62 



It was remarked that the Tundu Par casters were covered with weed, whereas 

 those from the other par were practically clean.* 



15. Manapad Group. 



Under this name I propose to include a one ranked series of pars extending over 

 6 miles north-east and south-west parallel with the coast between Triehendur 

 Pagoda and Manapad point. They lie at an average distance of 8 miles from land. 

 The depth ranges within close limits from 8 to 9 fathoms. 



Prom north to south the names of the constituent banks read — Triehendur 

 Puntottam Par, Sandamacoil Piditta Par, Teradi Puli Piditta Par, Semman Patt Par, 

 and Manapad Par, together with a few smaller rocky patches. 



Prior to 1885 these banks received scant attention and were seldom examined, 

 under the impression I believe, that they were of little or no value. However in 1897, 

 oysters ranging from § inch to \~ inch in depth were found on Sandamacoil Piditta, 

 Teradi Puli Piditta, Semman Patt Par, Surukku Onpatu Par (Manapad Par appears 

 omitted from every inspection since 1860 !) and in 1S99 well-grown healthy oysters 

 were found plentiful on all the four banks. 



The following year the Teradi Puli Piditta Par was fished together with the 

 Tundu Par already described. Unfortunately the quality of the oysters from the former 

 par was too poor to encourage the divers to attend in large numbers and continue for 

 a prolonged period. It appears possible that they were fished a year too early, though 

 this is a point that was not definitely settled. 



The valuation of a sample of these oysters in the October preceding was reported 

 to be Rs. 10-2-0 per 1,000 and according to the experience of many fisheries on the 

 Ceylon side, the actual price obtained at the fishery following is invariably considerably 

 higher. In the present cass Government had the utmost difficulty in obtaining 

 the valuation figure and indeed were we to exclude the larger and finer Tundu par 

 oysters, the price at which the Teradi Puli Piditta oysters were sold would be found 

 to be below the sample valuation. 



It would be found of great assistance to Government and to buyers alike if 

 a second valuation sample of oysters were drawn immediately prior to the fishery, say 

 ten days preceding, in addition to the one obtained in the October or November of the 

 preceding year. This is regularly done at the Ceylon fisheries and serves as an 

 efficient check and corroboration both of the accuracy of the preliminary valuation and 

 of the identity of the ground selected for fishing with that from which the first sample 

 was taken. As showing the possibility of error in localization of patches of oysters 

 when the organization is imperfect, are the two well-known instances of this given by 

 Sir William Twynam, namely — 



(a) How in 1836 two beds of young oysters were fished in error instead of one 

 bearing old and properly matured ones, and (b) how the fishery of 1860 on the 

 Moderagam was all but lost, a long continued search of three days being necessitated 

 ere the bed was rediscovered, f 



An omission which I cannot understand is the fact that no inspection was made 

 of the Semman Patt and Surukku Onpatu Pars in 1901 as they bore oysters in 1899 of 

 the same age and in the same abundance as those on the Teradi Puli Piditta Par. No 

 examination of these was made in 1 900 and it is quite probable that patches of fine 

 quality and large sized oysters might have furnished a fishery on these pars in the year 

 named. This region in 19(Jl w T as by far the most important to examine and for some 

 reason or lack of system the obvious was not carried out. 



Southern oe Comoein Division. 



Of the banks forming this division and stretching from Manapad southwards to 

 Cape Comorin little is known. A list of some of these banks is given on page 103. 

 Of these only the Manapad Periya Par appears to have received any attention. This 

 bank lying in 5f to 7 fathoms is nearly 10 miles in length by about one mile 



• " Proceedings, Board of Reyenue, Madras," No. 208, Ootober 1900. 

 t " Report on the Ceylon Pearl Fisheries ", 1902, page 20. 



