89 
llie Pearl Fishery. 
days, or Hindoo and Mahomedan festivals, (which are never 
neglected on any account by the natives) occur to interrupt 
the regular course of fishing, the farmer is sometimes desirous 
that the Catholic ^larawas should make up for the lost time by 
working on Sundays: but this he cannot compel them to do 
without an order from the chief civil officer of government, 
who is appointed to superintend the fishery. 
The boats and donies employed in the fishery do not belong 
to Ceylon, but are brought from different ports of the conti- 
nent; particularly Tutucoreen, Caracal, and Negapatam, on the 
Coromandel coast ; and Colang, a small place on the Malabar 
coast, between Cape Comorin and Anjanga. The divers from 
Colang are accounted the best, and are only rivalled by the 
Lubbahs, a tribe of Moors who remain on the island of Manaar 
for the purpose of being trained in this art. Previous to the 
commencement of the fishery all the boats rendezvous at Con- 
/ 
datchy ; and it is here that they are numbered and contrac- 
ted for. 
During the season, all the boats regularly sail out and return 
together. A signal gun is fired at Arippo about ten o’clock 
at night, when the whole fleet sets sail with the land-breeze. 
They reach the banks before day-break, and at sun-rise com- 
mence fishing. In this they continue busily occupied till the 
sea-breeze, which arises about noon, warns them to return to 
the bay. As soon as they appear within sight, another gun 
is fired, and the colours hoisted, to inform the anxious owners 
of their return. When the boats come to land, their cargoes 
are immediately taken out, as it is necessary to have them 
completely unloaded before night. Whatever may have been 
the success of their boats, the owners seldom wear the looks 
N 
