, 1892-01-27

obtain is kept separate from the ships
cargo.
The method of obtaining the sponge
from the sea bottom is by a staff and hook
at the end, by which the sponge is torn
from its place of attachment. At greater
depths than can be reached by the hook,
the Sponger will sometimes dive for them,
bat tins is seldom reSorted to. The water
glass is an Indispensable article in locating
the sponge on the sea bottom. It is Il
wooden cone with u glass set in one end and
open AT the other. 1t is about eighteen
inches long, and by placing the glass end
just beneath the surface of the water and
looking i'll the top, the operator has ~
clear view OF the bottom of .the sea. and
with.h his staff in the hand rot engaged in
holding the water glass, be thrnStS the staff
down. Whom he sees and selects the sponge,
he hooks it or tearsit from its native bed.
ThespOnge when taken from its resting
place, has not the same appearance as when
prepared for use. All its fine qualities are
hidden. 1t is heavy and contains u matrix
of dark AalatinonS matter with u dense ex-
ternal peilicle. This gelatinous substance is
got rid OF by maceratlon and washing, and
the residuum is OPP we'll known companion
of the bath. On placing any of these forms
OF sponge, before cleaning in Il :ub of salt
" 0tCi3 anu II tIk vi a lCilN OuSCTN IiI
the central portion Of the body Of the sponge.
one will notice something like a fine woven
cobwtb projecting from the central part out
ward, from which refuse matter NAV be
seen issuing. Looking more attentively, an
immense humber Ofvery small pores will be
seen, through which the food. infuSoria and
other organisms, is taken. The more pow
erful the lens the more wonderful the i'll
ternal structure is shown to be and the
more surprising VIII the operations Of ma
ture in this particular case appear. With
a powerful glass one can easily perceive the
fagella or whips flashing the water, produc-
ing tue intioWing and outtlowing current.
Without the uSe of a magnitying power the
sponge would appear as Il dead, inert mass.
The propagation OF spongeS, the method
by which they increase, is not only inter
2sting, but IS certainly very curious, At
certain periods there will be formed pro.
~iections from the surface. yellowish looking
buds, which grow until they detach them
selves, when they are driven out by
the outward flow caused 10y the fagella or
whips laShing at the water. These yellow
lShlO0king buds then appear as helpless
atoms of jelly. Blu this is not the case.
These tiny germs or atoms have u motion
that we would not suspect. With q lens
we see tie whole of these minute objects
covered with minute ella, which vibrate
ard prOpel it through the water until, arriv-
ing at sufficient distance from the place
of its birth, it settles down on the bottom,
loses its ella and gTowS-becOmes a sponge.
After the taking of the sponge from it's
native bed they arc all assorted and the
different kinds and grades separated. They
must be trimmed or clipped, as it is term
ed, baled, pressed, and incased in canvas to
ship.
The sponging grounds of the Bahamas
are we'll worth visiting. There is scarcely
a more beautiful or interesting sight than u
view i'll the clear limpid waters surround
ing these sea-girt islands on a warm day
Tue marine fora, the various forms of coral
scattered in rich profusion at the depth of
a few fathOmS, is something marvellous for
its varied and extreme beauty, and is not
surpassed in any part of the globe. III a
tideway of medium flow it can be viewed
to the best advantage. The graceful undu-
latin G sea fans, with a variety of sea ane-
moneS, with the cOlors of the rainbow, the
branching coral, some fashioned, one would
almost believe, with human skill and artis-
tic taste, with the most beautiful ..coloreds
fish. sporting i'll these fairy grottoes, the
water being so transparent that the bottom
can be distinctly seen at a depth of over
twenty fatioms, all combine to make a
vision which for beauty, novelty, and varie-
~ is very fascinating and once seen will