GOVERNMENT OF ARABIA. 



presents a busy scene. The divers are Arabs and 

 negro slaves, who are generally trained to the prac- 

 tice 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 sur- 

 face they merely take time to recover breath, and 

 then dive again immediately. The largest and 

 finest pearls are brought up from the deepest wa- 

 ter ; and all of them are said to be as hard when 

 taken out of the fish as they are ever afterwards. 

 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 " pomegranates 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, 

 during the season, is chiefly fish, dates, and a small 

 allowance of bread, rice, and oil. Their earnings are 



