Page 353 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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The Pearl Industry.

The main features of the 1250/51 season may be summed
up and explained as follows

1. The Catch. The catch was small and no large
pearls were found by Bahrain divers.
One extremely large pearl, of poor quality, was found
by a mainland boat and bought by liessrs. Gozaibi Bros.

No single pearl caught by a Bahrain boat is said to
have realised, at rock bottom price^more than Rs 15,000/-.

2. Boats diving. Fewer boats went out and of those
that sailed the proportion of Khammamis greatly increased.
The two chief systems of diving are Selafieh and Ehammas.
In the former case the Nakhuda is financed by a Taajar,

and his divers receive the amount of advances laid down
by the State, in return for the financial backing the
Nakhuda sells his pearls to his Taajar. The accounts

are made up at the end of the season.
In the case of Khammamis, the men join a boat and dive
for one "Tershahn (trip) and accounts are made after each

trip. Divers are advanced a fe?/ rupees and the cost of
equipping a boat for a trip is much less than in the case

of Selafieh boats. No debts are carried on from season
to season.
The Khammamis divers are less subject to their nakhudas*

discipline as they are not with him permanently, they go
to sea for shorter periods and on the whole their system is
less substantial and less organised than the Selafieh system
and their catches are usually less important.

3. Pearl -prices. Almost all the pearls of the new
season were sold and the price of medium and good pearls,