[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier) › [Travels in India (Ball)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball) › 100.2 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 100.2 Travels in India (Ball) 100.2 - **Language:** English ### [100.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.2) Moreover, it should not be supposed that a great profit is earned by those who fish for pearls ; for if the poor people who engage in it had anything else to do they would leave the fishing, which merely saves them from dying of hunger. I have remarked in my account of Persia, that from Bassora up to Cape Jasque, on both coasts of the Gulf of Persia, the land produces nothing. The people there are so poor, and live in so miserable a manner, that they never have any bread or rice, and have only dates and salt fish for their food, and you must travel nearly 20 leagues inland before finding grass. This fishing in the Eastern seas takes place twice in the year, the first being in March and April, and the second in August and September, and the sale lasts from the month of June till November, but this fishing does not take place every year. For those who fish like to know beforehand whether it will pay. In order not to be deceived they send to the fisheries seven or eight boats, each of which brings back about 1000 oysters, which are opened, and if there is not found in every thousand oysters the value of 5 fanos of pearls — that is to say a half écu of our money — it is accepted as a proof that the fishing will not be good, and that these poor people would not recover the outlay which they would have to incur. For both on account of their outfit and for their food during the time of the fishing they borrow money at the rate of from 3 to 4 per cent per month. - [Previous: 100.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.1) - [Next: 100.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.3) - [Up: 100](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.2) · Pramāṇa