38 FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 



the depletion of the sponge-beds lying at a depth of 3 to 5 fathoms, the 

 spongers were obliged to seek grounds farther from shore and in 

 deeper water. In hooking the sponges in deep water it is not an easy 

 matter to bring the light pole (one-half to 2 inches in diameter) to bear 

 on the sponge, owing to the buoyant action of the water, the presence 

 of strong currents, and the movements of the boat. In the efforts to 

 overcome these difficulties it was found that by attaching weights to 

 the pole near its lower end the work of the spongers was facilitated, 

 and the use of weights in this way suggested the further improvement 

 which has since been generally adopted, namely, the making of a 

 sponge hook with a longer and much heavier shank than had been 

 previously used. The so-called "long shanked hook" enables the 

 sponger to more readily sink and keep in position the end of the pole, 

 and is now used in allot the deep-water fishing, although in the fishing 

 around the keys and in shallow water generally the shorter and lighter 

 hook continues to be employed. Instead of having the shank only 6 

 inches in length, as is the case with the smaller hooks, the improved 

 hook measures over 2 feet in the shank and weighs about 5 pounds 

 against H to 2 pounds. 



The only other apparatus required in taking sponges is the very 

 simple but effective water-glass. This is an ordinary water-bucket, the 

 bottom of which has been replaced with glass. By means of it the 

 sponger is able to distinguish objects on the bottom with great clear- 

 ness, even in comparatively deep water, and he finds it is an essential 

 article in all of the sponging now carried on, except in shallow water. 

 One glass is the complement of each boat. While one man is steadying 

 or propelling the boat with an oar, the other member of the crew leans 

 over the side of the boat and manipulates the water-glass and the pole, 

 and as the sponges are brought into view by the aid of the glass, he 

 detaches them by inserting the hook beneath them and pulls them to 

 the surface, When a sponge that has been loosened from the bottom 

 becomes separated from the hook great difficulty is experienced in 

 securing it, and it may become what the spongers call a "roller" or 

 "rolling John." 



When first taken from the water the sponges are black and slimy. 

 The essential treatment they subsequently receive before being sold 

 consists (1) in exposing them to the action of the sun and air on the 

 vessel's deck until they are killed, which usually requires several days; 

 (2) in placing them for about a week in the crawls or pens where the 

 decay of the gurry or animal matter that began on the vessel is con- 

 tinued; (3) in beating the sponges while wet with a wooden paddle to 

 drive out the decomposed animal matter and in scraping with a knife 

 those sponges to which the black scum still adheres; (4) in squeezing 

 them to force out the remaining gurry and water and placing them on 

 shore; (5) in stringing them by means of a large needle threaded with 

 coarse twine and tying them in bunches about 5 feet in circumference. 

 Some attention is given to the selection of sponges of similar size and 



