384 CEYLON PEARL FISHERIES.
"kotoos"
where pearl oysters are going through a process of decomposition and
putrefaction, which to a man of sensitive olfactories, justifies the
making of " odorous comparisens.'' Oh ! my talking of " eating the
air." In the neighbourhood of " kotoos" I felt strongly through all my
digestive functions that I was indeed feeding upon particles of the
dear deceased—oysters. The first regular washing is to take place at
noon today, for, as can be easily imagined, the more advanced the
softening process of decomposition and the more the maggots of the
blue-bottle flies have assimilated of the, to them, savoury morsels,
the easier it is to feel and abstract the few and far between pearls from
the tissues, especially near the hinge of the valves. It would be
interesting to know and telegraph the results of the first search for
gems on a large scale at this fishery, but I confess I am rejoiced not
to be compelled to witness the revolting process of minute search
through masses of matter and millions of maggots, while I have made
arrangements which will secure to you daily intelligence of events
connected with the pearl fishery. Mr. Twynam is of opinion that the
fewness of the oysters yesterday was in no way due to the squall, which
only caught the boats coming in, but to the fact that portions of the
Modaragam-par, the bank which is being fished, are being exhausted. Be
it remembered that Capt. Donnan's estimate for this bank was only seven
millions of shells of which five millions have been collected in four
days. But the bank will be fished as long as it is found profitable for
Government and the boatmen and divers to persevere. Then " Tomorrow to
fresh fields* and pastures new," if that is the correct quotation from
Milton, which I believe it is not. What the portion to be
now fished of the Cheval-par will yield, depends on the weather, and
Capt. Donnan has arranged for postponing the little monsoon, just as
Dean Swift postponed the eclipse, to the tune of " God save the King
and his reverence the Dean." It is quite certain that Capt. Donnan is
as well able to control the atmospherical elements, as the so-called
shark-charmers were able to control those savage fishes. The occasion
which enabled Mr. Twynam to abolish the institution of shark-charmer
was that of finding the then functionary bidding ten miles inland for a
paddy rent while a fishery was in full process. When asked why he was
away from his post, the impostor said that he had uttered his
incantations from the beach and that their power remained potent. By a
curious Cuincidence, however, at the very first fishery after the
services of the charmer had been dispensed with, a diver was killed by
a shark! Nevertheless the people have very philosophically and wisely
recognized the puffings and groanings and blowings of the steam launch
as quite equivalent to the old incantations. This and the case of the
Kataragama pilgrimages shew what nonsense is sometimes talked about the
danger of interfering with native customs and prejudices. The late
Capt. Steuart attempted on religious grounds to get rid of the
shark-charmer, but prejudice then, European as well as native, was too
strong for him. One day Steuart said chaffingly to the snake-charmer:
"If you can keep away sharks, of course you can bring them at your
bidding ?" The man assented, and by another most curious coincidence a
shark appeared next day by the side of the guardship. Steuart
forgetting his taunt turned on the shark-charmer and accused him of not
performing the duty for which he was so well paid. The man triumphantly
reminded him of his own words and pointed to the shark as proof that he
(the charmer) could call something more substantial than "spirits from
the vasty deep." Another institution which has disappeared is the
firing of guns at the departure of fleets from the shore and again from
the banks. The storage of powder was dangerous, and it has been found
better to leave the hours of departure from the shore and return from
the banks to the people themselves. Their interests and those of
Government are identical, and it is pleasant to notice how
considerately the Government Agent deals with the poor people who work
so hard. For instance, chank fishing is not permitted on the pearl banks, but as the divers, on the sea-floor at 7 fathoms and gathering
* "Woods" in place of "fields" was Milton's word.—Compilers.
