THE COMMERCIAL SPONGES AND THE SPONGE FISHERIES. 441 
nor the proportions above stated underwent material change, but at the 
present time (1909) the number of persons engaged in hooking is considerably 
less on account of competition of the divers, though the proportional national 
and racial representation appears to be about the same. As a class, these men 
are industrious workers when actually on the grounds, but after their weekly 
trips to the crawls it is often difficult to get them promptly aboard the vessels 
again. The system of making advances against their shares of the catch also 
operated against their efficiency, as some crews, when a period of ‘‘bad luck”’ 
made it apparent that at best their earnings would hardly more than suffice 
to pay their indebtedness, would lose all interest in the work and spend their 
time largely in idleness or the most desultory labor. Some crews also fre- 
quently exchanged considerable parts of their stores for intoxicants brought 
by Cuban fishing smacks operating off the coast, either drinking the proceeds 
of the bargain or smuggling it ashore for consumption or sale. This practice 
has latterly been largely broken up by the customs officers, who have at various 
times seized vessels, boats, and persons engaged in it. 
A very recent development in the hook fishery and one which promises to 
become important has been brought about by the legislation prohibiting diving 
during the summer. Certain Greek boats, in order not to be idle at that season, 
provided themselves with dingeys and hooks during the summer of 1908. They 
were so successful that several continued in the fishery during the following 
winter and others are preparing to follow their example. Difficulties with the 
divers and the expense of maintaining the diving boats appear to be operating to 
drive other vessel owners into the business, and as the Greeks have shown 
themselves to be superior to the Bahama and Florida hookers, it would not be 
surprising if the former eventually practically monopolized all methods of 
sponging on the Florida coast. 
In January, 1909, it was possible to institute an interesting comparison 
between the Greek and “conch” hookers. The former were working in deeper 
water and were securing a better and more valuable grade of sponges, superior 
to the catch of their rivals in size, quality, appearance, and curing, factors which 
very materially increased the earnings of the vessel and crew. This is indicated 
by the following records of the catch of two vessels which marketed their cargoes 
on the same day. The schooner Fillmore, manned by 10 Greeks, out 60 days 
and fishing in a depth of 35 to 4o feet, marketed 293 bunches of wool sponges for 
$1,880 and 292 bunches of yellow for $300, a total of 585 bunches, selling for 
$2,180. Another schooner, under one of the best masters and manned by 13 of 
the most skilled negro hookers, sponging for 42 days in depths of less than 30 feet, 
marketed 400 bunches of wool sponges for $889 and 700 bunches of yellow for 
$291, a total of 1,100 bunches, selling for $1,180. This was a yield of $2.16 per 
