356 
THE OCEAN WORLD. 
poverishing all the beds at once, the same part of the gulf is 
fished every year. 
The great fishery for mother-of-pearl Pintadines ( Meleagrina m al 
garitiferci) takes place in the Gulf of Manaar, a large hay to the 
north-oast of the island ; it commences in the month of February or 
March, and continues thirty days, taken collectively, and occupies two 
hundred and fifty boats, which come from different parts ot the coast , 
they reach the ground at daybreak, the time being indicated by a 
signal gun. Each boat’s crew consists of twenty hands, and a negi°- 
The rowers are ten in number. The divers divide themselves into 
two groups of five men each, who labour and rest alternately ; the) 
descend from forty to fifty feet, seventy being the very utmost they 
can accomplish, and eighty seconds the longest period the best divers 
can remain under water, the ordinary period being only thirty seconds- 
In order to accelerate their descent, a large stone is attached to a 
rope. According to travellers tbe oars are used to rig out a stag e > 
across which planks are laid over both sides of the boat ; to tin- 
stage the diving-stone is suspended. This stone is in the form of a 
pyramid, weighing about lialf-a-hundredweight ; the cord which sus- 
tains it sometimes carries in its lower parts a sort of stirrup to receiv 
the foot of the diver. At the moment of his descent he places bi s 
right foot in this stirrup, or, where there is no such provision, h® 
rests it on the stone with tbe cord between his toes. In his left f°° 
he holds the net which is to receive the bivalves ; then, seizing wit 1 
his right hand a signal-cord conveniently arranged for his purpos‘d 
and pressing his nostrils with the left hand, he dives, holding hin>s e 
vertically, and balancing himself over his foot. 
Each diver is naked, except the band of calico which surrounds t 
loins. Having reached the bottom, he withdraws his foot from tb® 
stone, which ascends immediately to the stage. The diver thr°^ 
himself on his faco, and begins to gather all the pintadines within bj L ^ 
reach, placing them in his net. When he wishes to ascend he p lU 
the signal-cord, and is drawn up with all possible expedition. 
A good diver, we have said, seldom remains more than tluO 
seconds under water at one time ; but he repeats the operation thi e 
or four, and, in favourable circumstances, even fifteen or twenty tim e ' ^ 
The labour is extremely severe. On recovering the boat they soin ® 
times discharge water tinged with blood by the mouth, nose, and ea 
