'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎648] (747/905)

648
PEARL FISHERY.
[chap. xxiv.
The fishery in quality. The fishery at the latter place has in a great mea-
monopoiized. gure a monopoly in, the hands of a few merchants, who
manage to secure almost the whole of the profit, whilst the
hard-working divers are in general miserably paid. The owner
receives one-eleventh of all that is fished up, and one hun
dred per cent, on his advances for the - support of the crew.
The latter consists of five divers and five pullers to each boat,
of which there are at Bahrein alone about 1500; and there are
Seasons for about as many more elsewhere. There are two seasons for col
lecting the oysters; the first, which is short and cold, is in June,
when diving is practised only in the shallow water along the
coast; but it is not before the intense heat prevailing from July
to the middle of September, when the water is as warm as the
air, that this trying occupation can be pursued without causing
intense suffering from the cold. The diver is provided with
a net tied round his waist to contain the oysters, then his ears
being stuffed with bees' wax, and his nostrils compressed with
Manner of a piece of horn, he is lowered into the water, the descent being
facilitated by means of a cord with a heavy stone at the extre
mity ; on this he stands, holding the rope, and after working
hard for a period which probably averages less than two minutes,
he shakes a cord attached to the boat as a signal to be drawn
up; but his stay under water frequently does not exceed 35 or
40 seconds. The operation takes place on an empty stomach,
and under favourable circumstances as to temperature; the
task is repeated 12 or 15 times in a day, without being consi
dered injurious to the constitution. 1 Some precaution is, how
ever, necessary, and when the diver is overcome by fatigue he
must abstain from food, till he has been refreshed by sleep;
but notwithstanding all his bodily exertion, a favourable season
seldom gives him more than a clear profit of from 30 to 50
Spanish dollars^. The pearl-fishery has rather declined of late
years, but the produce is still considerable ; 8 two-thirds of it,
when taken out of the shells and dried, belong to the mer
chants at Bahrein ; the pearls are sized by sifting them.
^ Colonel Wilson, in the Royal Geographical Journal, vol. III., p. 284.
2 Colonel Wilson makes the average about 300,000/.; see the Royal Geo
graphical Journal, vol. Ill,, p. 284.