394 AN ACCOu.NT OF T K L 



The fiiher v cannot well be continued after the 

 fetting in of the fouthern monfoon, which ufually 

 happens about the 15th of April* as, after that time, 

 the boats would not be able to reach the pearl banks, 

 and the Water being then io troubled by heavy feas, 

 diving would be impracticable ; in addition to which, 

 .--weed, a fpecies of fucns, driven in by the 

 wind, and which lpreads to a confiderable 

 diitance from the fhore, would be an impediment. 



Many of the divers, being Roman Catholics, leave 

 the tiihery on Sutu/ays to attend divine fervice in their 

 church at Aripoo ; but if either a Mahomedart or Hin- 

 doo feftival happens during the riming days, or if it 

 is interrupted by iio: eather, or any other acci- 



dent, this loll time is made up by obliging the Catho- 

 lics to work on . jys. 



The fear of marks, as we fhall fee hereafter, is a 

 another caufe of interruption. Theie, amongft fome 

 others, are the reafons that, out of two months, (from 

 February till April.) feldom more than thirty daj s caa 

 be employed in the fifhery. 



As this time would be infufficient to fifh all the ba 

 (each of which has its appropriate name, both in 

 Dutch and Tarn it' is carried on tor three or tour 



fucceflive years, and a new c I annual] 



till the whole banks have been fifhed, after which ti 

 arc left to recover. 



The length of time required for this purpofe, or 

 from one general fifhing to another, has not vet i 

 exactly 6 iried ; it was. ther . a practice to 



depute fome perfons to vilit the banks annually, 

 to give their opinion, whether a iifhery might be un- 

 dertaken with any degree of fuccefs * ? 



* A gentleman, who aflifted at one of the lait vifits, being an 

 . irt or " 



fize are no;w 



From 



