THE PEARL FISHERIES OF CEYLON 
191 
Photo by Andree 
PEARL BUYERS : THESE MEN OF MANY RACES AND CREEDS ARE WONDERFUEEY EXPERT 
IN RECOGNIZING AND APPRAISING PEARES 
income, and when the British acquired 
Ceylon the number was reduced to two, 
who at first were allowed to receive one 
oyster a day from each diver, but later 
were paid a regular salary by the British 
government and were forbidden to exact 
any tribute from the natives. Finally, 
after flourishing for at least 600 years, 
and possibly for 1,000 or more years, the 
shark-charmers were abolished just 25 
years ago (see page 183). 
THE PEARES OE CEYEON 
Pearls have always been regarded as 
especially appropriate for the ornamen- 
tation of royal personages, and the pearls 
of Ceylon, owing to the extraordinary 
numbers that have been produced and 
the active prosecution of the fishery for 
ages, have probably been more exten- 
sively worn by exalted individuals than 
have the gems of any other region. The 
pearls of Ceylon are probably found in 
the official or personal jewels of every 
female sovereign and in the crowns and 
regalia of most of the male rulers of 
today. 
The most lavish use of pearls is met 
with among the Indian rajahs, some of 
whom, when clad in their full dress, are 
literally covered with these gems. These 
pearly possessions often represent the 
greatest item of wealth of these nabobs, 
and are usually heirlooms, added to from 
time to time and rarely disposed of, so 
that vast accumulations have sometimes 
occurred. 
The pearls of the Ceylon waters are 
for the most part silvery white in color ; 
sometimes they are yellowish, creamy, or 
pinkish. For luster, or "orient," they 
are surpassed by the pearls of no other 
