THE TRDWOM: IKRIWfLTOWST, 
fAtfOUBT T, 1891, 
ITO 
PEATJL FISHKHIES OF CEYLON 
(BT a BOYIXO COBRHiPOKDBirr.) 
The fiiiMoB Stonnfls »»e rtBohed by utenner from 
Colombo, which conveys the visitor to the northern 
pctU of the island. All the laxnrlant folia(?e, the leafy 
j«nos, the wonderful B'osvih of palms, creepers, and 
gorRoons flowers are left behind. The home of the 
n, arl ovster Is o« a flat low-lyin» coist of barren sand. 
For mile ‘1 inward towards the interior, the oonntiT Is 
Bterite and repulsive ; the only woad_ that tWres here 
are the umbrella plant, the cruel priohly bnBalo thorn, 
and the monstroos ■* hoabab ” tree, whose short-stunted 
growth and raaged branohes can withstand the strong 
gusts of wind which sweep over the desolate Mnd. This 
tree was mrsterloualy Import^ from the West Coast 
of Africa in distant days— a husre shapeless mass of 
wood from twenty to thirty feet in circnmferenoe, 
and very blMo more in height. The long sweep of 
desolate shore has a dreary appearance, and seems a 
fitting abode for great crabs, tortoises, and snakes. 
On those aands, where the sea-turtle basks in peace, 
and the aolitndo is only broken by the wild crv of the 
seafowl, crowds sssemblo as soon as the pearl fisheries 
begin and the drearv waste beonmes enlivened by 
numbers who congregate from the distant parts of 
India The shore is raised in many parts to the 
height of several feet, by enormona mounds of shells, 
the accumulations of ages. Hero the millions of oyster 
shells, rohhed of their pearls, have been year stater 
year flung into heaps that extend a distance of miles. 
These heaps shining bright on the beach add to the 
glare, while the hurning heat of the sand uniler a 
noonday son is almost unsupportable. The flat shore 
all round is riddled with holes by a large onypeid, 
who must bo terribly surprised at the invasion of his 
territory. Those huge creatures suffer from the 
general barrenness ; their food is scant, for if one of 
their number ia killed and left on the shore, his fellow- 
oreatures uromptly carry him away into a burrow and 
doubtless devour hitD. 
Tlie only inhabitants are a few fishermen, who 
find a modest living by curing sharks and other bony 
fishes, finding a market for t^ir poor stock in the 
forlorn peninsula of Jaffna.* Hops is kept alive in 
their breasts by washing out the forsaken Kottus, 
in search for pearls, lost by the gleaners of other 
days. The inhospitable shore is further haunted by 
ehirks, sea-eagles, and black and yellow snakes that 
frequemly dot the surface of the water over the 
oyster banks. A pitilesB sun flings down burning raya 
or rL shifting sands, and over its anrfaee sweep 
clouds of big red-eyed blao-holtle flies, helping the 
process of putrefaction, as the 
moved till after the fish baa UMa>^d. At Mavreoha 
Khadi I found hundreds of balf-uaked Arabs, yellow- 
skinned Moore, Afghans, Malays. Tamils, and Sinha- 
lese dive rs, traders, pedlera./uAesis, conmrors, a hetero- 
geneous mixture of thousands of different colours, 
countries, casies.aud occupations. On the shore, a large 
town had sprang up, consisting of tents, cadjan huts, 
havaara an^ thS rudest edifioe.s. The roofs of these 
teuiporsry dwellings presented an unusual spcoteole, 
Bverv imagiosble article of clothmg was spread there- 
on ^ dry cloths, turbans, and jackets of every pos- 
“ihie shape and oulour met the eye m every direction. 
In the front of the huts were mats 01 . which were 
il.’.a of black-looking earth. Watehiug these i^^ 
wire seat^ (friasy Chetties with massive bed- 
fiill>, i„ their ears, and sleek Moors, 
1 1 nfleulatfng eyes, almost wide, [nude ? ] whoso 
with cold oalt I dislraoled from the opeiatious 
ZZZ I oTLm. This work was being under- 
tHkenbV women and ehildren, l^th 
the lieape eonsistiug of shells. Mud, and all the filth 
that riraainud after washing the putrid Aesh of the 
ojstoiB oil their removal from the shells, in search of 
any I'f the rem»iuing precious pearlfl- liti® pestilential 
deBoription of a scene of oxoep- 
tiouftl fertility, by means of w^l and garden culti- 
vation, and densely popnlattd.-Ep. i« 
smell of putrefying flnh poisoned the air, and beoemo 
most offensive when the wind blew from the south. 
