Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-12
Perils of the Sponge Diver.

Capt. Spratt of the Royal vessel Sptfre, who
/ proceeded sometime since to the Isle of Crete to
complete the surveys commenced under the di'
rectiUn Of Captain Graves, has just published
an entertaining volume Of his experience. The
east coast Of Crete is noted for its fine sponges,
and there are few trades that require more couf-
age and careful training than that of the sponge
gatherer. Thirty lathoms deep lies the object
OF his search, and only by theI assistance OF a
great weight can no descend 50 far. When
down the water presses on him at the rate OF
seyeDty-hve pounds to the square inch, and with
that great weight upon him he must keep his
respiration suspended or die. The whole mode
Of operation is thus described in Capt Spratt 9
work
"The mode Of operation preparatory to q
dive is very peculiar and interesting. The diver,
whose turn 1t is, takes bis seat on the deck OF
the vessel, a. sither bow or stern, and placing
by his side large fiat slab OF marble, weighing
about twenty-five pounds, to which is attached
rope Of the proper length and thickness Il l-2
ncb) be then strips and is left by his compan-
ions TO prepare himself This seems to consist in
devoting certain time 10 clearing the passage
Of his lungs by expectoration, and highly inlst-
ing them afterwar thus oxydizing his blood
very highly, by repetition Of deep inspirations.
The operation lasts from five 10 ten minutes. or
more, according 10 the depth, and during it the
operator is never nterfered with by his compan-
ions, and seldom speaks, or IL spoken to. He is
simply watched by two Of them, but al q little
distance, and they never venture to urge him OF
distract him in any way during the process. 1t
SCENE to the spectator as if the diver were going
through sort Of mysterious ceremony or in
cantation.
When, from some sensation, known only to
himself, after these repeated iong-drawn and
heavy Inspirations, be deems the fitting moment
to have arrived, he seizes the slab Of marble,
and after crossing himself and utterpg pray.
er, plunges with it, like returning dolphin,
into the seas, and rapidly descends. The stone
is always held, during the descent, directly in
front Of the head at arms length, and so far AZ
to ohor as litt.o resistance az possible and by
varying its inclination, it acts likewise as rud-
der, causing the descent to be more or less YER
tical as desired by the diver Az soon as he
reaches the bottom, he places the stone under
his arm to keep himself down, and then walks
abou: upon the rock, or crawls under its lodges,
stufiing the sponges into netted bag with a
hooped mouth which is strung around his neck
to receive them but he holds firmly to the stone
or rope all the while, as his safeguard for re-
turning and for making the known signal at the
time he desires it,
Now let us notice the proceedings Of hi, com
panions in the boat floating some twenty or
thirty fsthoms above him. The two men who
were nearest to him previously to his making
the dive, but who systematically seem to place
themselves 30 as to prevent him from conOslving
the idea OF being impatiently watched by them
while undergoing the preparation, spring TO
their feet as soon as he disappears, and rush to
the rope, which one Of them then holds in his
hand, veering it out or shortening it in as the
diver moves about upon the bottom and as
soon as the signal Indicative of his wish to re-
turn is felt, they commence hauling upon th G
rope with great energy and earnestness, and in
way calculated 10 insure the greatest expedi-
ton of ascent, since the oyerstay of few sec.
ends may be the point of life or death TO the
diver.
The hauling up is thu, effected The assistant
who has hold Of the rope, awaiting the signal,
! first reaches down with both hands, as low as
he can, and there grasping the rope, with great
bodily eiiert raises II up to nearly aims length,
over his head the second assistant is then pre-
pared TO make his grasp as low down as he can
reach and does the sAme-and 20 on the two
alternately, ana by q fathom or more at time,
and with great rapidity, bring the anxious diver
so the suOface. heavy blow from bis nostrils,
to expcl the water and the exhausted air, indi-
Gates to his companions that he is conscious and
yet bfesthes.
A word or two is spoken by one of his COM
panions to encourage him, If he seems TO be
mach distressed, as is often the case and the
hearing Of the voice is said by them to be a
great support at the moment of their greatest
exhaustion. A few seconds rest at the surface,
and then the diver returns into the boat to re-
cover generally putting on an under garment or
Jacket, to assist the restoration of the animal
heat he has lost, and to prevent the loss Of more
by the too rapid evaporation of the water from
his body. Such is the trying life Of a Leyan-
tine sponge diver; and doubtless there ore very
few of US who have any idea Of what fellow
creature has suffered in procuring that little ar
ticle which has become necessity OF our toilet
table and the luxury oil our morning ablu-
tions."
In spite of the dangers and difficulty Of the
trade, sponge-gatbering employs, in Eastern
Crete, from fifty to hundred boats, with seven
or eight divers each. The men gain but a scanty
living, while tho local dealers, who incur no risk
and no hardship, make rich profit. This they
do partly by acting as money-lenders to the di-
vers, and partly by sanding the spOngcs to such
an extent that hundred weight Of them as re-
ceiyed from the divers will be so sanded as to
weigh more than ton before packing.