The Washington herald., 1911-06-11
A Strange Find
CONTINUED FROM PAGE FIVE

hither to clean their cargoes, and they had
built the pen-or crawl as they styled it
for this purpose.
Into this crawl all the sponges were
thrown, and here they were left, the tide all
the time swashing to and fro through the
crawl, and washing of the dead animal mat
ter, until only the skeleton 10 lett, which In
After remaining in the crawl the proper
time. the sPonges are taken On on snore, ,5s t9s
for sale. A.
schooner left TO gather more sponges, leaving
one man and myself to care for the sponges
in the crawl. the skipper promising 70 return
within fortnight.
'I was glad to stay on shore, for we were
supplied with plenty of provisions and the
Ss" was moTe ,oT@ than i%s os rsslisRed. d' o" '"'
when gathered, the sponge is found COW
cred with black mass Of living animal mat
ter, which, when exposed to the sun, dies,
and yields a most offensive odor.
John Bascomb, the negro who remained
with me on the cay, was goodnatured old
fellow, who knew 'all about sponging, and
who told me much concerning the business
in a most interesting manner.
HE explained that the sponges were found
in shallow water, and that by looking through
a water-glass one could see them very easily
"The water-glass is a small wooden box or
bucket, with a glass bottom, and when the
bottom is submerged one can see into the
depths as if he were looking through a win
dow. When the sponge is discovered 1t is
drawn up by means of an iron hook fastened
to long pole. ,
There is lots of hard work, John said, in
gathering sponges, and, as the pay is SMALL
it is hard way of making a livelihood.
Zone day, we were speaking of sponges,
and told John that a dead sponge smeed
as bad the dark-colored stuff | had found
wedged in the honeycombed rock.
ha fnnn
when had described the find he seemed quite
excited, and insisted on seeing it,. So we
went along the beach, and presently found
the big lump just as had left it, fortnight
before.
'No sooner had old John put eyes on the
dark mass than he began TO dance along the
beach in high glee, and declared that the
worth whole schooner.load Of sponges five
times over, and that we were rich men from
that blessed minute.
"Of course, was glad enough to hear him
say this, although, i confess, | took very lit
tie stock in his assertion. However, lent
a willing hand, and we presently got the
lump, which weighed quite fifty pounds, out
from its bed in the rocks and carried it around
to the hut, where old John wrapped 1t up
very carefully in some mating, which he tore
from the trunk Of q stunted cocoanut palm
. that grew near by.
, The old negro who was a greedy fellow,
proposed that we should conceal it from the
: others and divide 1t between ourselves when
Z we reached Nassau; but l would not consent
!, TO this, for felt it was no more than right
that the captain and crew, who had shown
= me such kindness, should share in whatever
the proceeds might be. $3.50
> "In due time the schooner put in an ap-
y pearance, and when the skipper was told Of
I my find and had examined IL, he was greatly
) delighted, assuring me that old Bascomb had
: not overstated the worth Of the stuff, which
he said was q substance called ambergris and
Q that It was very valuable m making the choic-
.f ka hal Nos
that the natural odor Of the substance was
A about as undesirable as anything well could
b iHe also informed me that this ambe1gris
=. was formed inside the whale, which elected
; it, and that it was found sometimes floating
!. about in tropical waters.
'1t was nearly three weeks after. the
sail for Nassau, for the fresh catch Of Spcnses
= had to be washed in the crawl and cleaned.
! However, at last We got everything on board,
and were ready 70 start on the hOmeward
bio one, we put intb the water and fastened
2 II astern, with two others, to be toWed Then
> we weighed anchor, and, with all sail set and
;, q light, southerly breeze, put to sea; and in
: few hours my island prison had sunk below
'The third day. New Providence hove in
sight, and, crossing the bar, we dropped an
chor just inside Of Hog Island
= of a spoueing vessel. but when i bscams
noised' abroad that we had with Ms valuable
find Of ambergis the owner himself came
. quickly on board, and quite a little stir was
t created all along Bay street among the mer-
e chants
I "TAe amberyrs. after being exposed to view
, for two days, was put up for sale BY tender
and the competition was so lively that the
70 unpleasant smelhng stuff brought fine price,
e my share alone realizing nine hundred dollars.
l. "The sale of the brigs boat brought me in
g enough in addition TO pay my passage to New
p York, which / was obliged to defray, the con-
s sui refusing to assist me, saying that, although
e was an American seaman, could not be
D considered destitute with nine hundred dollars
% in my pocket, which was so plain fact that
didn't go back TO the consulate any more.