The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-23
The TIMES: RICHMOND VA SATURDAY SEPTEMBER

sw0rdnsh that have been known 10 DO
royal battle With diver and Nal or
'suniish' with spiked tail, quite a. Tor
midable and only Il tr.ne less IN size than
the weapon of a swordnsh. in fact, every
FISH that has been provided with weapons
for its defence turns them IN attack upon
the plain DIVER.
Even the sponge Itself is the home Of "a
deadly enemy. Often IN the sp0nges there
il a curious worm. The instant the sponge
II placed in the net bag which rests on
the divers chest this worm fastens Itself
upon the divers body. II bores and sweils,
and its attack Is described by Ihemelt.
who carries a scar from IL as Ike q
sword thrust After receiving this thrust
the plain diver never waits FOR nothing,
but rapidly reaches the kaique and his
first action rs go est out Win ahafN
razor. kept always FOR that purpose, AS
much OF the wound as possible. linen
another man, with "A mouth full OF Oh. APP
plies his lips 10 the wound ana extracts
~ much as possible Of the poison. Tbs
poison IS so deadly that the longest "A man
has been known 10 lnger before dying
was ten hours. For years this worm car
ried OF startling number Of divers
Then victim was taken Oh the doctor
Of "a French mln-of-war which was i'm
the nrighborhood The doctor had been
Interested IN the worms poison. and after
Obta nln- some % tho virus from tho
wound and Analysing o.. DE was able 20
supply 10 the sponge fishers am ointment
or saiye which has since saved as many
lives from the worms bite as bad been
lost before.
Aside from the dangers The sponge dsh-
crs iifo Is not very agreeable. although
De does his best tO live up tO 'the short
life and merry theory. on the dav he
dives ho IS not allowed 90 cat Ru' when
the DAYS work Is done tho plain diver
begins 10 gorge himself and incidentally
20 drown HIS thouehts Of dangers past
and future On larre potI0ns of wine and
mastika. HE nights ere snent I'm This
manner. AVID ho ls tho exception 10 the
roneral rule that Greeks are ahsfemious.
Put whom ashore his method of Tie con-
forms 90 tho moro seiate theory
PREPARING sPONGEs.
The sp0nges are never allowed to re-
main in their own vile-smcilins milk am
instant longer than necessary. Acn beat
the milk out Of the sp0ngcs with boards
and wash them la the salt water uniI
they can be strung On punches of twenty
without reference 90 size or quality.
These are hung over the edge " the
kaiquo and lex 10 trail in the water for
a couple Of days AS the kaiQue sails
along the strings Of spouges Swir. around
her like a fringe. At the cud~of the third
day they are DO 10 bring into the pres
once of the human nostrll. and aye dipped
in q solution ~ lime after which they are
allowed 10 dry. ana are packed down In
tho kaiQue. which serves for store
house
As many of these kaiquos are owned and
operated by suonge merchants. the son
sons catch is sent directly to London or
Constantinople or some other large city.
and so goes ON the market. But there are
always buyers waiting the arrival of the
sponge fleet AS the sponges are not as-
sorted either IN size or quality. The buyer
has % De mighty shrewd, especially rs he
isn't allowed 20 examine the centre OF his
purchase. and many times buys the entire
contents NJ one or more store kaiques
having only a faint idea Of what he Is
having for Fnglishmen and foreigners
have long since found ont that it isn't
safe 10 purchase on an Islander word of
honor. --..
The third method OF obtaining sponee-
is by dragging. and 10 Us in high disf1Nor
except among those who carry b. on The
Island of Syme is the chief place from
which drag fishing is carried ON. Inc
dragging can be done an the year round
the Symians devote their winters to d. \
large seine or Hct has a. sharp piece Oh
steel attached ~ the lower edge. when
is Weighted 20 carry 10 t0 tne bottom oi
the sea- Corks attached t0 She sop oi I'D.
seine keep DO In AN upright position. ana
as the two kaiQues SAL along tNe Nitii
which are caught by the net forming q
bag. There is very general opposition 90
This style OF operation. for the sharp esq
tears and ruins many sponge Wnlch ID
never detaches. The other islanders nave
lad down for the Symians some very
strict laws as 10 The territory over "hIcH
they NAV operate with drags Attempt
OF The Svmians 10 violate these bounds re-
suit sometimes IN conflict
The .ponge which grows either ON rocks
or directly upon sandy bottom Is encased
I'm "a iet black membrane When the sponge
grows I'm caves or under rocks away from
The sun the membrane is pale DID Color
bur 70 always is fun Of thick milky nuld
AS the snonge is torn by hand or cuf rom
lbs roots the diver gives the mem n'd il'
p sgueezo that bursts &c.. the milk .e-ns
scattered over the bottom. THE Mug Us
vile smelling. and produces an erlp,io.
wherever n touches the human hesh Dry
,he coeratiou Of scattering the milk i-
considered very necessary. and 0''2 "a
divers duty. since the fishers believe thal
r. holds the seed of the sponge.-Nc"
VII Cnn