THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
79 
to hire people to collect the pearls out of them; and to pre- 
vent embezzling, confidential persons are appointed, who con- 
stantly attend to watch over and observe them. One instance 
I recollect of the ingenuity employed by the Indians to evade 
the care of the superintendants. A band of them having been 
employed by a boat-owner to open his oysters, they concerted 
a regular plan for 'pilfering the most valuable pearls. One was 
appointed to be the thief, and to contrive to steal away a 
valuable pearl; while another, on a signal being previously 
given, was to make a shew of carrying off one of small value, 
and to run the risk of being punished for this offence, hi order 
to attract the attention of the super intendant, and thus afford 
an opportunity to the real thief to get his booty clear off. 
This plan having been arranged, they went on very quietly 
with their work, till one’ of them lighted upon a very valuable 
pearl, and instantly made the signal to the thief who was to 
act the feigned part. The latter, according to his cue, im- 
mediately began to secrete some pearls of small value, in 
such a maimer as to be observed by the superintendants, who, 
in consequence, seized upon him, detected the pearls about him, 
and began to punish him. This occasioned a great bustle, for 
the fellow made as much noise and resistance as he could ; 
while, in the mean time, the real thief laid hold of the oppor- 
tunity to secrete and secure the valuable pearl. This roguery 
was afterwards discovered in consequence of a quarrel among 
themselves about the division of the booty. It had been 
agreed that the pearls should be sold, and the price divided 
