The well-known lack of the historical faculty among the peoples of India prior to the advent of Muhamma danism involves us in all but utter ignorance of the exact localities, course, and conduct of the pearl fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar, as well on the Ceylon as on the Indian side, until the date when European control began. Anterior to the Portuguese seizure of the fisheries in 1524,f the glimpses we catch are hazy and unsatisfactoryglimpses recorded on their return home by sailors and travelling merchants belonging to other countries. Greeks, Egyptians, Barbarv Moors, Arabs, Venetians and Genoese have all referred incidentally to these fisherie's as among the notable sights seen during their journeyings, whereas Tamil and Singhalese writers had uo thoughts save for the glory and exploits of their kings and the advancement and excellence of their religious systems. The latter refer to pearls solely to utilise the idea of their beauty and the mystery of their origin for the purposes of their exuberant and florid imagery and in the exaggerated descriptions of the riches of their kings and temples. ''• But the first port after leaving the Ruddy Mountain is Balita and next to that is " Komar which has a port and a harbour .... From Komar the district extends ' : to Kolkhi and the pearl fishery which is conducted by slaves or criminals condemned " to the service, and the whole southern point of the continent is part of Pandyan's ' : dominion. The first place that succeeds after leaving Kolkhi is the Bay Argulus " connected with a district inland (of the same name). Here and here only the pearls " obtained in the fishery at the island of Epidorus || are perforated and prepared for the " market and from the same island are procured the fine muslins sprinkled with 11 pearls." * The term " Mad ora Coast " is employed in these pages, unless it be specified otherwise, in its wider and more ancient sense ; it signifies here the sea hoard of the ancient Kingdom of Madura, and therefore includes the share of the modern district of Tinneveily as well as that of the Madura district. t Gaspar Correa, " Lendas da India ' ', Tolume II. * Vide the " Mahawansa." « Vaikkarai in theOoehin district. Most probably this is the island of Mannar, formerly the headquarters of the Ceylon Pearl fishery. Korkai were separate cities, saying, "The site of this town (Korkai) which stood on * Probably written about the same time as the " Periplus ". t This name Tambraparni in its Romano-Greek form of Taprobane was also the accepted cognomen of the island of Ceylon among the Romans of the empire. Variations in the manner of spelling are many-Tambrapurni, Tamraparni Tambiapanni, Vamrapanni and others. Much ingenuity has been displayed (and wasted) in seeking plausible derivations. AlHhose quoted in Tennent's " Ceylon " seem to be purely fanciful ; I do not think we need go beyond the terms Tambiram, copper, and Varnam, or Farnam, colour, words in common u6e among Tamils, in seeking for the meaning of the name. No feature strikes the stranger on a...