TJic Persian Gulf Fishery. 217 



has a share of the profits upon the whole. A small 

 tax is also levied on each boat by the sheikh of 

 the port to which it belongs. During this period 

 they live on dates and fish. 



Wellsted's description of the manner in which 

 the divers in the Persian Gulf carry on their occu- 

 pation is worth quotation, inasmuch as it embodies 

 the results of personal observation. " When about 

 to proceed to business, they divide themselves into 

 two parties, one of which remains in the boat to 

 haul up the others, who are engaged in diving. 

 The latter, having provided themselves with a small 

 basket, jump overboard, and place their feet on a 

 stone, to which a line is attached. Upon a given 

 signal this is let go, and they sink with it to the 

 bottom. When the oysters are thickly clustered, 

 eight or ten may be procured at each descent ; the 

 line is then jerked, and the person stationed in the 

 boat hauls the diver up with as much rapidity as 

 possible. The period during which they can remain 

 under water has been much over-rated ; one minute 

 is the average, and I never knew them but on one 

 occasion, to exceed a minute and a half." 



Among the dangers of the pearler in the Persian 

 Gulf, the dreaded saw-fish may be mentioned as the 

 chief enemy. This shark-like creature is furnished 



