gems, pearl, Ceylon, Sri Lanka, Gulf of Manaar

Markham describes the pearl fishery of Tinnevelly (Tirunelveli) on the southeastern coast of India and the pearl banks of the Gulf of Mannar, discussing their history, natural conditions, organization, and economic importance. He describes the pearl oyster and the offshore banks on which it occurs, the methods used to examine the banks and determine when they were ready for fishing, and the organization of the fishing season. Particular attention is given to the divers, their methods of descending and collecting oysters, the risks of the occupation, and the subsequent opening of the oysters, recovery of pearls, and their sorting and valuation. Markham also considers the fluctuating productivity of the banks and the importance of careful management to prevent their premature exploitation. The paper provides a useful nineteenth-century account of one of the most important historic natural-pearl fisheries of South Asia.