52 THE CORAL OF COMMERCE. 



on an average 230 kilogrammes per boat : at the price of 60 francs per 

 kilogramme, this gave a total value of 2,152,800 francs. Large banks have 

 recently been discovered on the coasts of the province of Oran. 



The coral fishery is a source of more profit than is perhaps generally 

 known, and is attended with hardships, the bare thought of which might 

 diminish some of that natural vanity with which the fair one contemplates 

 the glowing ornaments that repose upon and contrast with her white 

 bosom. 



The following graphic account was published some years ago in the 

 ' Athenteum : ' — 



" Torre is the principal port in the South of Italy for the vessels engaged 

 in the coral fishery — about 200 vessels setting out from hence every year, 

 about June. They have generally a tonnage of from 7 to 14 tons, and 

 carry from 8 to 12 hands ; so that about 2,000 men are engaged in this 

 trade, and, in case of an emergency, would form a famous corps de reserve. 

 They generally consist of the young and hardy and adventurous, or else the 

 wretchedly poor ; for it is only the bold spirit of youth, or the extreme 

 misery of the married man, which would send them forth upon this service. 

 For two or three months previous to the commencement of the season, 

 many a wretched mariner leaves his starving family, and, as a last resource, 

 sells himself to the proprietor of one or other of these barks, receiving a 

 caparra (earnest money), with which he returns to his home. This, 

 perhaps, is soon dissipated, and he again returns and receives an addition 

 to his caparra ; so that, when the time of final departure arrives, it not 

 unfrequently happens that the whole of his scanty pay has been consumed, 

 and the improvident or unhappy rogue has some months of hard labour in 

 prospect, without the hope of another grano of compensation. Nor does 

 the proprietor run any risk in making this pre-payment ; for as the 

 mariner can make no engagement without presenting his passport per- 

 fectly en regie, he is under the surveillance of a vigilant police. The 

 agreement between the parties is made from the month of March to the 

 Feast of San Michaele (29th September) for vessels destined for the Barbary 

 coast, and from March to the Feast of the Madonna del Rosario (October 2) 

 for those whose destination is nearer home. Each man receives from 20 to 

 40 ducats, according to his age or skill, for the whole voyage ; whilst the 

 captain receives from 150 to 400 ducats, reckoning 6 ducats to £l sterling. 

 These preliminaries being settled, let us imagine them now on full wing — 

 some for the coast of Barbary, and others for that of Sardinia, or Leghorn, 

 or Civita Vecchia, or the islands of Capri, San Pietro, or Ventotene, near 

 which I have often seen them, hour after hour and day after day, dragging 

 for the treasures of the vasty deep. On arriving at the port nearest to the 

 spot where they mean to fish, the ' carte ' are sent in to the consul, which 

 they are compelled to take again on return. A piastre is paid by each 

 vessel for the magic indorsement of his Excellenza, another to the druggist, 

 and another to the medical man ; whilst the captain, to strengthen his 

 power, and to secure indemnity in case of some of those gentle excesses 



