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182
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PEARL.
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usually
at 10 o'clock, on a signal gun being fired from the fort of Arippo, and
make for the Government guard vessel, which is moored on the bank, and
serves the double purpose of a guard and a lighter-ship. The divers are
under the direction of a manager, who is cilled the Adapinaar, and they
are chiefly Tamils and Moors from India. For each diver there is
provided a diving stone, weighing about 30 pounds, which is fastened to
the end of a rope long enough to reach the bottom, and having a loop
made for the man's foot; and in addition to this, a large network
basket, in which to place the pearl oyesters as he collects them. These
are hung over the sides of the boat; and the diver placing his foot in
the loop attached to the stone, liberates the coils of the rope, and
with his net basket rapidly decends to the bottom.
To
each boat there is usually allotted a crew of 13 men and 10 divers, 5
of whom are descending whilst the others are resting. This work is done
very rapidly; for, notwithstanding the stones to the contrary, the best
divers cannot remain longer than 80 seconds below, and few are able to
exceed 60. The greatest depth they descend is 13 fathoms. When the
driver gives the signal by pulliug the rope, he is quickly hauled up
with his net and its contents. Accidents rarely happen ; and as the men
are very superstitious, their safety attributed to the incantations of
their shark-charmers, performed at the commencement of the fisting. Sir
E. Tennent, however, attributes the rarity of accidents from sharks,
usually so abundant in tropical seas, to the bustle and to the
excitement of the waters during the fishery frightening away the
dreaded creatures. The divers-are sometimes paid fixed wages: others
agree for one-fourth of the produce. When a boat-load of oysters has
be.en obtained, it returns to shore, and the cargo, sometimes amounting
to 20,000 or 30,000 is landed and piled on the shore to die and
putrefy, in order that the pearls may be easily found. The heaps are
formed in small walled compartments, the wall surrounding each being
about one or two feet in height. Several of these compartments surround
a small ceutral enclosure, in which is a bath, and they slope towards
this bath, and are each connected with it by a small channel, so that
any pearls washed out from the putrefying mass by the rain may be
carried iuto the bath. When the animals in the .shell are sufficiently
decomposed, the washing commences, and great care is taken to watch for
the loose pearls, which are alwaj'-s b}' far the most valuable ; the
shells are then examined, and if any attached pearls are seen, they are
handed over to the clippers who, with pinchers or hammer, skilfully
remove them Such pearls are used only for setting ; whilst the former,
being usually quiteround. are drilled and strung and can be used for
beads, &e. The workmen who are employed, to drill the' pearls, also
round the irregular ones, and polish them with great sklill. The method
of holding the pearls during these operations is very curious ; they
make a number of holes of small depth in a piece of dry wood, and into
these they fit the pearls, so that they are ooly partly below the
surface of the wood, which they then place in water. As it soaks up the
water and swells, the pearls become tightly fixed and are then
perforated, &c. These operations are all carried on, on the spot.
For
many miles along the Oondatchy shore, the accumulation of shells is
enormous, and averages at least four feet in thickness. This is not to
be wondered at, when it is remembered that this fishery has been in
active operation for at least 2,0lH) years. The place itself is
exceedingly barren and dreary, and, except during the fishing season,
is almost deserted; bHt at that time it presents an exceeding animated
spectacle ; thousands of people of various countries and castes, are
here drawn together, some for the fishery, others to buy pearls, and
others to feed the multitude. They chiefly reside in tents so that it
appears a vast encampment.
The
pearls vary much in size ; those as large as a pea, and of good colour
and form, are the best, except unusually large specimens, which rarely
occur, the most extraordinary one known being the pearl owned by the
late Mr. Hope, which measured two inches in length, and four in
circumference, and weighed 1,800 grains. The smaller ones are sorted
into sizes, the very smallest being called seed-pearls. A considerable
quantity of these last are sent to China, where they are said to be
calcined, and use in Chinese pharmacy. Amongst the Komans the pearl was
a great favorite, and enormous prices were paid for fine ones. One
author gives the value of a string of pearls at 1,000,000 sesterces, or
about £8,000 sterling. The single pearl which Cleopatra is said to have
dissolved and swallowed was valued at £80,729, and one of the same
value was cut into two pieces for earrings for the statue of Venus in
the Pantheon at Borne. Coming to latter times, we read of a pearl, in
Queen Elizabeth's
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