Storia do Mogor 265.4.2

265.4.2

Since I am speaking of that coast, I will state how they obtain seed-pearls on the shores of Tutochorim (Tuticorin) and in Manar. The inhabitants know the time of year for removing the pearls. It is in the months of March and April. The Dutch, as lords of the sea-shore on the coast of Tuticorin, and of the coast of Manar in the island of Ceylon, give licenses to fish for twenty-one different days. In this way they begin at the end of March, and spread the fishing out to May 20 or thereabouts. In this fishery participate six hundred toni (Tamil, toni), which are vessels sufficient for the purpose. Every vessel has a crew of thirty men, who pay the Dutch six patacas a head if they are Christians, nine if Hindu, twelve if Mahomedans. The Christian boats are three hundred, those of the Hindus one hundred, and of the Mahomedans two hundred. Added together, these come to eighteen thousand men. These are the divers. Many more people collect as traders, carriers, including women and children. Ordinarily, during the fishing season there are forty thousand people. Each vessel pays one pataca for a cartajo (a license or permit). All this money together amounts to one hundred and forty-four thousand three hundred patacas. Besides this, the Dutch provide supplies of rice, pulses, salted fish, and flour, et cetera, for sale to all [172] this crowd. From this they derive great profit, for they sell at whatever prices they like.