chap, xxi YIELD OF PEARL-FISHERIES 93
to
incur. For both on account of their outfit and for their food during
the time of the fishing they borrow money at the rate of from 3 to 4
per cent, per month. Accordingly, if, at the worst, 1,000 oysters do
not yield 5 fanos worth of pearls, they do not fish during that year.
The merchants buy the oysters on chance, and content themselves with
what they find inside. It is a great piece of good fortune when large
pearls are found, but it rarely occurs, especially at the Manar fishery
which produces no large ones, as I have said, the majority being only
pearls to be sold by the ounce and ground into powder.1 Only
a few among them weigh half a grain or a grain, and it is a great event
when any of 2 or 3 carats are found. In some years the 1,000 oysters
contain as much as 7 fanos worth, and the whole fishing yields 100,000
piastres and over.2 While the Portuguese were masters of
Manar they levied toll from every boat, and the Dutch, who have taken
possession of it from them, now levy 8 piastres from each diver, and
sometimes up to 9 ; this yields them a revenue in the best years
amounting to 17,200 reals. The reason why the Portuguese took this
revenue from these poor people, and why the Dutch take it still, is
that they are obliged to protect them against their enemies, the
Malabaris, who come with armed boats to capture and enslave the fishers.
Whilst
the fishing lasts the Dutch always keep two or three armed boats at sea
on the quarter whence the Malabaris come, these precautions being taken
so that the work may proceed in safety. The fishermen are for the most
part idolaters, but there are also Musalmans who have boats of their
own. They never mingle with one another, and the Dutch levy more from
the latter than from,the others. For the Musalmans, besides having to
pay as much as the idolaters, have also to give one day's take, the
particular day being left to the choice of the Dutch.
The heavier the rainfall in the year, the better is the pearl-fishery. But since many think that at the greatest depths
1 The term aljofar was applied by the Portuguese to seed pearls said to be from al-jauhar, Arab., (the) jewel. (Yule, Hobson-Jobson, 12.) * With the piastre at 4s. lid. this would be equal to £22,500.
