150 CIVIL HISTORY AND 



Khyma, and the finest of the pearls are found among 

 the group of Maude's islands, near Haloola, so called 

 probably from loolo, the Arabic name for a pearl. 



About two thousand boats are annually employed 

 in this trade, of which the islands of Bahrein fur- 

 nish one-half, and the small ports on the coast the 

 remainder. In the summer months the bank pre- 

 sents a busy scene. The divers are Arabs and negro 

 slaves, who are generally trained to the practice 

 from their youth. They go down in all depths, 

 from five to fifteen fathoms, remaining from two to 

 five minutes, and bringing up from eight to twelve 

 oysters in both hands. On reaching the surface 

 they merely take time to recover breath, and then 

 dive again immediately. The largest and finest 

 pearls are brought up from the deepest water ; and 

 all of them are said to be as hard when taken out 

 of the fish as they are ever afterward. At first 

 they are of a purer white than after they have been 

 exposed to the air; and in this respect they are 

 calculated to lose annually one per cent, in value. 

 Of the two kinds, the yellow are chiefly sent to 

 India, where this tinge is preferred ; the pure white 

 are most esteemed in Europe, and even find a better 

 market in all the great Turkish and Persian towns. 

 The pearl of Bahrein is considered very superior to 

 that of Ceylon, both in quality and colour. Before 

 sending them off from the island, they are carefully 

 assorted as to size, shape, and tint ; then, being 

 drilled through, are strung on threads, and made up 

 into round bundles of about three inches diameter, 

 sealed and directed, and sent in that form to their 

 various destinations. They are then called by the 

 metaphorical name of Roomaan el Bahr, or " pome- 

 granates of the sea," to which these bundles bear a 

 pretty exact resemblance. 



All the gains of the fishery are divided in the most 

 equitable way, by shares in proportion to the capital 

 embarked in the boats. The food of the divers 



