El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-23
Ff5m the Boston Herald.

FrOm the Boston Herald.
Among boys and girls, how many
know that a sponge is an animal and
that the soft squeezable straw colored
mass we call the sponge is nothing but
the skeleton? In its natural state as
it grows in the water all the many
holes of the skeleton sponge are filed
with jelly-like substance, which is the
flesh of the animal. The smaller pores
of the sponge are the openings by
which the living sponge draws in
water. and countless streams are con-
tinually flowing through every part of
it. bringing in little particles of food
and all necessary air for breathing pur-
poses. 1t is very curious the way
these SpOngeS eat. When a bit of food
comes in contact with any part of its
BODY the jelly-like substance sinks in
forming a little hollow into which the
food drops, and then the jelly COM
pletely covers it over and absorbs it,
The softest. finest in texture and
most valued of sponges is the Turkey
OF Leyant sponge. 1t is found at
depth of from two to one hundred
fathoms along the greater part of the
Mediterranean coast, including its bays
and CULTS, and most of its islands
Bath sDOnges occur around the
shores of the Bahamas, and less abun-
dainty on the north coast of Cuba.
They are of several kinds. one not dis
tinguishbale from the fine Levant
sponge; others. the yellow and
f.hardhead' varieties. and of horse
sponges there are several kinds, such
as The lambs WOOL and the velvet"
sponge The fine bath sponge is found
in the north Pacific, south Atlantic and
Indian oceans.
Fishing for Sponges.
The methods employed to get spong-
es from the bottom of the sea, where
they grow. attached to rocks. stones
and other objects depend on the depths
from which they are to be brought
In comparatively shallow water they
may be loosened and hooked up by a
hsrpoon; at greater depths, down to
thirty or forty fathoms, they are dived
for and at depths of from so to 100
fathoms they are dredged with a net. |
The method of harpooning was the |
earliest practiced, and is still carried |
IN in probably its most primitive
form by the Dalmatian fishermen. |
Small boats are used, manned by a |
single harpooner with a boy to steer; |
when, however. the expedition is to |
extend over night the crew is doubled. |
The harpoon is a five pronged fork |
with a long wooden handle, and if this |
is not long enough another harpoon is |
dashed on to it. The Greek fishers use |
three smaller ones, from which the ac
tual harpooning is carried on, the
crew numbering seven or eight.
One of the chief difficulties is to see
the bottom distinctly through a troub
led surface. The Dalmation fishers
throw a smooth store dipped in oil
yard or so in front of the boat; the
stone scatters drops of oil as it flies,
and so makes a smooth track for the
locker.
The Greeks use a zinc plate cylinder
aboutone and half feet long and one
foot wide. closed at the lower end by /
a plate of glass, which is immersed in
the sea- On looking through this the
bottom may be clearly seen, even in
thirty fathoms. This plan is also
adopted in the Bahamas. where har-
DeOning carried on after the Greek
system gives employment to over I
5000 men and boys.
Diving an Arduous Work.
The primitive method of diving. with
10 other apparatus than a slab of
stone to serve as a sinker and cord =
o communicate with the surface. is !
till practiced in the Mediterranean.
The diver carries a net around his ,
leck to hold the sponges. On reach
nS the bottom he hastily snatches up
What sponges he sees. After staying
Iown as long as he is able-an inter- :
al which varies from two to at the !
most three minutes-he tugs violently
It the cord and is rapidly drawn up. !
IN entering the boat from the depths !.
# twenty-five fathoms he quickly re-
overs from the effects of his plunge
fter a few powerful respirations. but
fter working at depths of thirty to t
orty fathoms or more he reaches the I
urface in a swooning state. At the i
eginning of the season blood usually e
ews from the mouth and nose after i
descent This is regarded as a symp-
ON of good condition. Should it be
anting the diver will scarcely ventura q