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

A popular illustrated account of the pearl fishery of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The article describes the pearl banks of the Gulf of Mannar, the seasonal organization of the fishery, the boats and divers employed, the collection of pearl oysters and the methods used to recover the pearls. It also discusses the dangers faced by divers and the commercial importance of the fishery. The article is a useful early nineteenth-century popular account of one of the world’s most famous natural-pearl fisheries and reflects contemporary British interest in the resources and industries of Ceylon. Abridged from Cordiner's History of Ceylon.