Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-09-14
SpoNGlNG IN BAHAMA.
The METHOD or GATHERING AID
PREPARING ron MARKET.

III. rronn OF tho worig--rho Lahor.r.
Are Cbisay blacks and Most of Them
Earn Pretty smsii ray-rhe sponge.
sell at y Good rricc However.
Consul Thomas J. McLain Of tho
United States consulate Mt Nassau, In
The Bahama islands. In response TO the
direction OF the state department, has
furnished an interesting paper on tho
sponge irude Of the Bahamas. In which
The value Of the industry aud tho meth.
obs Of catching the spungcs are given.
The vessels employed In the trade arc
small. varying from i've TO twenty-five
tons, sloop or schooner riggod, and arc
built In tho local shipyards Tho con.
t,ruciion aud repair Of these vessels con.
stitute m important industry In itsolf.
They have small cabins for sleeping pur-
poses. The cooking Is done on deck.
About 300 II these vessels are engaged
10 gathering spongcS
The number Of persons gathering
,pougos Ia the Bahamas, handling them
and preparing them IN various stages for
market. Va from 900 to 5000. an ~
whom. except the shipowncrs, brokers
sad shippers. arc black people. Hands
employed In clipping. washing, packing
aud preparing finally for shipment
abroad get from fifty 20 sovcniy.Gvo
cents per day Of ten houfA The amount
earned by tho men who go fishing do.
tends entirely ON tho number oil fuounpa
obtained.
The owner Of tho vessel iits her ont Nc
his own expense. and the profits Of the
voyage are divided mp IN sharcs among
tho owner, the master and tho men.
They are mover hired by the menth. nor
do they ever get specified wages. Tho
most that eau bo said 81 that tho men
make tolofablo living. aud the sponge
hsherinan who earns over SsOO year 10
ihscxception
now sroNGEs AnE GAInmnrp.
The method OF gathering spongcs {. by
moaus Of iron hooks attached 10 long
polct by using a waierglass tho fisher
man can readily discover the spongcs 10
tho bottom, and then by tho pole and
hook can bring UP those he may select,
leaving tho smaller ones untouched.
some spongcs adhere firmly 70 tho bed
OF tho pea, while others urc not attached
1T all, these latter being known ns troll.
err
About ten years ago an attomrt was
made 10 introduce drcdgcf, but 1t was
found that their use was likely 10 ruin
The beds, because In passing over tho
bottom they dislodgcd aud brought mp
net only tho good sponyos. but the
young and unstable ones as well. kill
ing the spawn aud working great mis-
chiof Such an outcry wua raised against
dredging that an act was passed forbid.
ding II.
sponges are ~ once spread upon tho dccl.
aud left exposed 10 the sun for several
days, during which iimo tho animal
matter that covers the sponge gradually
dies This Is a black, gclatnous sub.
stance Of a very low order Of marinoli life.
which. during tho process VI decay,
omiis most Objectionable odor.
The vessels visit what Is called tho
krasl once q week to land the load FROM
the deck Tho l,raal Is an inclosod pen,
fenced In by sticks Of wood 90 rs to al.
low afrco circulation Of water through
Il, usually built In sheltered aud slial.
low bay or cove, ON one OF the Gays near
b.
TINE oRor or 1900
Tho tpongcs arc placed Ia tho l,raal
and loft 90 DO soaked and washed by tho
action Of the water from four 10 six DAYS,
when they are taken ont and beaten
with sticks until tho decaycd covering
- entirely removed. Having been sub.
jccted To- this course Of exposure. coax.
iuy, beating aud washing, tho Fponrcs
are quito clean and arc taken on board
The vessel, packed In tho hold, conveyed
10 Nassau, aud In this condition arc sold
IN the local market.
VI tie larger hpunges catch Of 5000
otof tho smaller ones 1900, would DO
considered a fair lot. Occasionally u
cargo Of from 1900 20 1900 large
sPougcs has been brought In. but this
success Is exceptional.
Tho principal varieties gathered IN tho
Bahamas urc Us iollowsi Boat, grass,
glove, hardhcad, reef white aud dark,
velvet Wbaco and cay, fhecp wool, aud
yellow, Of which the most valuable is
tlecp wool. III, total export in 1890
reached over 900 900 pounds. valued NJ
s300,soO. The crop Of that year was
above the average, being really tho most
valuable one In many years.
or that crop thore were shipped 10 tho
United States i0s, 900 valued at $3.50, 600
Blhama spongus arc not considered very
good, but a ready market Is found Tor
OIL that can DO obtained, and ut con.
SANITY improving prices There are no
Indications of any failure OF the supply
philadelphia Ledger.