Page 82 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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40 CONCLUDING REMARKS.

sizes annually prosecuted the fishery. Each of two hundred large
boats carried a crew of one master, twelve divers, and twelve assistants in
all twenty-five persons ; one hundred boats of an intermediate size were
furnished each with one master, eight divers, and eight assistants, in all
seventeen persons; one hundred of the smallest boats each contained
one master, six divers, and six assistants, in all thirteen persons.
The sale of the yearly produce of the fishery was estimated at the
lowest rate at 40,000 Tomans, and each Toman at 18 Piastres Roomee.
The shares of the crews of these boats were determined after the
subtraction of one-fourth of the produce of each boat for the proprietor
of it, as follows: for the master three shares, for the diver two shares,
and for the assistant one share. The fishing season lasted for three
months.
The crews of these boats used generally to borrow sums of money,
sufficient to support themselves and families, from bankers resident on
the spot, in the following proportions: of the larger 100 Tomans, of the
intermediate 50 Tomans, and the smallest 30 Tomans, either in grain
or money, or both. On the advances of grain only, the lender never
gained less than fifty per cent., often one hundred per cent., as the
markets indicated ; but on the cash loans their faith admits of no interest
being given or received.
In unfavourable seasons of the fishery, these bankers occasionally
deferred the pressure of their claims until the third year, when, if the
boat belonged to the debtor, they sold it, and recovered the amount of
their claim ; if not, the debt was paid by degrees, from the profits of the
debtors, who in these cases undertook voyages to sea in the service of
merchants, or themselves made a venture to some of the neighbouring
ports, with fish and other cargo of their own.
By long custom, the fishermen were obliged to offer their pearls for
sale first to their creditor, who enjoyed the advantage of a discount of
ten per cent, if he approved of the article; if not, they were sold to the
highest bidder, and the debt of the year paid off. The governor gained
from each boat yearly the portion, or two shares, of a diver, with the
additional privilege of purchasing at half price.all pearls exceeding in
value 110 Tomans. He used to be extremely rigid in the exaction of
this right, and employed spies in each boat, who reported any delin-
quency, which was punished by the forfeiture of the full price of the
gem attempted to be concealed. This effectually prevented the crime.

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