The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-30

COlOn6l FELLY mas maOe Toport W WIG oo'oAii
ment Of Bombay on the pearl fisheries OF the
Persian Gulf. he says:
The pearl oyster beds extend at intervals
almost along the entire length OF the Arabian
coast of the Gulf from little below the port Of
Koweit to the northward down to the neighbor-
hood of Rass-ool- Khaimah, southwark. There
are also some beds near Ka '~ack and at other
points on the Persian coast lii =, but these latter
are OF comparatively little account as being far
less extensive less prolific and less lucrative.
The beds along the Arabian coast are he'd to be
the property Of the Arabs in common for in
stance, an Arab Of Koweit may dive along the
Bahren or Rass. .ool- Khaimah coast and utce uesa.
But no person other than the Coast Arabs ls con-
sidered to have any right OF diving and 1t IS
ers would create general ferment along the coast
line. The richest banks are those OF the islands
OF Bshrein. They are found at oil depths, from
little below high water mark down to three seven,
twelve, seventeen and eighteen fathoms. 1t is
probable that there are beds at much greater
depth; for instance, if, as is supposed, it be the
fact that there are beds in the lnlets OF the MUS
sendom promontory, these beds must have depth
Of twenty-five or twenty-five fathoms.
It is held as q rule that the lustre OF the pearl
depends on the depth Of the water-the greater
the depth, the finer the lustre. There does not
seem to be any known law governing the more or
less perfect sphericity OF the pearl The best oys
ter beds are said to be level, and formed of fine
whitish sand overlaying the coral in clear water.
A mixture of mud or earthly substance with the
sand is considered to be detrimental to the pearl,
and the beds having this defect are liable to ex.
haustion. It is to this cause that the Arabs OF
Bahrein attribute the exhaustion of the pearl beds
on the coast of Scinde and Ceylon; while the beds
OF the Persian Gulf although annually fshed
from the earliest historic periods, continue pro-
lihc as ever-one or two OF the most recent past
years having given more than usually abundant
return. -t7it .tc tn.
The notion that the Arabs feed their oyster
beds at particular seasons OF the year seems to
be erroneous. No care whatever is taken OF the
beds. The oysters swell about over the SAND OF
slighty attach themselves by the hinge to bits OF
sesweed or coral, and are discerned by the divers
from their boats in groups below the clear water.
The diving period is from the warm spring in
April to the end Of the hot summer months OF
August and September. There may be from
the entire coast, each boat containing from ten,
twenty to thirty-two men. Of the above number
Of boats some fifteen hundred may belong to
Bahrein. A few of these boats may reap inde-
pendently the fruits OF their own labors but the
great majority are in the hands of agents OF pearl
merchants, whether Hindoo or other, who reside
in the towns of the littoraL These agents make
advances Of money to the divers during the nom
diving season, and when the spring comes on the
boats are supplied with 30 many days dates, rice,
and other provisions, and start away for the
.anks returning as provisions fail or weather
compels. Hundreds Of boats may be seen anchor
ed ata time on the banks. .,..
4 As q rule the diving may be in water Of four to
seven Ygthoms in depth. Fifteen fathoms diving
is considered extremely prejudicial to longevity,
and occasionally proves fatal. In any case the
crew isitold Of into divers and rpe-holders, and
the fcrmer diving, while the latter keep. the boat
and stand by to haul the diver up. Each diver has
his comrads sor the purpose. The diver strips,
Closes his nostris with horned pincers, has rope
attached to his grdle and stone or other weight
TO mis- foot He then drops overheard feet fore
most, snd on reaching the bottom collects his
oysters until hecan no longer remain below, when
he pulls at the string, let's 60 the stone weight,
and is hauled on board by his oomrade. The
stone weight is attached to second rope, by
which it is afterwards hauled up. The oysters
are collected intoa bag or other receptacle at
tached to the Divers chest and waist.
The annual product OF the pearl fisheries is
assumed to be as follows turn Of the Bahrein
pearl divers twenty acs Of rupees, or f2OO 0OO out
turn OF the divers from the Arab ittoral OF the
Persian Gulf other than Bahrein, twenty lacs OF
rupees, or 100000 total, f4O0,00 The great
bulk of the best pearls is sent to the Bombay mar
ket, where, during the late share mania, fancy
prices were given for good pearls. A large num-
Der Of pearls are sent towards Bandad. AS q rule,
the Bombay market prefers the pearl OF yellowish
hue and perfect sphericity, while the Bagdad
market prefers the white pearl. The small seed
poarls go principally to Bagdad Also"