198 Pearls, 



as they might venture on a Derby sweepstake. 

 But no regular organized washing of Pearl oysters 

 had ever been attempted by any European, The 

 whole business had for generations been monopolized' 

 by the native merchants from the bazaars of India 

 and Ceylon. 



The report of the survey being encouraging, 

 and the sample of Pearls found in the preliminary 

 diving having been above the average, both in yield 

 and in quality, the author of this work determined 

 upon speculating, and accordingly an agent was 

 commissioned in Colombo to attend the public 

 auction, and bid for the whole of the yield of the 

 fisheries. But the Ceylon Government refused to 

 entertain any single private offer or tender, and 

 determined to put the ^oysters up in lots in the 

 usual way. 



The fisheries were held off the N.W. coast of 

 Ceylon, at a district called Silavatorrai, or Silvatura, 

 a most inaccessible place, the only means of trans- 

 port being by common fishing canoes, or by 

 chartering a special steamer. 



The fleet consisted of two divisions alternately 

 working the banks, which were situated at a distance 

 of about 10 to 15 miles from the shore. The agent 

 had arranged for native brokers to purchase at 



