to ‘pull up’ in the Gulf of Manaar, where we shall arrive during the night.”
The captain then said something to the mate, who went out immediately. The Nautilus soon descended again, and remained at a depth of about thirty feet.
Map in hand I searched for the Gulf of Manaar. I descried it in the 9th parallel on the N.E. coast of Ceylon.
“Professor Aronnax,” said Captain Nemo, “pearls are found in the Bay of Bengal, in the Indian Ocean, in Japanese and Chinese seas, in the South American waters, in the gulfs of Panama and California, but it is at Ceylon that this fishery obtains the best results. We shall soon get there. The divers only assemble in March in the Gulf of Manaar, and there for thirty days their 300 boats reap a glorious harvest. Each boat is fitted for six rowers and six divers. These in two parties descend alternately to a depth of more than 150 feet by means of a heavy stone, which they retain between their feet, and which is fastened to the boat by a rope.”
“This,” said I, “was the primitive method. Is it still used?”
“Yes,” replied the captain, “even now when the fisheries belong to the English, to whom they were ceded by the Treaty of Amiens in 1802.”
“It seems to me, captain, that the diver’s dress you have would suffice in this expedition.”
“Yes, for the poor fishers cannot remain long under water. Perceval, an Englishman, in his ‘Travels in Ceylon,’ spoke highly of a Caffre, who remained for five minutes under water, but I can scarcely credit it. I know that some divers can stay for fifty-seven seconds, and very skilful ones for eighty-seven, which is very seldom done, and when they return to the boat, these unfortunate fellows bleed from
