[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) › 100.3 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 100.3 Travels in India (Ball) 100.3 - **Language:** English ### [100.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.3) Accordingly, if, at the least, 1000 oysters do not yield 5 fanos worth of pearls, they do not fish during that year. The merchants buy the oysters on chance, and content themselves with what they find inside. It is a great piece of good fortune when large pearls are found, but it rarely occurs, especially at the Manar fishery, which produces no large ones, as I have said, the majority being only pearls to be sold by the ounce and ground into powder. Only a few among them weigh half a grain or a grain, and it is a great event when any of 2 or 3 carats are found. In some years the 1000 oysters contain up to 7 fanos worth, and the whole fishing yields 100,000 piastres and over. While the Portuguese were masters of Manar they levied toll from every boat, and the Dutch, who have taken possession of it from them, now levy 8 piastres from each diver, and sometimes up to 9; this yields them a revenue in the best years amounting to 17,200 reals. The reason why the Portuguese took this revenue from these poor people, and why the Dutch take it still, being that they are obliged to protect them against their enemies, the Malabaris, who come with armed boats to capture these fishers in order to make slaves of them. - [Previous: 100.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.2) - [Next: 100.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.4) - [Up: 100](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.100.3) · Pramāṇa