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



[Vol. X. 



boat ; ten divers, two for each stone ; ten manducks, or divers' 

 attendants, to pull up the stone and oysters ; and five diving 

 stones are allowed and required to each boat. 



The remuneration for fishing up the oysters was, in my 

 time, one-fourth of the quantity daily fished. This compact 

 ensures the certainty of every possible exertion from all 

 concerned, avoids consequences that might arise if remu- 

 nerated by daily pay, and the speculative character of each 

 day's work gives, to all concerned, the personal interest needed 

 to carry on the hard and anxious work of a pearl fishery. Each 

 boat's share is divided by themselves daily, according to very 

 old established customs ; and the earnings of the divers at 

 good and large fisheries are very considerable. The division 

 is as follows : — Sdmdn vattai, tindal, and toddi, the oysters 

 brought up in two divings for each stone ; two divers of each 

 stone, 2s. ?>d. ; two manducks for each stone, Is. 3d.; the 

 boatowner, the whole of the boat's share once in six days of 

 fishing, but not to be taken previous to the third day's fishing. 



Commencement of Fishing. 



The fishery commences on the first night. The boats go to 

 the banks, and this creates great interest and excitement. 

 Thousands assemble on the beach to see the start. 



The tindals, who carry on the right arm the ticket 

 number of that painted on the bows of each boat, assemble 

 with crew and divers, and as the beachmaster checks each, 

 they go to their boats and make preparation for getting under 

 weigh directly the signal is given. At midnight a gun is 

 fired ; the Adappandr, or senior headman, with a light at the 

 mast head of his boat, leads off. In a few minutes all the 

 boats — sometimes one hundred — are under press of sail, and 

 the sight is very interesting and exciting, as the crews cheer 

 and the people on shore echo these, whilst the white sails 

 following the signal light of the Adappandr, may, on a fine 

 night, be seen for miles. 



The Inspector's guard vessel, anchored close to the fishing 

 ground, carries a light at the main top mast head, and on dark 



