THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
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During the season, all the boats regularly sail 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 
of disappointment; for, although they may have been unsuc- 
cessful one day, they look with the most complete assurance 
of better fortune to the next; as the Brahmins and conjurers, 
whom they implicitly trust in defiance of all experience, under- 
stand too well the liberality of a man in hopes of good fortune, 
not to promise them all they can desire. 
Each of the boats carries twenty men, with a Tindal or chief 
boatman, who acts as pilot. Ten of the men row and assist 
the divers in re-ascending. The other ten are divers ; they go 
down into the sea by five at a time; when the first five come 
up the other five go down, and by this method of alternately 
diving, they give . each other time to recruit themselves for a 
fresh plunge. 
In order to accelerate the descent of the divers, large stones 
