Page 402 - PERSIAN 1 1873_1879 Admin Report1_Neat

31 administration report of the Persian gulf political residency
which all have received, so that in the ease of one of them levantin*
and throwing in his lot with another master, should he he recognized
he is immediately recaptured, " Artcvel. martc,” and failing this, redress
is sought by an appeal to the Chiefs. As a rule, however, there is very
little quarrelling, and boats even of tribes at enmity with each other
will often pursue their business within a few cables length of each
other without disturbance.
21. There is usually one chief boat in a fleet to which the others
from the same port or district look for guidance, and when this one
hoists the flag of departure, the lesser fry generally follow suit.
22. There is a certain amount of entertaining among the
Nakhodas, who visit each other's ships of an evening to discuss coffee,
wafer cakes, aud “ kullians,*” as well
• Pipes.
as to compare notes on their mutual
successes or failure.

Seasons.
23. There are three different seasons in which fishing is carried
on. The first is the “ Ghusul Bard,” which opens in the springs when
deep sea fishing is not attempted, and lasts for about 40 days, beginning
about the 15th April.
The divers have to relieve each other every half hour or so, on
account of the cold, and the share of the proceeds of this fishery is
equally* divided between the divers and the <l haulers,” as these arc sup­
posed to have to work more than during the summer fishing.
24. The second is the fishing season par excellence, the Ghusul-i-
Knbir, which begins when the blustering “ sliimals” of June are over,
and lasts all through the great heats till the end of September.
25. The third is the cold weather fishing "Mojennah,” which is
conducted principally by wading the shallows along the coast. The
boats arc armed to repel the attacks of the Bedouins, which arc not
infrequent, but altogether this season's fishing produces small profits, the
pearls being for the most part small aud discoloured, but not as a rule
malformed.
Sucli then are the seasons for the ’ regular Gulf fisheries, but largre
boats often go from the Arab Coast and fish at Socotra, returning home
sometimes only after a lapse of two years, and having visited Aden,
Moeulla, &c. These boats insure themselves against losses from bad
luck in pearl fishing, by taking the shell of the Zinni Mussel, on which
they make considerable profit.
l\
'^vHaib or Pearl Banes.
26. The pearl oyster is found in all the waters from Has
----------,—....w.w are now no famed banks on the
.
sendora to the head of the Gulf, but there
I crviun side, although mention is still made of some minor ones. O*®
writers allude to several which were well known on those shores, and I

•In cuutradistinctlou to the ihurra of 8 to 2.