Page 80 - Records of Bahrain (3) (ii)_Neat

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496 Records uj Bahrain

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or diver receiving 3 shares, each Saib or hauler 2, and each lladlnC or
extra hand 1 ; the Walaid or apprentice is not entitled to a shale 'L'lie
Nlkliuda, besides commanding the boat, may also own her, and may
himself take part in the work of diving: in this case lie will lie
remunerated not only as a Nakhuda, but also as an owner and a diver in
addition.

Financial regulations of the pearl fishery on the Arabian side.

Pearling operations having been carried on in the past very largely
with borrowed capital and being still to ^considerable extent so financed,
it is not surprising to find that the industry is governed by stringent
customs as to debt, which have the force of law and are steadily enforced
by local tribunals.
To make the situation intelligible it should bo explained that many Prevalence oi
Nakhudas, especially those who are not owners of boats, owe more than debt,
they can pay to their Musaqqams on account of the expenses of fating out
ancl provisioning their vessels and of retaining the services of capable divers
by giving them money advances; also that even those Nakhudas who are
Khali ,jJ^ or free from debt are often in a precarious position, inasmuch
a6 they"are responsible for the debts due from their divers to Nakhudas by
whom the divers may have been previously employed. In a similar way,
and even more generally, the divers are indebted to their Nakhudas for
advances, and, being an extravagant class, the amounts which they have
borrowed are often large and in some cases reach so high a figure as
Rs. 3,000 a diver; yet, in the stress of competition which now prevails, the
Nakhudas dare not refuse advances to their divers, even in the off-season,
in case they should desert them and take service elsewhere. In view of
their own financial responsibilities and of the probability that the whole
debt due by a diver may be lost in event of his death, Nakhudas arc
extremely careful in the choice of their Gliasah. It is evident that,
under such a system of finance and in such a society as have been
described, the rights of lenders can only be safeguarded by rules of an
exceedingly drastic character.
The Nakhuda, as we have already stated, is obliged, in certain Mus:«qqftms
circumstances, to transfer the whole of the season's take to his Musaqqam and
at a rate equal to about four-fifths of its market value; should he a8,
disregard this obligation and dispose of his pearls to any other person,
the purchaser becomes liable to the Musaqqam for the amount of the
Nakhuda's debts, even if they exceed the value of the pearls which he
has bought. The M usaqqam, on the other hand, has the right to abrogate
his connection with the Nakhuda at any time, if he finds it to his
interest to do 60; and, should the Nakhuda, when this occurs, be unable to
pay his debts, the Musaqqam may insist on the 6ale of the Nakhuda's
boat, if he owns one, after which the divers belonging to the boat may
be engaged by new masters, on payment to the insolvent Nakhuda of the
debts which stand against their names in his books: the house and
other property of the Nakhuda, however, are exempt from seizure, uuless