Page 401 - PERSIAN GULF ADMINISTRATION REPORTS V1

AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AQENCY FOR TUB TEAR 1877-78. 33
him from (ho burning embraces of these most unpleasant bath fellows.
They have no fear of sharks or dog fish; &cci<lculs of this sort are
said to be unknown.
On reaching the bottom the diver holds on with one hand and
one foot, propelling himself with the other, nrnl making use of his
disengaged hand to gather the shells and put them in the small sacking
bag that hangs round his neck. Sometimes he is floated away by a
current, and on these occasions the exertion is severely felt, and ho
comes up exhausted. As a rule, however numerous the shells may be,
a niau cannot gather more than fifteen or sixteen per dive.
18. That this incessant plunging entails a severe physical strain
will be obvious, and indeed the divers are liable to sundry ailments, of
which the worst arc madness, cramps, and paralysis, the latter being
sometimes a merely temporary^form of the disease.
A lesser ailment, but one that is constantly suffered from, is a
softening and rotting of the skin; to guard against this the divers
constantly rub in “ japt” or tanning, when turning in for the night.
A few common drugs arc always kept in the boat, the favourite
being senna, which is mixed up with raisins and tamarind, but burning
with hot iron is the mode of cure most frequently attempted when the
illness looks serious.
19. Altogether it would appear that the diver has rather a hard
time of it, but lie is buoyed up by hopes of reward for extra exertions
and windfalls (if such a term is applicable under the circumstances).
Of the nature of this latter is the “ Tabrch,” which is the best piece
of luck that can befall him. This
Soc pan. 35.
entitles him to a new suit of clothes
from the Nakhoda and a present for the crew.
Another form of good fortune is that in which a pearl is found
outside the shell, or attached to it; in either case, as also in tlie c%oit
of a shell containing an unformed pearl, it is t ic prop r )
diver and crew, and no deduction of 20 per cent is allowed to the
Musaygum on the market value of the find.
It is customary also to make him a small present if he finds a good
pearl during the opening of the shells, which operation takes place
eveiy morning regularly, after prayers are over, ana before the diving
begins.
The crew sit round the heap gathered during the previous day
and set to work on them with crooked knives. When all have been
opened, and the pearls extracted have been examined, they are given
into the Nakhoda's keeping, who weighs and records all particular* every
fifth day.
20. It follows from the dependent position of all the minor
agents engaged in this business, that, from the impecunious Nnkhoda
down to the boat boys, all are more or lcs3 tied nad bound by local
usage and customs from which they cannot 6hake free.
The Nokhcda fo bound to the Muraygura, and the crew to the
Nakhoda in liko manner, on account of the advance* of food, &c.,
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