Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-25
sPONGING IN THE BAHAMAs.
The Method of Gathering and Preparing for
Market and the Profits Of the Work

W
Market and the Profits Of the Work
From the Phila Public Ledssr and Daily Transcript.
Consul Thomas J. McLain Of the United
States consulate at Nassau, in the Bahama
Islands, in response to the direction OF the
State Department, has furnished an interesting
paper on the sponge trade of the Bahamas. in
which the value of the industry and the methods
Of catching the sponges are given.
The vessels employed in the trade are small,
varying from five 10 twenty-five tons sloop or
schooner rugged, and are built in the local ship
yards. The construction and repair of these
vessels constitute an important industry in it.
self. They have small cabins for sleeping pur-
poses. The cooking is done on deck. Abou.
500 Of these vessels are engaged in gathering
sponges. The number Of persons gathering
sponSes in the Bahamas. handling them and
preparing them in various stages for market,
Is from 5000 TO 5000, all Of whom. except the
shipowners. brokers and shippers, are black
people. Hands employed in clipping, washing.
packing and preparing finally for shipment
abroad get from so to IS cents per day of ten
hours. The amount earned by the men who
go fishing depends entirely on the number OF
sponges obtained. The owner of the vessel
NJ her out at his own expense. and the profits
OF the voyage are divided up in shares among
the owner, the master and the men. They are
specified wages. The most that can be said is
that the men make a tolerable living. and the
sponge fisherman who earns over $500 year
lis the exception.
The method of gathering sponges is by
means of iron hooks attacked to long poles.
ny using water glass the fisherman can readily
discover the spcnees at the bottom. and then
by the pole and hook can bring up those he
may select, leaving the smaller ones untouched.
some sponges adhere firmly to the bed of the
sea, whlie others are not attached at all. these
latter being known as rollers" About ten
years ago an attempt was made to introduce
dfedges, but ii was found that their use was
llkely to ruin the beds, because in passing over
the bottom they dislodged and brought up not
only the good sponges, but the young and I'M
saiaDie ones as well. killing the spawn and
working great mischief. Such an cutlery was
raised against dredging that an act was passed
forbidding it.
When brought to the vessel the sponges are
at once spread upon the deck and left exposed
to the sun for several days, during which time
the animal matter that covers the sponge
gradually dies. This is a black, gelatinous
substance OF a very low order of marine life,
which, during the process of decay. cmits q
most Objectionable odor. The vessels visit
what Is called the kraal once week to land
the load from the deck The kraaI ia an in
closed pen, fenced in by sticks of wood 80 as 70
allow free circulation of water through it,
usually built in n sheltered ald shallow bav or
cove on one of the Gays near by. The sponges
are placed in the kraal and left to be soaked
and washed by the action of tine water from
four to six days. when they are taken ont and
beaten with sticks until the decayed covering
Is entirely removed. Having been subjected
to this course of exposure, soaking beating
and washing, tho sponges are quite clean and
are taken on board the vessel, packed in the
hold, conveyed 20 Nassau, and in this condi-
ton are sold in the local market OF the
larger sponges a catch of 5000, or of the
smaller ones 1900, would be considered a fair
lot Occasionally cargo of from 1900 to
lo,oo0 large sponges has been brought in, but
this success is exceptional
The principal varieties gathered in the Ba-
hamas are as follows: Boat, grass, glove. hard
head, reef (white and dark velvet (abaco and
cay. sheep wool and yellow. of which the most
valuable is sheep wool. The total export in
1880 reached over 100000 pounds, valued at
500, SS6. The crop Of that year was about the
average, being really the most valuable one in
many years. OF that crop there were shipped
to the United States, EOS 600 valutd at S236, 900
Dahama sponges are not considered very good,
but ready market is found for all that can be
obtained and at constantly improving prices.
There are no indications Of any failure of the
supply.