The
government derive a large income from this fishery, and protect it by
the strictest regulations. Those places to be fished are buoyed out
carefully before the boats leave the land, and are examined from time
to time by experienced divers. Latterly, the supply has fallen off so
greatly that a recent regulation has directed the fishery to be
discontinued for some years, —a precaution which is very necessary, as
the beds are becoming exhausted.
The
fisheries in the Persian Gulf are carried on in exactly the same manner
as those of Ceylon. In ancient times they were known to the
Macedonians, and Seleu-cus, king of the Syrians, gave the revenues
derived therefrom to one of his satraps. Here, besides the sharks, the
divers have to contend with the sword-fishes, which are even more
dangerous. Formerly the Portuguese had possession of the Persian Gulf
fisheries, but they are now in the hands of the native rulers; and it
is said that as many as 30,000 persons are employed on them. The
Persian Gulf pearls are inferior in colour to those found at Ceylon ;
in commerce they are termed "Bombay pearls," as they are mostly sold
there.
The
produce of the fisheries on the coast of the Sum Islands principally
goes to China. The Red Sea fisheries, which in the time of the
Ptolemies were immensely productive, now produce very few pearls.
Great
quantities of pearls come from Panama and California, and there is good
reason to believe that the fisheries in these parts were well known to
the ancient
o