The putrefaction of millions of oysters generates an 
Immense amount of wormn, flies, mosquitoes and vermin 
of all sorts* To guard against di8f>a<e, a hospital and 
medical men were provided, and a rigid ssmtlny is mado 
of all the arrivals to jguard against infection, Every 
precaution to prevent cbolora or small-pnx patients 
coming from other parte of the island ie also adopted, 
for Oeylon at present has no* a clean bill of health. 
The divers are roostly Moormen and Tamila, with 
a few Arabs from the Persian Onlf, a brave hardy race 
of men, of a speculative tnm. who betake tbemselves 
year after year to this hasardons oeoupation. They 
usually come in common lighters, eight or ten tons In 
burden, such as commonly convey cargo to ships, using 
both sails and oars ; each boat has a complement 
^ ’enerally of twentyaone men, with five diving atones 
or ten divers. The usual equipment is very simple, an 
open scaffolding to each boat fmm which the 
tackle is snspended, and pine-shaped stones of 
coarse grauite, from 80 to 60 lb. in WtdghI, with a 
loop atteohed to each for receiving the foot j some 
divers use half-moonstones to bind round Their waists 
that the feet may be free. The diver is alio provided 
with a small basket, or bag, woven like a net, which 
he takes down to the bottom, and filled with the oysters 
as bo Golleets thorn ; and the rope Is attached to his 
hody, the end of which is held by the men in the boat 
This rope he Jerks when he wishes to be drawn np.* 
While five divers are ooming up, five are preparing to 
go down. When the diver reaches the bottom, ho 
throws himself on his face and collects ull be can. If 
the bank is rich, nbont 150 oysters can betaken in each 
dip j if, however, the oysters are scattered, not more 
than five to ten. The Arab can remain submerged for 
about ninety seconds, while the Moor or Tamil rarely 
exceeds seventy seconds. The former wears a nose com- 
pressor, but the others scorn the use <»f any such belpR. 
The diving generally begins at sniirise, and onntinuea till 
the sea breezes or west winds sot in. The hours of work 
do not exceed six. The men enjoy the labour as a 
pleasant pastime, and never murmur or complain. The 
noise of going down from the several boats continuea 
without interruption. From a little dUtaoco it resemhlos 
the dashiog of a cataraet. 
When the day advances and sea breezes set in, the 
signal is made for the boats to het sail for the shore. 
It ia a lovely sight to witness a fiotilla of about 200 
boati^, with white suils set to oatob the breeze, lightly 
skimmiug tho blue waters in the dazzling sunlight. 
The oyster bauka are some distance from the shore. 
As soon as the keels touch the sand, eager enquiries 
are made from all aidoa as to tho results of the day’s 
fishing. The flahiog grounds are marked by buoys over 
the spots, ornamented with flags of different colours, 
giving the waters tho festive appearance of a re- 
gatta. In the olden times the Governor visited 
the scene acoompani^ by a military guard armed 
to tho teeth, to resist any raid from the Kandyan 
Ohiefa bent on plunder. The beach from Oondatohy 
Bay to the old fortress of Areppo is very oouveDieut 
tor boats, the water being deep close to tho beach, 
and not agitated by any surf. When the signal for 
work is given at early dawn, the noise and shouts 
from those embarking is deafening in it* clamour. 
Strange prayers are recited, hasty ablutions per- 
formed, and the solemn pall of uigbt ia pierced with 
a conglomerate shout of voices, which to European 
ears makes a din, sti’ange and unearthly. The divers 
are a superstitious class given to charms and extra* 
ordinary ccremouios. No diver will go under water 
till the shark conjuror has perforraed his incantations. f 
Once the Government had to keep two of these 
funotionaries in^ its pay, to remove the fear of the 
divers from their enemies, the sharks. The conjuror 
is stripped naked and shut up in a room, where be 
• When he wanta tbe basket Uaulid up. The diver 
floats to the surface,— Eo. t. A, 
t Thisstatement raises a suspicion that tbe account is. 
not first-hand. For many years back the shark uhar 
mers havfi oeaaed to be employed,— £ p« T, A* 
