2 1 6 Pearls. 



is not so hot there, the sun not being able to 

 penetrate so deep." 



Rather more than fifty years ago, Lieut. J. R. 

 Wellsted, an officer in the Indian navy, undertook 

 the exploration of part of Arabia ; and in the 

 record of his travels he published an interesting 

 description of Pearl-fishing as then conducted- in 

 the Persian Gulf. He describes the Pearl-banks as 

 extending from Sharja to Biddulph's Group, the 

 bottom being composed of shelly sand and broken 

 coral, and the depth varying from 5 to 15 fathoms. 

 It is found in the fisheries of the North-western 

 coast of Australia, that the finest Pearls occur in 

 association with coral. The season for Pearl-fishing 

 in the Persian Gulf extends only from June to 

 September. The boats employed in the fishery 

 are of various sizes, "averaging from 10 to 50 tons. 

 During the season it is computed that the island 

 of Bahrein furnishes, of all sizes, 3,500 ; the Persian 

 coast 100; and the space between Bahrein and the 

 entrance of the gulf, including the pirate coast, 700. 

 The value of the Pearls obtained at these several 

 ports is estimated at forty lacs of dollars, or 

 ;^4O0,000. Their boats carry a crew varying from 

 8 to 40 men, and the number of mariners thus 

 employed at the height of the season is rather above 

 30, 000. None receive any definite wages, but each 



