Page 289 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

The pearl fisheries, 1877-1878 615

A>’1> MUSCAT POLITICAL AQENCY FOR THE YEAR 1877-78. 31

(0 pay off Ins debts by yearly instalments. A paper of release (from
obligations) is supplied by the Musaygura, and the Nakhoda seeks
another employer.
This new master sees the amount of yearly instalment due, and is
liable himself for it for the year that he receives the Nakhoda into his
service.
In turn lie also is similarly protected, but the whole instalments
due to the first master must be paid up before the second master can
claim those which have been assessed as hU due.
Of course, the whole boat’s crew is more or less in debt to the
Nakhoda as he himself is to the Bunneab, so that when it suits the
latter to sell up a Nakhooda rather than await payment of the debt by
instalments, he does so to the extent of the boat aud the crew. Hero
however his claims are ended, and from that moment the Nakhoda is
a free man, his house and other property on shore cannot be touched,
and he is able to enter into new contracts elsewhere. This he generally
does, getting together a fresh crew, and hiring a boat at the recognised
rate of 20 per cent, on tho valuo of the season's harvest.
One further prohibitory custom that obtains iu the Gulf should
be mentioned, it is this, that should a stranger buy pearls privately from
a Nakhoda, without the permission of his Musaygura, he becomes
responsible for all the Nakhoda's debts even if these are far in excess
of the value of the pearls which have changed hands.

Altogether, looking at the position of the Bunneah in the Persian
Gulf, it would seem to be rather an enviable one according to their
ideas. They are well protected, and have every opportunity of amassing
considerable wealth.
II. It* will bo noticed below that the crew of the boats engaged
in these fisheries have all a recognized
• Scs para. 12.
definite share in the results of their
enterprise.
The Nakhoda is the master, the responsible man, and often owns
the boat himself.
The Seb or saib, the hauler, comes next, and lastly the " ghoas*
or diver; besides these working hands there are usuallyaboy or two
employed to catch fish for the daily food, (which is done by putting
down traps at night, shaped like an English Eel trap) to cook, and
for other purposes.
The Nakhoda is either " khali" («*.«, free from debt), the actual
owner of the boat, and rich enough to conduct operations and provision
bis boat and crew without having recourse to a «Musavgum, or be
owns the boat, but has not money enough to do this, or, lasUy he has
merely hired the boat at the usual rate of 20 pc' cent on the value
of the season’a gains.
In either of these latter cases he is enr;>ticclly no longwfroe
ns he falls into the hands of the Musaygum. Once in that gentlemans
books it is not easy to make hauls largo enough to get out of them
again, or do more than gain a bare subsistence.