Page 278 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

266 Records of Bahrain
to*the old system ol* no accounts and a mock court, they would
probably prefer it,for in these cirlumstanceu the divers v/ero
Blaves ic the Nakhudas could not be callod to account.But if the
reforms are to continue they undoubtedly prefer that the caucs be

takeas at present^ in a court, which they know to be unbiauocd/*
which is able to quickly dispose of their cases/ which all agree
would never be trtttsBWoo in any form of Salifeh court which could
at present be devised.
The Slate is at present aiming at the gradual
elimination of the system whereby the divers are kept permenantly i>v
debt.By regulating the amount of advances madetthis is being rap­

idly achieved. It is interesting to note how this system hag
arisen * become so abused*It has always boon the custom for divers
to recl^ve certain advances,such as the’Salaf* when the season
starts,to enable them to provide for families while they are away,
ic the 'Kharijieh1 during the season^* finally the 'Tisqiun1 after
accounts have boon settled for the season f which is by nature of a'
contract to dive with the same Naxhuda noxt season. Kept within
reasonable bourids ( as is the case in many places in the Gulf where
the Nakhudas have hot acquired such a hold over divers,* advance

only sums which are reasonably aovered by the seasons earnings) Xhx
there is nothing very harmful in this ays torn, but of late years the
prices of pearls having risen * the wealth of the Islands greatly
increased,there are many more persons engaged in the industry as
Nakhudas^* a shortage of divers arose. AYarjficiowv Nakhudas started
bribing the divers of others, to transfer their services,by paying
off tlif alleged debt to the first Nakhuda (generally much less than

tho diver himself was told1.) * offering larger advances. In this
way competition started,* up went the advances made,that is, the
advances for t he first few years each man dived. It might be sup­
posed that this was in favour of tho divers,but this is not so, the
Nakhudas continued the high advances in each case only sufficiently
long to get the divor heavily indebted so that lie could not buy
himself out,* there was li..tle danger in another Nakhuda risking
much^?o take him av/ay. Then the Nakhuda by swindling the diver
•ut tf his tamings contrived to keep him uteadily in uebt.