PEARL FISHERY AT CEYLON. 403 



Every one of the divers, and even the moft expert, 

 entertain a great dread of the marks, and will not, on 

 any account, defcend until the conjurer has performed 

 his ceremonies. This prejudice is fo deeply rooted in 

 in their minds, that the government was obliged to 

 keep two luch conjurers always in their pay, to re- 

 move the fears of their divers. Thirteen of thefe 

 men were now at the filhery from Ceylon and the coaft, 

 to profit by the fuperftitious folly of thefe deluded 

 people. They are called in Tamul, Filial Kadtar, 

 which lignities one who binds the fharks and prev. 

 them from doing mifchicf. 



The manner of enchanting coniifls in a number of 

 prayers learned by heart, that noboclv, probablv not 

 even the conjurer himfelf, underftand.- ; , which he, 

 ftanding on the fhore, continues muttering and grum- 

 bling from fun rife until the boats return ; -durino tins 

 period, they are obliged to abitain from food and fleep, 

 otherwife their prayers would have no avail, they are, 

 however, allowed to drink, which privilege they in- 

 dulge in a high degree, and are frequently fo giddy, 

 as to be rendered vefy unfit for devotion. Some of 

 the conjurers accompany the divers in their boats, 

 which pleafes them very much, as they have their 

 protectors near at hand. Neverthelefs, I was told, 

 that in one of the preceding fifheries, a diver loft his 

 leg by a fhark, and when the head conjurer was called 

 to an account for the accident, he replied that an old 

 witch had juft come from the coaft, who, from envy 

 and malice, had caufed this dilafter, by a counter- 

 conjuration, which made fruiti'efs his ikill, and cf 

 which lie was informed too late ; but he afterwards 

 fhewed his fuperiority by enchanting the poor iharks 

 fo effectually, that though they appeared in the mid it 

 of the divers, they were unable to open their mouths. 

 During my ftay at Condatchey, no accident of this 

 kind happened. If a fhark is ieen, the divers immedi- 

 ately make, a fignal, which, on perceiving, all the 

 boats return iniiantly. A diver who trod upon a 



hammer 



