The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-11-16

known as the Periya paar, scientific
experts in the year 1902 estimated the
number of young oysters at one hum
dred thousand million, but so insecure
was their existence that on inspection
few months later 1t was found that
all had been swept away.
Under Government Control.
The fisheries have been under gov
ernment control and the taking Of the
oysters Is permitted only after an In
spection discloses that they are pres
ent In sufficient numbers. News that
fishery Is to be held travels as BY
wireless telegraphy throughout CeylOn.
India, and other parts Of the East, and
at the prescribed time 10000 to $4,000
people gather in a few days on a strip
Of desert sand, with the Gulf Of Manaar
on one side and the jungle on the other,
at point convenient to the pearl-oys-
ter grounds. A town overing square
mile springs up like boom town In
the West, with regular streets, private
houses, shops, markets, banks, ceme-
terry, and government buildings, such
as court house, post and telegraph
offices, prison, and hospital. In the out
skirts of the town large water tanks
are constructed to supply water for
washing clothes and for bathing; there
are also wells or cisterns throughout
the town. AS there Is no harbor, the
fishing boats draw up In a long line on
the beach.
A more heterogeneous aggregation OF
humanity could hardly be found else
where. Besides the officials, with
their assistants and servants and the
force Of 200 native police, there are
the multitudes of fishermen, merchants,
mechanics, pawnbrokers, money! lend
ers, priests, coolies, and pearl buyers
and spectators, of every conceivable
color, speaking score Of tongues, and
representing half dozen religions. To
amuse, divert and prey on those who
have legitimate business in the pearl
town, there are fakirs, jugglers, dane
ers, beggars, gamblers, and loose char
acters Of both sexes. ~
As soon as the fishery is over, the
entire place seems to dissolve In a day
as IL by magic, the people hurry to
their homes. the pearl town lapses
again into a solitary sandy waste, and
the beasts of the jungle take possess
sion. Marichchukaddi may spring In
to being the next season, but may re-
main non-existent for many years.
How the Divers Work.
The fishing boats start for thu
grounds soon after midnight, so as to
be ready for work as soon as daylight
comes. They take positions about the
supervising vessel mo0red over the
particular ground selected, anchor,
and remain actively engaged until
noon, when the entire feet sets sail
and starts for the shore.
Except for loin cloth, the divers
are naked. Their fingers are covered
by flexible leather shields to protect
them from the rough corals and shells.
In order to facilitate the descent, each
diver employs fat, oval stone, weigh
Ing 80 to 80 pounds. The stone n
perforated at one end to receive a rope.
and close to the stone kind Of
stirrup IL made In the rope to accom-
modate the divers foot The stone il
suspended at depth Of four or fiye
feet below the surface by means Of 4
cord attached to an outrigger.
When ready to descend, the diver
places one foot on the stone, the other
on the rim Of rope basket attached to
q rope. infates his lungs loosens the