88 
Tlie Pearl Fishery. 
As neither the season nor the convenience of the persons 
attending would permit the whole of the banks to be fished 
ill one year, they are divided into three or four different 
portions, vdiich are fished one portion annually in succession. 
The different portions are completely distinct, and are set up 
separately to sale, each in the year in which it is to be fished. 
By this means a sufficient interval is given to the oysters to 
attain their proper growth ; and as the portion first used lias 
generally recovered its maturity by the time the last portion 
has been fished, the fishery becomes almost regularly annual, 
and may thus be considered as yielding a yearly revenue. 
The oysters are supposed to attain their completest state of 
maturity in seven years ; for if left too long, I am told that 
the pearl gets so large and so disagreeable to the fish that it 
vomits and throws it out of the shell. 
The fishing season commences in February, and ends about 
the beginning of April. The period allowed to the merchant 
to fish the banks is six weeks, or two months at the utmost ; 
but there are sev'^eral interruptions which prevent the fishing 
days from exceeding more than about thirty. If it happen to 
be a very bad season, and many stormy days intervene during 
the period allotted, the purchaser of the fishery is often al- 
lowed a few days more as a favour. One considerable interrup- 
tion proceeds from the number and diversity of holidays ob- 
served by the divers of different sects and nations who are 
employed. Many of the divers are of a black race, known by 
the name of Marawas and Para was, inhabiting the opposite 
coast of Tutucoreen: these people, although of the Malabar 
cast, are Roman Catholics, and leave off work on Sundays 
to attend prayers at the chapel of Arippo. But if many stormy 
