Page 219 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

11

DIVING INDUSTRY.

Though the number of boats which went out to the banks was small the 1364 season on the
whole was a good one. High prices were obtained for pearls, which were eventually all sold in India
and both nakhudas and pearl merchants made big profits. The catch of pearls is estimated to have
been greater than in the previous year though few important pearls were found, the best pearl being
one from a boat of Jabr bin Musallem of Hcdd weighing 33 chows which was sold through Mansoor al
Arayadh to Shaikh Mustapha bin Abdullatif of Bombay for Rs. 12,000. In 1363 a similar pearl was
sold by the same nakhuda through the same broker to the same buyer for the same price.

Prices were high when the season opened but they fell towards the end of the first half of the
season, which was divided into two parts owing to the month of Ramadhan falling during the time of
diving. At the end of the season prices rose sharply. The following were the market prices of the
different grades of pearls
At the beginning of the season
Shirin ..Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per chow.
Golwa 30 „ „ 50 11
Badla .. 20 „ 99 20
Na’am .. 80 „ „ 85
At mid-season
Shirin .. „ 120 „ „ 150 •»
Golwa • • » 20 „ „ 35
Badla • • 10 „ „ 25 11
Na'am • • 65 „ „ 70 »•
At the end of the season
Shirin .. „ 140 „ „ 180 l»
Golwa »» 20 „ 40
Badla • 11 20 „ #1 16
Na’am 75 „ .. 80
• • II
In the most successful boat each diver received Rs. 645 and a puller received Rs. 430. This
money represents profit as the men are fed during the months in which they dive; the season lasts
for 4J months, so their earnings were comparable with a monthly salary of about Rs. 148 and Rs. 99
respectively. The average earnings of divers and pullers during the season were Rs. 411 and Rs. 274. I
.
The diving advances were higher than in the previous year, they amounted to Rs. 163 for I
divers and Rs. 141 for pullers and were made up as follows !
Diver. Puller. .
Tesqaam Rs. 45 35
First Selaf 45 35
First Kharjieh . 12 12
Second „ 23 23 -
Second Selaf 25 25
Interest 13 IX i
Rs. 163 141

The increase in the diving advances was made after the usual annual meeting of the leading
men of the industry including nakhudas, pearl merchants and boat owners who voted unanimously
for higher advances to cover the high cost of living which had to be borne by the families of the divers
who were left on shore and also in order that men should be attracted to the diving by the prospect
of more cash in hand. There is a tendency at the meetings of the men of the diving industry for the

: