SPONGES AND THE SPONGE INDUSTRY 329 



Nude diving has always been one of the most im- 

 portant methods of taking sponges in the Mediter- 

 ranean. The natives of Calymnos and Symi are expert 

 divers, and some are said to be able to descend to the 

 great depth of a hundred feet. They ordinarily work 

 under water about two minutes at a time, but a few 

 of the more expert can remain on the bottom for four 

 minutes. 'Nude diving is also practised by the 

 Syrians, Tripolitans, and Tunisians. 



To enable them to reach the bottom quickly, the 

 divers carry flat stones attached to a line. As soon 

 as the diver reaches the bottom, he drops the stone 

 but either retains hold of the line or has it attached 

 to his wrist by a short lanyard. The diver quickly 

 detaches all the sponges within his reach. When he 

 can remain under water no longer, he jerks on the 

 rope and is rapidly drawn to the surface by his 

 attendant in the boat. After resting for twenty or 

 thirty minutes he makes another trip to the bottom. 



Solon Pelecanos tells an extraordinary tale that 

 rivals that of Jonah and the whale and is so remark- 

 able that it may be of interest : 



It happened that a diver named Latari, from the 

 island of Calymnos, on a certain day, although he 

 could not see clearly through the water, took the stone 

 and plunged. The man who held the rope in the boat 

 perceived that the rope was not drawn by the diver, 

 and, on looking into the water, to his horror saw a huge 

 shark which had swallowed the diver. Fortunately for 

 the latter the large flat stone which he held in his 

 hands proved perhaps too much for the shark, and he 

 immediately vomited his victim, who was instantly 

 drawn up to the boat by the rope holder alive. He 



