104 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



in vtiluo, exclusive of outtil. cirrv from 5 to 13 men, while the smaller 

 vessels, which average in niiIuc a])out $780, includino- outfit, carry 

 crews of from o to 5 men. 



The larger Key West A^essels make three to four trips per year to 

 the "hay g-rounds." and some of them make one or two tri})s to the 

 "key grounds."' Kach *' bay ''trip occupies a])Out two months, while 

 the "kej^" trip is made in about a month. Thc^ Tarpon Springs and 

 Apalachicola vessels average about five trips each year, each trip occu- 

 ining about two months. None of these latter vessels visits the " ke}' 

 grounds." 



The," bay" trips are usualh^ arranged as follows: 



The first trip begins about the first Aveek of flaiuiary, and ends from 

 the 10th to the 20th of March, the spongers working from the mouth of 

 Anclote River to St. Martins Reef, about 40 miles. Many of the 

 vessels do not make this trip, as the weather is usually cold and windy. 



The second trip begins about April 1 and ends from the lOth to the 

 20th of June. The grounds between Johns Pass and Cedar Kev are 

 visited during this trip. 



The next trip begins about July 1 and ends from the middle of August 

 to the 1st of September, and is also carried on between Johns Pass and 

 Cedar Key. This is usualh- the l)est trip of the year. 



The fourth trip is called the "hurricane trip," from the fact that it 

 is prosecuted during the hurricane season, and lasts frcmi the middle 

 of August to about the loth of October, the same grounds ])eing visited 

 as on the two previous trips. 



The last tri[) usually ])egins the early part of November and ends 

 December 20, the Rock Island grounds Ix'ing visited. 



A number of the vessels refit previous to the last trip, while others 

 wait until the first two months of the year for this pur])ose. 



The crews Avork on shares. The owner, or " outtitter," furnishes the 

 food, fuel, boats, apparatus, etc., for the trip. While sponging in 

 the "l)ay" eadi member of the crew is assessed 35 cents j)er trip far 

 watchman's fee at the " kraals," and 50 cents per trip for Avood. After 

 deducting thes(> two items fi'om the gross proceeds of the trip, the 

 vessel takes half of the remainder, and the other half is divided up 

 cquallv among the crew, liesides his regular share Avith the crew, 

 the captain gets 10 per cent of the vessel's share, and each "hooker" 

 gets one-fourth of one share from the vessel's portion. Should the 

 captain also be a "hooker," Avhich is generally the cas(\ he only gets 

 his regular 10 pci- cent. 



The same division of proceeds is folloAved on the " key" trips, except 

 that there arc no charges for Avatchmen and for Avood. The men ^i;i'n- 

 eralh' camp on the keys Avhere wootl and \s'ater are conx-enient. and as 

 settlers are scarce in this region the " kraids" do notha\'e to be guarded. 



TIk^ oiil}' a[)paratus used in this lishery is the sponge hook, a three- 

 toothed curved hook attached to poles of Aarving lengths, according 



