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170
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CEYLON PEAEL FISHERIES.
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a
loop aflixed to it; these stones are generally about 141b. weight, and
are used to accelerate the descent; and I have seen a very celebrated
but corpulent and therefore buoyant diver carrying an additional stone
affixed to his waist. He then places the loop of his diving net around
his neck, and being thus ready gives notice to the two munducks, the
attendants in charge of the rope and line of stone and net, draws in
his breath, closes his nostrils with one hand, raises his body to give
force to the descent, slips his hold of the bight of the diving cord,
and is rapidly carried to the bottom; reaching the bottom he leaves the
stone (which the munducks instantly haul up and make fast), throws
himself on the ground, along which he creeps filling his net as quickly
as possible; when obliged to ascend, he jerks the net cord,
which is instantly hauled up by the munducks, by which time the diver
is also at the surface, and again holding on by the diving stone; the
diving is then repeated by the first set until their number of turns is
over, when they take rest and the second five
divers and munducks do the work; thus, under the excitement of expected gain,
these
men continue for 6 hours without flagging at this most trying and
laborious exertion. When regularly at work they remain under water from
60 to 70 seconds. I have timed them 75, 80, 85, and one man 95 seconds
; but I believe this to be a special, as it was the only instance I
ever witnessed of a diver remaining so long under water, and that the
working period iJ about a minute. Of course the number of oysters
brought up at each dive depends upon the quantities on the ground. I
have known as many as 80, but 40 to 5° is a good average; and this
would give from 20,000 to 30,000 as a boatload. At the fishery of 1857,
when the daily fishing was from I to i-1/2 million
oysters, many boats brought 30,000, a few 40,000 a day, and some boats
not half the former quantity, and if this is shewn to be the
consequence of bad divers they are discontinued. At 12 or 1 o'clock,
according as the sea breeze sets in and to the work done, the Inspector
fires the gun to leave off diving and set sail for Silavaturai. Soon
every boat is under sail, all racing to be first in, to which is
attached not only a recorded distinction which gives consideration for
employment during extra days, but those also first in get sooner
possession of their share of their oysters and obtain the best prices.
Between 3 and 4 the boats reach the shore and discharge their load of
oysters into the Government kootto, a large enclosed place within which
is marked spaces bearing each boat's number. Each boat's iish is
arranged into 6 separate lots, and each lot divided into 4 smaller
lots, the Government officers giving over to the boatmen one of each 4
divisions, in all 6 parcels; and as the people do not know which of the
4 is likely to be assigned to them, they very carefully and fairly
divide them; the other 3 of each of the 6 lots are then thrown
together, counted, and removed to the sale and delivering portion of
the kootto, and the boat's number affixed to each heap. By the next
morning a return is furnished to the Superintendent of the separate
out-turn of each boat, and the total of the preceding day's fishing. A
sale is held at the Kachcheri about 12 o'clock, when the oysters are
put up in lots of 1,000 with the right of taking at the price knocked
down from 1,000 to 20,000 or 30,000. According to the total quantity
for sale, (which is always declared at the commencement), and when
there is no combination, purchases are eagerly made at the larger
quantities; but when there is either a combination to lower prices, or
opposition between the Chetties and Moormen, the sales are prolonged by
lots of 1,000 to 2,000, and all the ingenuity of each party exercised
to effect the object in view. As soon as the purchasers pay for their
lots, delivery orders are issued to the officers in charge of the
kootto, and until the fishery boats arrive, the oysters are delivered.
Th'is goes on daily, and from the first day of fishery until the
conclusion, the work is incessant. A break occasionally occurs from a
southerly gale or combination practises; sometimes the sea breeze
coming in strong and not fair, drives the boats to leeward of
Silavaturai, and obliges them to pole for miles along shore ; and they
do not get in till late at night, perhaps are dropping in all night
until morning. On such occasions
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