'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎59r] (122/180)

107
Organisation and working of the pearl fisheries on the Arabian side.
[pp. 2227-34]
Having taken account of the physical data of the industry, we proceed to
enquire into the manner in which it is organised and prosecuted. The persons
actually connected with the fisheries may be divided into two classes, namely
financiers and operatives.
The money required to equip the pearl fleet for sea and to maintain the crews Financiers,
while employed on boards is partly advanced from private means by those interested
in the operations and partly borrowed from a special class called Musaqqams (plural,
Musaqqamin). The Musaqqam is generally a man of substance, but some
Musaqqams, who have not sufficient capital of their own, conduct their business by
means of loans which they obtain for the season from wealthy Arab or Indian
merchants at 10 to 25 per cent, interest. The manner in which the debts of operatives
to financiers and of financiers to capitalists are adjusted will be described further on,
but the different forms of contract prevalent among them are too numerous and
too complicated to be detailed. Formerly the hold of the Musaqqam class upon
the industry was very strong, and many boats were fitted out with their assistance;
but their position is no longer what it was, and their numbers are dwindling. In
Bahrain, it is said, there are now only 3 Musaqqams (2 Baharinah and 1 a Sunni
Arab), and not more than 10 per cent, of the Bahrain fleet have dealings with them.
Once even Indian merchants did not despise the profession of Musaqqam.
The general term for the pearl fishery is Ghaus (literally "diving"), and all Classes of
the classes that take part in the active operations are included under the common 0 P eratlves -
denomination of Ghawawis (singular, Ghawwas).
The unit of organisation is the boat's crew, and within this unit the chief
personage is the Nakhuda (plural, Nawakhidah) or captain, in whom full authority
and entire responsibility are vested. The Nakhuda is, in 7 or 8 cases out of 10, the
owner of the boat which he commands; but sometimes he is the hirer of the boat,
or again he may be merely an employe of the boat owner. Next in importance to
the Nakhuda are the Ghasah (singular, Ghais) or " Divers," followed by the
Siyub (singular, Saib) or " Haulers." One or more Radhafah (singular, Radhif) or
extra hands are generally carried to assist the haulers, and sometimes a Walaid
(plural, Aulad) or apprentice is taken, whose duty it is to catch fish, cook, look after
the pipes and coffee, and attend to other minor duties.
The Ghasah, whose only work is to dive, are mostly poor Arabs and free negroes
or negro slaves; but Persians and Baluchis are also to be found among them, and,
in recent years, owing to the large profits made by divers, many respectable Arabs
have joined their ranks. The efficiency of a diver depends more on his skill and
daring than on the strength of his constitution,—the last being a point on which
undue stress has sometimes been laid by writers upon pearling; and a slave divei
who is not afraid to enter deep and muddy water containing weeds is ordinarily
valued at considerably over Rs. 1,000. The Siyub, whose duties are merely to
manage the boat and to lower and pull up the divers, are usually landsmen oi
ex-divers whom age or other causes have obliged to abandon diving.
The total crew of a pearl boat varies from 10 to 40 men, the average number
being about 16 for the whole Gulf. The number of the Ghasah is generally less
than that of the regular Siyub in the same boat, standing to it in a proportion o
10 to 11, 12 or even more; the reason of this arrangement is that, if a diver were o
be thrown out of work for want of a hauler, the loss would be greater than me
expense of carrying a few extra Siyub. These extra Siyub, who must no e
confounded with the Radhafah, are called Jalalis or " Sitters (smguiar Jallas)
All sorts of boats are now used for pearling, even jolly-boats being m these days
fitted out for the purpose, but the majority are Sambuks; and after e h
come, in order of frequency, Batlls, Baqarahs and Shu ais. A pear ° fi ,
largest dimensions, to carry 40 men, costs Rs. 30,000 or more to c °^ s ^ c , con duct Seasons.
There were formerly, and are still, two recognised seasons ^ the conduct
of pearling operations at sea; but their incidence has changed in tt r c
Thirty years ago the earlier season was the Ghaus-al-Bard or
which began at the middle of April and continued for the mldness of
Ghaus-al-Bard the operations were confined to shallow v/ater,
the sea, obliged the divers to work in alternate half-hour shitts. ^1^ the
The next, which has always been the principal season and is ca 1 ^
Ghaus-al-Kabir or " Great Diving ", formerly began in . middle of
Shamal and lasted till the end of September; now, however, it g
48533 Q
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Boats.