- 
chants, all busily occupied in some way 
or other with the pearls; tend to impress 
the mind, as Mr. Percival observes, 
with the value and importance of that 
object which can ef itself create this 
scene, 
VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 
«« The first step, previous’ to’ the ‘coms — 
mencement of the fishery, is to have the 
different oyster banks surveyed, the state of 
the oysters ascertained, and a report made 
on the subject to government. If it has 
been found that the quantity is sufficient, 
and that they are arrived at a tie degree 
of maturity, the particular banks to be 
fished that year are put up for sale to 
the highest bidder, and are usually purchased 
by a black merchant. This, however, is not 
always the “course pursued: government 
sometimes judges it more advant:geous to 
fish the banks on its «wn accaunt, and to dis- 
pose of the pearls afterwards to the mer- 
chants. When this plan is adopted, boats 
are hired for the season on account of go- 
vernment, from different quarters ; the price 
varies considerably, according to circum 
stances; but is usually from five to eight 
hundred pagodas-for each boat, There are 
however no stated prices, and the best bar- 
gain possible is made for each boat separately. 
The Dutch generally followed this last sys- 
tem; the banks were fished on government 
account, and the pearls disposed of in dif- 
ferent parts of India, or sent to Europe. 
When this plan was pursued, the governor 
and council of Ceylon claimed a certain per 
ceniage on the valueof the pearls; or, jf the 
fishing of the banks was disposed of by pub- 
lic sale, they bargained for a stipulated sum 
to themselves over and above what was paid 
on account of government. ‘he pretence 
on which they founded their claims for this 
perquisite, was their trouble in surveying 
and valuing the banks. 
‘© As neither the season, nor the conve- 
nience of the persons attending, would per- 
mit the whole of the banks-to be fished in 
one year, they are divided into three or foug 
diferent portions, which are fisbed one por- 
tion annually in succession. The different 
portions are completely distinct, and are set 
up separately to sale, each in the year in 
which it is to be fished. By this means a 
sufficient interval is given to the oysters, to 
attain their proper growth ; and as the por- 
tion first used has generally recovered its 
maturity by the time the last portion has 
been fished, the fishery becomes almost re- 
eularly annual, and may thus be eonsidered 
as yielding a yearly revenue. ‘The oysters are 
supposed to attain their completest ate of 
maturity in seven years; for, if left too Jong, 
I am told that the pearl gets so large and so 
disagreeable to the fish, that it vomits and 
throws it out of the shell.” 
The fishing season begins in Febru- 
ary, and ends about the beginning of 
April. 
«During the season, all the boats regu- 
larly sail and return together. A signal gun 
is fired at Arippo, about ten o'clock at night, 
when the whole feet sets sail with the land 
breeze. They reach the banks before day- 
