Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-31

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modest place indeed, saying, with bitter
contempt, that it was good enough for the
father of u mason. ."-George Cury Eggle.
sLon, in Harper's.
The SPONGE FISHERY "A. Gabay, an
expert in sponges in the employ OF
McKasson e. Robbins, gave to New York
Tribune reporter the following informa-
ton with regard to the sponge industry
Very few people," he said, "have any
idea of what sponges are, where they
grow and how they are gathered. 1t is
really the most important industry in the
Bahama Islands. and furnishes to hundreds
Of its fishing vessels and black native
fisherman lucrative employment. 1t is
now generally accepted by Professor
Agassiz and ether naturaists that the
sponge belongs to the animal kingdom.
Those of the Bahamas and other West
Indian islands are of a larger size and
coarser quality than those on our gulf
coast. Fifty years ago the gathering and
shipment of sponges in these islands was
really monopoly, but the fisherman
finding more profit and excitement in
wrccking, they practically abandoned the
sponge fisheries. A few years later the
fisherman again took to gathering sponges
until the American rebellion, when block,
aderunning engrossed their attention. and
the sponge industry sank TO low ebb to
revive again at the close of the war. The
Bahamians have applied themselves to the
sponge fisheries with assiduily since 1873,
and new fields have been discovered, and
IL, ,h,,. H.,
AT first the sponges were divided into two
casses-the coarse and the fine. They are
now divided into many varieties, prlnci
pally the sheepwool, white reef, abaco-
velvet dark reef, boat, hardhead, glass,
yellow and glove. The value of these is
in the order named, the sheepwool being
the prime grades there are many varieties.
all being useful for mechanical, surgical
and bathing purposes. The vessels EN-
ployed in the sponge fisheries are small
crafts. averaging about 10 tons each, and
carrying from six to dozen men. With
six weeks provisions on board, they start
out, coasting along the banks and reefs
where the water is shallow, for in such
localities sponges are found. Occasionally
however, sponges are found at great
depths. They are readily seen growing
upon the rocks, reefs or shoals, and are
brought to the surface by means of iron
hooks fastened to long poles. Sometimes
the fisherman dive for them where the
water is very deep. The diver takes down
with him fiat triangular stone, with Il
hole drilled through one of its corners.
70 the stone II cord from the boat is
attached and the diver makes it serve to
guide him to particular spots. When he
reaches the growing sponges he tears
them off the rocks, and places them under
his arms; he then jerks the ropes rs a
signal to his companions, and they pull
him on board. When first caught,
the sponge is soft, gcatinous substance
full of life, and as black rs tar, the sponge
proper being really the skeleton or support
of this living organism. The days catch
is spread upon the deck SO as TO kill this
living covering, which in decaying emits
the West odors. When sufficient quan-
tity of ,ponge has been gathered to war
rant it, the men 20 ashore, build a pen of
stakes at the waters edge, and place the
sponges therein. The action of the tide
helps to remove the black coverings. the
process being completed by pounding the
sponges with sticks. Having been cleansed
in this manner, the sponges are strung
upon palmetto sticks. each string contain
ing three or four sponges, and with the
cargo the vessels return to Nassau.
The trade is controlled by the Nassau
sponge exchange company. limited, where
sales are made daily, after which the
sponges are hauled to the packing yards,
when they are assorted and clipped into
good shape. They are then put into tubs
of watts OF lime water to soak for several
hours, and are afterward spread upon
canvas to bleach and dry IN the sun. Next
they are pressed by machinery into bales
about two feet by three feet in size, each
containing 100 pounds, the packages
being covered with coarse bagging secure
ly sewed and corded, and they are then
ready for shipment.
The best American sponges come from
the coast of Florida, they being far supe-
rior to those of the Bahamas and West
Indies. The sheep.wool grade brings
80 so pound at the wharf. An attempt
has recently been made at Key West to
plant beds of sponges-to propagate them
artiticially-and with very fair success.
The plan is to take a growing sponge
under water and cut it in dozen or more
pieces and then anchor them in various
spots. This was done more than year
ago, and the sponges which resulted were
as fine in quality as the original one. The
person who made the experiment feels so
much encouraged that he will continue
his efforts. He met with some difficulty,
as the waves washed the plants away
occasionally. The sponges on the coast
of Florida are taken from about 40 feet
of water, and are lished by hooks on long
poles. The fisherman uses, to see the
sponges, a bucket with a glass bottom.
He presses it just below the surface of the
water, and he can see the bottom as plain.
y as if there was nothing to obsruct the
view. The reason that divers cannot
work there 10 advantage is because of the
numerous sharks.