18 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



I was thus relieved from a very grave responsibility, as the 

 Government Proclamation had implied a fishery of fifteen 

 days, and the divers, boatmen, traders, and speculators had 

 attended in this belief. 



Inspection of the Pearl Banks. 



The pearl banks are annually visited by the Inspector to 

 see if oysters are forming, and when so, to note their progress. 

 If the oysters remain intact to the age of three or four years, 

 they generally afford a fishery. 



The Inspector of the Pearl Banks proceeds at daylight, 

 when the sea is calm, with boats in charge of coxswains, 

 carrying each two divers, taking courses to the four points 

 of the compass, diving in depths of eight to nine fathoms, 

 and noticing results. If rock is found, one flag is hoisted on 

 the masthead, as oysters are more generally found on rocky 

 ground ; if oysters, two flags, and a buoy is laid down ; then 

 the boats work their way to this point, noting the ground 

 by flags, and placing buoys where oysters are found. 



The limits, — north, south, east, and west, — age, condition, 

 and supposed quantities being ascertained by the coxswains 

 noting the number of oysters the diver brings up from each 

 dive, a calculation is made of the probable number five 

 divers constantly at work for six hours a day would obtain. 

 The quantity of oysters is thus estimated, but this mere 

 estimate is, of course, always below the actual outturn of a 

 fishery. 



The Inspector then notes on a chart the exact position of 

 the bed by bearings of landmarks on the Arippu coast. 



When it has been thus ascertained that oysters of from 

 five to six years old are in sufficient quantities to be fished, 

 a sample of from 10,000 to 20,000 oysters is taken to 

 be washed, and the outturn of the pearls valued. If this 

 justifies a fishery being declared, notice is given by publica- 

 tion in the Government Gazette and the newspapers of 

 India and Ceylon, that a pearl fishery will take place at 

 Arippu about March 1, from a bank named, estimated to 



