N(). 34 — 1887.] PEARL FISHERIES OF CEYLON. 



25 



It is thus conducted : say that 50 boats are required, and 

 that there are 75 well found from various places of Ceylon 

 and India ; the prizes are regulated as near as possible 

 to the proportion, and in the desire to give employment 

 to the boats from each place, namely : — 



Kilakkarai boats 14, equal to about one-fifth of the 75 ... 9 prizes 

 Talaimannar do. 14 do. do. ...9 do. 



Navanturai do. 13 do. do. ... 9 do. 



Kalpitiya do. 6 do. do. ... 4 do. 



Pampan do. 5 do. do. ... 2 do. 



and so on. 



On the day of the lottery the Kachcheri grounds are 

 crowded with hundreds to witness the proceedings, to wish 

 good luck to friends, and to laugh at the unfortunate. 



The Superintendent, calling a set of boats, counts the 

 number of prize and blank tickets into a bowl, and the 

 tindals, showing their register numbers, draw. Agitation, 

 anxiety, and eagerness are naturally depicted ; many appear 

 to utter a prayer or invocation, the Catholics cross themselves, 

 some are almost too nervous to take out the paper, which, 

 when done, is handed to the Superintendent, who opens and 

 declares prize or blank ; and so eagerly do they watch his 

 glance, that I have recognised disappointment or joy before 

 I gave the result. If successful, they are greeted by their 

 friends ; if not, by the laughter of the bystanders. The 

 unsuccessful are, however, mostly afterwards employed : some 

 get the places of boats misbehaving, and if the extra number 

 of boats is larger, two divisions are employed ; for as the 

 people connected as boatmen, divers, &c, come long distances, 

 and embark their means in this hope of work and gain at the 

 fishery, the effort is made to employ all before the fishery 

 is closed ; but the first selected have the claim to and good 

 fortune of continuous employment. 



Divers' Share of Oysters. 

 The crew of a boat consists of twenty-three persons, viz., 

 one tindal or steersman ; one sdmdn vattai in charge of 

 the boat ; one toddi, who bales out water and cleans the 



