'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎61r] (126/180)

Ill
position, inasmuch as they are responsible for the debts due from their divers to
Nakhudas by whom the divers may have been previously employed. In a similar
way, and even more generally, the divers are indebted to their Nakhudas for
advances, and, being an extravagant class, the amounts which they have borrowed
are often large and in some cases reach so high a figure as RS.3,000 a diver; yet,
in the stress of competition which now prevails, the Nakhudas dare not refuse
advances to their divers, even in the off-season, in case they should desert them
and take service elsewhere. In view of their own financial responsibilities and of
the probability that the whole debt due by a diver may be lost in event of his
death, Nakhudas are extremely careful in the choice of their Ghasah. It is evident
that, under such a system of finance and in such a society as have been described,
the rights of lenders can only be safeguarded by rules of an exceedingly drastic
character. , • , . . .
The Nakhuda, as we have already stated, is obliged, in certain circumstances, Musaqqams
to transfer the whole of the season's take to his Musaqqam at a rate equal to about and
four-fifths of its market value; should he disregard this obligation and dispose Nakhudas.
of his pearls to any other person, the purchaser becomes liable to the Musaqqam
for the amount of the Nakhuda's debts, even if they exceed the value of the pearls
which he has bought. The Musaqqam, on the other hand, has the right to abrogate
his connection with the Nakhuda at any time, if he finds it to his interest to do
so; and, should the Nakhuda, when this occurs, be unable to pay his debts, the
Musaqqam may insist on the sale of the Nakhuda's boat, if he owns one, after
which the divers belonging to the boat may be engaged by new masters, on
payment to the insolvent Nakhuda of the debts which stand against their names
in his books: the house and other property of the Nakhuda, however, are exempt
from seizure, unless specially included as security in the agreement between himself
and the Musaqqam. There is, however, an alternative to these severe measures
and, except in the case of wilfully defaulting Nakhudas, it is almost invariably
preferred by the Salifat-al-Ghaus,—a tribunal presently to be mentioned; it consists
in the fixing of annual instalments for the discharge of the debt, and, when this
has been done by a decree of the Salifat-al-ohaus and a paper has been
given by the Musaqqam to the Nakhuda stating the amount of the debt
and of the annual instalment, the Nakhuda is free to form relations with another
Musaqqam, In the event of his finding a patron, the new Musaqqam by whom ne
is entertained becomes liable to the former Musaqqam for the regular payment
of the annual instalments and so continues as long as the Nakhuda remains m
his service, and the debts of the original Musaqqam must be discharged in full
before the new Musaqqam can claim repayment of any^ which may have become
due to himself, but the second Musaqqam enjoys a priority over any third or later
Musaqqam similar to that which the first Musaqqam possesses in regard to nimselr.
The obligations of divers to Nakhudas are similar, that is to say, no diver Nakhudas
may leave the service of a Nakhuda to whom he owes anything, and, if a diver and divers,
violates this rule, the new Nakhuda by whom he is entertained is held responsib e
to the old Nakhuda for the whole amount of the debts due to the latter by tne
The Musaqqam, it should be noted, is not bound to dispose of his pearls to capitalists
the merchant from whom he may have borrowed money for his operations. Musaqqams.
The rules just described are enforced in every Arab principality by a tribunal Tribunals,
known as the Salifat-al-Ghaus or " Diving Court." This tribunal is no a
permanent institution but is constituted, when required, by the - iai o
principality, who appoints one or more men—generally Nakhudas of rep
are well versed in the usages of the pearl fisheries—to compose it an ^ act f.^^f -
Before this tribunal the Musaqqam, the Nakhuda and the diver all stand on an
equal footing; and by its decision they are absolutely bound. e
not itself administer oaths, and, when an oath is necessary, t e par i
before a Qadhi in order that it may be taken.
The trade in mother-of-pearl.
[pp. 2240-2]
The principal mother-of-pearl emporia in the Gulf are r a ^
Bushehr, and from these the shells are ordmanly shl PP ed . ^ ^ TL frTde has
Europe, where they are known by the name of Lmgeh , crisis,
been somewhat injudiciously conducted and has experienced ^ c