106 ZOOLOGY OF INDIA. 



remained under water during the lapse of seven minutes. 

 According to the testimony of Mr. Le Beck, this feat was 

 also performed by a Catfre boy at Carical. The following 

 is the usual mode of diving for pearls : — By means of two 

 cords a diving-stone and a net are connected with the boat. 

 The diver, putting the toes of his right foot on the cair- 

 rope of the diving-stone, and those of his left on the net, 

 seizes the two cords with one hand, and shutting his nos- 

 trils with the other, plunges into the water. On gaining 

 the bottom he hangs the net around his neck, and throws 

 into it as many pearl-shells as he can collect while he is 

 able to remain beneath the surface, which is generally about 

 two minutes. He then resumes his former posture, and, 

 making a signal by pulling the cords, he is instantly hauled 

 up into the boat. On emerging from the sea, he discharges 

 a quantity of water from his mouth and nose. There are 

 generally ten divers to each boat, and while five are respir- 

 ing, the other five descend with the same stones. Each 

 brmgs up about one hundred oysters in his net at a tirne, 

 and If not interrupted by any accident, will make fifty trips 

 in the course of a forenoon.* The most frequent and 

 fetal of the catastrophes to which they are subjected arise 

 from sharks, by whom the divp.rs are sometimes bitten 



in two. 



The natives entertain opinions regarding the formation 

 of pearls similar to those of the ancients. They deem that 

 they are formed from dewdrops, in connexion with sun- 

 beams. It is recorded in one of the Sanscrit books that 

 pearls are formed in the month of May, at the approach of 

 the Sooatee star (one of their twenty-seven constellations), 

 at which time the rf)ystcrs come up to the surface of the 

 water to catch the drops of rain ! We find the same idea 

 expressed in the following quaint yet beautiful passage 

 from the 12th chapter of the Cosmographc and Description 

 of Albion, prefixed to Bellenden's translation of Hector 

 Boece's History and Chronicles of Scotland : — " Now we 

 will schaw the nature of mussillis and coclis, of quhilkis 

 many kindis ar amang us. Sum ar small, with the meit 

 thairof richt delicius to the mouth ; utheris ar mair, nocht 



* Account of the Pearl-fishery in the Gulf of Manaar, in March and 

 April, 1797. By H. J. Le Beck, Esq. 



