July I, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



PEARL FISHERY OF CEYLON. 547 



face, during which he either floats without apparent exertion or holds 

 on by a rope, descends again, and repeats the process, until he requires 

 rest, when he takes his turn on hoard. This continues without inter- 

 ruption for six hours. Indeed, the stimulus of self-interest brought to 

 bear upon all is so great, that as the time approaches for striking work, 

 the efforts of the men increase, and there is never so much activity as 

 when the heat is most intense, the sky without a cloud, the sun glaring 

 frightfully, and the sea like molten lead. At last the second gun is 

 fired ; every stone goes down simultaneously for one more haul, and then 

 every hand is employed in making sail, and every boat has her head to 

 the shore. 



The Adigar (a native head-man stationed at Manaar, who is allowed 

 a boat with five stones as his share of the fishery) acts as commodore. 



As the boats reach the beach they let go their anchors opposite the 

 Government " Kottoo," the first arrivals getting the best places. 



Each boat swings upon her anchor, with her stern to the shore, and 

 in an instant the divers are in the water, and each pair carries the 

 results of its day's work to the Kottoo. Then they divide the oysters 

 into four heaps. In two hours the whole of the seventy-five boats are 

 unloaded, unless delayed by contrary winds. The divers' share removed, 

 and the three-fourths belonging to Government left in the Kottoo, 

 divided into heaps of 1,000 each, the doors are locked, guards stationed, 

 and everything is in readiness for the Cutcherry sale. 



This system appears peculiarly well suited to the country and to the 

 objects in view, by bringing to bear upon the daily results of the fishery 

 the largest amount of private interests and the smallest amount of 

 Government control. No man could be forced into doing what the 

 divers do voluntarily. No fixed payment would induce them to dive as 

 often in the day, or to unload their boats with equal dispatch. 



The revenue derived from the pearl fishery is of a very uncertain and 

 precarious nature. The Dutch had no fishery for twenty-seven years — 

 from 1768 to 1796, and they were equally unsuccessful from 1732 till 

 1746. From 1833 to 1854 there was no fishery at all. But the scien- 

 tific inquiries recently made led to the conclusion that the pearl oyster 

 may possibly be brought within the domain of pisciculture. 



The pearl fishery of 1859 was, as regards results, the most successful 

 that has taken place since the fisheries were resumed in 1855. It realised 

 48,215Z. This great increase in the selling power of the oysters was 

 owing to the profit, which could not have been less than 300 per cent., 

 made by the speculators in 1858. The fame of this brought all India 

 into the fielcLas competitors. Money was as plentiful as buyers ; and 

 the same oysters which averaged 11. 19s. a thousand in 1858, in 1S59 

 produced an average of 41. 10s., the highest rate paid being no less than 

 81. 8s. There is no reason to doubt that even at these high prices large 

 profits were made. 



Captain Pritchard describes the fishery of 1860 in the following terms : 



