'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎456] (487/582)

^0 THE PEARL FISHERY OF BAHREIN.
state of indolence and dissipation as their religion and their
habits will admit of. These men, as might be expected, who pass
one-half of their lives in the most fatiguing labours, and the
other half in dissipation, seldom live to an old age. They use
the precaution of oiling the orifices of their ears, and placing a
horn over the nose when they dive, to prevent the water from
entering by these apertures; but when they have been long
engaged in this service, their bodies are subject to break out in
sores, and their eyes become blood-shot and weak ; and all their
faculties seem to undergo a premature decay.
The terms of conducting an adventure in this fishery, vary so
much at every season, and with every individual boat, that no rule
can be laid down as a general one, except that each party is allow
ed to participate in the gain, in proportion to the capital he has
embarked, or the personal service which he renders, and that strict
justice and impartiality in the division prevails.
The largest and finest pearls are brought up from the deepest
water, and all of them are said to be as hard when they are first
taken out of the fish, as they are ever afterwards. They are, when
new, of a purer white than after they become exposed to the air;
and are calculated to lose, in this respect, one per cent, annually in
value. There are two kinds of pearls found: the yellow one,
which is sent chiefly to India, where those with this tinge are pre
ferred ; and the pure white, which are more esteemed in Europe,
and find a better market also at all the great Turkish and Persian
towns. The pearl of Bahrein is considered by all as very superior
to that of Ceylon. The last is said to peel off, from not having
acquired its perfect consistency when first taken, and to lose con
stantly in colour ; whereas that of Bahrein is firm, and secure from
that injury, and after a period of about fifty years, ceases to lose
any thing in purity of colour. Before the pearls are sent off from
the island, they are carefully assorted as to size, shape, tint,
&c., and being drilled through, are strung on threads, and made
up into round bundles of about three inches diameter, sealed and