PEARL FISHERY.

137

as rapidly as possible, he himself often hastening the ascent
by coming up the line hand over hand.
The length of time a diver can remain under water varies
very considerably. As is natural, it depends largely upon
physique. Thus the lusty deep-chested Arabs compass from
80 to even 85 seconds each time, whereas the lithe but
weaker-built Tamils and Moors average not more than 40 to
15 seconds, many even less.
As a class divers do not seem to suffer unduly from the
irying nature of their work, provided the depth does not
sxceed seven fathoms. Nine fathoms tells upon the weaker
men ; at the last fishery at least five collapsed and two died,
when a detached bed lying inthis depth was being fished.
Many of the men, however, live to as full a span as those
pursuing other humble callings.
The organization of the fishery is in the hands of the
Government Agent or chief revenue officer of the Northern
Province. He it is who selects a site for the fishery camp
at a convenient spot upon the desolate sandy shore of the
Mannar District ; here he erects temporary buildings, walled
and roofed with cadjans (mats made of the plaited leaves of
the cocoanut), to serve as treasury, court-house, post office,
police barracks, and hospitals, with such other offices as are
necessary. He erects also an extensive series of storage sheds
for the oysters, surrounded by a high palisade. He lays out
the settlement with convenient roadways and sees to the
provision of a sanitary staff and an adequate water supply,
together with the hundred and one other requirements
incidental to the control of a concourse of Oriental people
that is likely to total not less than 30,000 if there be fair
prospects of a good fishery.
Streams of people converge on the camp towards the date
appointed—the men directly concerned with the fishery,
divers, boatmen, merchants, together with a myriad of petty
traders and camp followers to supply their daily wants.
Oadjan huts spring up in orderly rows as if by magic, and
within a week the scrub-covered desert shore is transformed
into a populous community where all the necessaries, and
aven some of the luxuries, of life are offered for sale. Life
in the camp knows little rest save when the boats are out
and in the dead of night. By 3 A.M. the fleet is under weigh,
returning some twelve hours later. Cargoes are taken direct
into the kuttu or storage enclosure, each boat’s complement
dividing their catch into three equal piles, two of which are
selected by a Government official, the remainder belonging
to the divers, who carry their oysters away to retail to the
smaller buyers.