THE PEARL OYSTER. 



699 



the water, in time the animal has coated them with mother of 

 pearl. The illustration shows a shell into which small beads 

 have been introduced, and converted into pearls, together with 

 a dozen small figures of Buddha, the Hindoo divinity, seated, 

 which have been covered over with nacre also. 



The pearls are at first very small, but they increase in size 

 with the yearly deposit of a layer on the original centre. 

 Sometimes they are diaphanous, semi-transparent, lustrous and 

 more or less irridescent, at other times, however, they prove to 

 be dull, obscure, and smoky even. The pearl fisheries are 

 carried on in various places. They are found in the Persian 

 Gulf, on the coast of Arabia, in Japan, on the shores of Cali- 

 fornia, and in the islands of the South Sea. The most import- 

 ant ones are, however, those of the Bay 'of Bengal, the coast 

 of Ceylon, and elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. Previous to 

 1795 most of the Indian fisheries were in the hands of the 

 Dutch, but in 1802, after the treaty of Amiens, they passed 

 into the possession of the English. Sometimes the Ceylon 

 fisheries are undertaken by the Government, while at others 

 they are sold to a contractor. In either case, before they 

 begin, the coast is inspected by a Government official, in order 

 to see that the banks are not exhausted by too frequent 

 fishing. 



The chief supply of mother of pearl is obtained from the 

 fishery in the Gulf of Manaar, a large bay on the north-east of 

 the island of Ceylon. It commences in February or March, 

 and lasts thirty days. Some two hundred and fifty boats are 

 engaged in it, coming for the purpose from all parts of the 

 coast. At ten at night a gun gives the signal for them to set 

 sail, and reaching the ground they commence as soon as the 

 ilawn affords sufficient light. Each boat carries ten rowers 

 and ten divers, five of whom rest while the others are engaged 

 A negro to attend to the odd jobs and chores accompanied 



