64 On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 



a cord to pull him up again when he grew tired. Thus equipped^ 

 he leaped overboard, and collected as many shells as he could while 

 he remained under water. We are told they sometimes remained 

 below fifteen to twenty minutes, but this seems a very gross exag- 

 geration, from two to seven minutes being the general period in 

 the present day ; they repeated this while they stayed as often as 

 they could. In the evening the boats returned with the sea breeze, 

 which then blows on land. On the beach the fishers dug pits four 

 or five feet square, and throwing in the oysters, raised heaps of sand 

 over them to the height of a man, so that at a distance they looked 

 like an army ranged in order of battle. When the animal was de- 

 cayed, these were opened, and the sand passed through sieves, to 

 collect the shells. These again were passed through nine sieves, to 

 assort the qualities, and the smallest sold as seed pearls. 



The manner of catching them in the West Indies differs very 

 little from this mode. The employment is considered very un- 

 healthy, and the divers are continually in danger from sharks. 

 Among the Colchi, during the first century of the Christian era, 

 so dangerous was this business considered, that condemned criminals 

 were entirely and solely employed in it.* 



Since the British have held possession of the island of Ceylon, the 

 pearl fishery has been a monopoly in the hands of government. It is 

 now a more important business, and carried on with greater skill and 

 tact. About twelve miles from Manaar, and in the gulf so called, lies 

 the bay of Condotchy, on which is a small town of the same name. 

 Off here the fishing banks lie, and extend several miles along the coast 

 from Manaar Sound to Arippo. The principal one is about twenty 

 miles out to sea. At this town, scarcely inhabited except during the 

 fishing time, all the boats collect in the beginning of the season; few 

 of them belong to the island, and most of them are brought annually 

 from the coast of Coromandel and Malabar. The fishing is confined 

 to one season, and begins generally about the second week in Feb- 

 ruary. The first thing that is then done is to sell by auction to the 

 highest bidder the right of fishing for the season, and he either 

 catches all himself, hiring the boats, or lets out the privilege to oth- 

 ers. The fishing seldom continues above thirty entire days, for 



tity of blood on the right side, the same as is found to be the case with those persons^ 

 employed in diving for pearls." — Dr. Riley, at the meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion at Bristol, 1836, reported in the Literary Gazette, September 3d, 

 * McPherson, 1. 173. 



