PEARL FISH 149 



not only attracts a multitude of Cingalese, or natives of the island, to the 

 coasts, but crowds of spectators from all parts of the vast Indian peninsular, 

 whose variety of language, manners, and dress is described as being 

 very striking and pleasing. The temporary abodes erected for them 

 are also curious and picturesque. 



These huts are merely composed of a few poles stuck in the ground, 

 interwoven with light bamboos, and covered with leaves of the cocoa-nut 

 tree. The signal for commencing the fishery is given at day break by 

 the discharge of a cannon, on which a countless fleet of boats that have 

 started from the shore at midnight, and favoured by a land breeze, have 

 reached the banks before dawn, cast anchor in the respective parts of the 

 banks for which their owners have contracted, and proceed to work. 

 Government vessels are on the spot, to prevent any boat fishing beyond 

 its proper limits. The boats of the pearl fishers generally carry a 

 captain, a pilot, and twenty men, ten of which are experienced divers; 

 the ten divers are divided into two companies of five each, and these 

 companies plunge and relieve each other by turns. 



In order that they may descend through the water with greater rapidity 

 to the base of the bank round which the oysters are clustered, the divers 

 place their feet on a stone attached to the end of a rope, the other end of 

 which is made fast to the boat. They carry with them another rope, the 

 extremity of which is held by two men in the boat, whilst to the lower 

 part which descends with the diver there is fastened a net or basket. 

 Besides these, every diver is furnished with a strong knife to detach the 

 oysters, or serve him as a defensive weapon in case he should be attacked 

 by a shark. 



As soon as they touch ground, they gather the oysters with all possible 

 speed, and having filled their net or basket, they quit their hold of the 

 rope with the stone, pull that which is held by the sailors in the boat, 

 and rapidly ascend to the surface of the water. 



There are marvellous stories told of the length of time these divers can 

 remain under water ; but one who has had much experience, from a 

 long residence at Ceylon, says that he never knew of a diver being longer 

 than fifty seconds in his submersion. Although sharks are numerous in 

 the seas round Ceylon, accidents rarely happen. This may be attributed to 

 the noise and stir occasioned by the gathering of so many boats on one spot, 

 and the continued plunging of the divers, which must frighten and disperse 

 the voracious animals ; but the superstitious natives attribute their safety 

 to certain charms which they buy of old women, who pretend they can 

 bewitch the sharks, and prevent them from attacking their customers. 



