Page 292 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

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618 Records oj Bahrain

34 ADMINISTRATION RETORT OF THE PERSIAN QULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
which all have received, go that in tho ease of one of them levanting
and throwing in his lot with another master, should he be recognized,
he is immediately recaptured, “ Arte vcl. martc,” and failing this, redress
is sought by an appeal to the Chiefs. Asa 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 Game 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 entertaiuing among the
Nakhodas, who visit each other's ships of an evening to discuss coffee,
wafer cakes, aud “ kullians,*” as well
• IMpes.
as to compare notes on their mutual
successes or failure.
Seasons.
23. There are three different seasons in which Ashing is carried
on. The first is the “Ghusul Bard,” which opens in the spring when
deep sea Ashing is not attempted, aud 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 flshery is
equally* divided between the divers and the u haulers,” as these arc sup­
posed to have to work more than during the summer Ashing.
24. The second is the Ashing season par excellence, the Ghusul-i-
Kabir, which begins when the blustering “sliimals" of June arc over,
and lasts all through the great heats till the end of September.
25. The third is the cold weather Ashing “Mojennah,” which is
conducted principally by wading the shallows along the coast. The
Wits arc a mud to repel the attacks of the Bedouins, which are not
infrequent, hut altogther this season's Ashing produces small proAts, the
pearls being for the most part 6mall aud discoloured, but not as a rule
malformed.
Such then are the seasons for the‘regular Gulf fisheries, but large
Wats often go from the Arab Coast and fish at Socotra, returning borne
i sometimes only after a lapse of two years, and having visited Aden,
Moculla, &c. These boats insure themselves against losses from had
luck in pearl fishing, by taking the shell of the Zinni Mussel, on which
they make considerable profit.

IIaib or Pearl Banks.
26. The pearl oyster is found in all the waters from Bas Mus-
sendom to the head of the Gulf, but there are now no famed banks on the
1 emun side, although mention is still made of some minor ones. Old
writers allude to several which were well known on those shores, and I

• to coutriuJi»tInctlon to tbr ilftrrc of 8 to 2.