The Russellville Democrat., 1879-12-04
Searching for sponeas.


 1 remember using sponges in my schoolboy days without thought of whence they came, how obtained, or their previous condition. Although little, the sponges which we may find exposed for sale in drug stores and other places, look unlike animals, yet by our naturalists they have been classed with the lowest order of the animal species. sub-tropical waters of the world. The principal sponging grounds of the United States are the waters around of Florida, from Tampa Bay on the South to Pensacola on the northeast. The sponge schooners have two places to clean their sponges when coast spong- ing: one at Anciote Keys, the other at Rock Island.
 Ofthe sponges we have several varie- ties, chased according to their market value, as sheep wool" yellow, fox glove" grass" etc, besides one class, the "leggerhead," which has no value, and is not thought worth picking up; The first named is the variety mostly sought, as it bears the best market price. The most of the vessels engaged ill the sponge trade are owned and fitted out at Key West. The outfit of a sponge schooner consists of number of long poles with hooks fastened on the end for gathering, and from three to seven small boats called "dingys," from seven to fifteen men-according to the number of boats with provisions for from eight to twelve weeks, water-glasses, and 90 forth.
 Having curiosity to see actual sponge gathering, last Monday morning found me aboard the schooner "Samfler," spinning towards the bars; but, owing to light winds during the day we did not arrive till after nightfall. Tuesday nor ming, however, sponging commenced in earnest. Shortly after sunrise the "dingys,' manned by two men each, with water-glasses, sponge-hooks, etc, set of in quest of sponges. One of the men in the dingy souls the boat about here and there, while the other, lying across the boats thwart, with his head in the water-glass, scans the bottom for sponges. Tho water-glsss used by the spongers Is nothing but a common deep wooden pail, with a circular pane of glass for the bottom Placing this ap- right in the water, and putting the head in far enough to exclude most of the light, one can easily see an object on the bottom in six or seven fathoms of water. The sponger, when he sees sponge, by the waving of his hand directs the sculler where to go, and when in desirable position he thrusts his long pole down, and hooks his sponge. ...... t,
 The vessels usually remain out upon the bars from Monday until Friday even ing of each week, coming into the Keys Friday night, in order to clean the sponges which they had gathered the week previous, put those gathered the present week into the crawls, put their wood and water on board, and prepare for the next week. The sponges which they gather one week are put in crawls or pens, made by driving posts into the sand, where, at low water, they will be quite or almost dry. Here they are Jeff until the next Saturday, to be washed by the tides. On the following Saturday they are cleansed by striking them one or two light blows with paddle. When the sponges are cleaned, they are taken aboard the schooner and strung on strings usually about five and half feet long, when they are thrown upon the beach to bleach and dry.
 The number of vessels engaged in sponging from Key West probably reaches I25, gathering sponges to the value of about $l00,000 annually. Be sides the Key West schooners, we have about forty or fifty fitted out from Cedar Keys and 0glockney,