56*4 
MUSCLE. 
to procure this precious commodity is the business 
of a certain class of people, whose wretchedness 
drives them to risk their lives, in order to support 
themselves by adding to the magnificence of their 
superiors. 
Pearls are fished for at different places in the 
eastern parts of the world ; one of the principal of 
which is on the coast of Tinevelly, where a consi- 
derable trade is carried on, and several hundreds of 
vessels employed. The poor wretches who are de- 
stined to dive for these jewels, are carried in the 
muscle boats to the proper station, where a cord is 
fastened under the arms of each diver, and the end 
held by the persons in the boat. Every man is 
furnished with a net or sack, that has the mouth 
distended by a hoop, and previous to his descent a 
large stone of considerable weight is loosely fastened 
to his great toe. Thus provided, he plunges to the 
bottom, and immediately slips off the stone, which is 
drawn up by his comrades, while the diver proceeds 
to fill, his sack ; and whgfl. this task is completed he 
pulls the rope by which he is secured, as a signal 
for those in the boat to draw him up. 
This is a very dangerous employment, and seve- 
ral lives have be§n sacrificed in the pursuit of it; 
not so much from th$ tii$£ they remain under wa- 
ter, as the chance of being either devoured by 
sharks, or covered by a large flat fish which fre- 
quents those seas, and sometimes drowns the adven- 
turer by keeping him under with its immense fins. 
To guard against these dangers, it is cpmmon for the 
