﻿[39] 
  THE 
  GULF 
  FISHING 
  GROUNDS 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  255 
  

  

  The 
  sponge-hoolc 
  is 
  a 
  three-pronged 
  iron 
  claw, 
  with 
  a 
  socket 
  at 
  its 
  

   upper 
  end, 
  into 
  which 
  is 
  fastened 
  a 
  wooden 
  handle. 
  The 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  

   latter 
  is 
  various, 
  and 
  is 
  adapted 
  to 
  the 
  depth 
  of 
  water 
  in 
  which 
  sponges 
  

   are 
  sought. 
  Formerly 
  it 
  was 
  seldom 
  that 
  any 
  one 
  used 
  a 
  sponge-hook 
  

   pole 
  longer 
  than 
  18 
  feet, 
  but 
  now, 
  when 
  fishing 
  is 
  often 
  pursued 
  in 
  35 
  

   to 
  upwards 
  of 
  40 
  feet 
  of 
  water, 
  the 
  poles 
  must 
  be 
  lengthened 
  out 
  to 
  

   correspond. 
  

  

  The 
  water 
  glass 
  is 
  constructed 
  by 
  simply 
  inserting 
  a 
  pane 
  of 
  glass 
  into 
  

   the 
  bottom 
  of 
  a 
  box 
  or 
  common 
  bucket, 
  and 
  making 
  it 
  water-tight. 
  By 
  

   thrusting 
  the 
  bottom 
  of 
  this 
  contrivance 
  into 
  the 
  water 
  and 
  looking 
  

   through 
  the 
  glass 
  a 
  sponge 
  hunter 
  is 
  able 
  to 
  clearly 
  distinguish 
  objects 
  

   on 
  the 
  bottom 
  of 
  the 
  sea, 
  even 
  when 
  the 
  ocean 
  is 
  agitated 
  by 
  a 
  fresh 
  

   breeze 
  that 
  would 
  otherwise 
  make 
  it 
  impossible 
  to 
  see 
  anything. 
  In 
  

   the 
  early 
  days 
  of 
  the 
  fishery, 
  when 
  sponges 
  were 
  sought 
  in 
  shallower 
  

   depths, 
  it 
  was 
  customary 
  to 
  throw 
  oil 
  on 
  the 
  water 
  to 
  smoothen 
  it, 
  when 
  

   its 
  surface 
  was 
  rippled 
  by 
  a 
  breeze. 
  But, 
  while 
  this 
  method 
  answered 
  

   the.purpose 
  very 
  well, 
  under 
  the 
  conditions 
  then 
  existing, 
  it 
  was 
  found 
  

   inadequate 
  when 
  fishing 
  in 
  deeper 
  water 
  was 
  attempted. 
  As 
  a 
  result, 
  

   the 
  water 
  glass 
  was 
  introduced 
  about 
  1870 
  and 
  has 
  been 
  used 
  ever 
  since. 
  

  

  The 
  "bruiser-'' 
  is 
  a 
  short, 
  stout 
  club, 
  which 
  is 
  used 
  for 
  pounding 
  

   sponges. 
  

  

  4. 
  THE 
  METHODS 
  OF 
  FISHING. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  vessel 
  has 
  reached 
  the 
  locality 
  where 
  operations 
  are 
  to 
  

   begin, 
  the 
  boats 
  are 
  got 
  into 
  the 
  water 
  and 
  two 
  men 
  go 
  in 
  each, 
  as 
  

   has 
  already 
  been 
  stated. 
  The 
  dinghies 
  scatter 
  about 
  over 
  the 
  ground, 
  

   or 
  work 
  close 
  to 
  each 
  other, 
  as 
  circumstances 
  may 
  dictate, 
  the 
  move- 
  

   ments 
  of 
  the 
  boats 
  being 
  governed, 
  of 
  course, 
  by 
  the 
  abundance 
  in 
  

   which 
  sponges 
  are 
  found. 
  

  

  One 
  man 
  sculls 
  the 
  dinghy 
  along 
  slowly 
  (using 
  a 
  single 
  oar 
  over 
  

   the 
  stern) 
  while 
  the 
  other, 
  who 
  is 
  termed 
  the 
  "hooker," 
  sits 
  on 
  the 
  

   midship 
  thwart, 
  or 
  kneels 
  with 
  his 
  breast 
  across 
  the 
  gunwale,* 
  intently 
  

   watching 
  the 
  bottom 
  through 
  the 
  water-glass 
  which 
  he 
  holds 
  in 
  his 
  left 
  

   hand, 
  while 
  the 
  sponge-hook 
  lays 
  ready 
  within 
  his 
  grasp, 
  extended 
  

   across 
  the 
  boat. 
  Trained 
  by 
  long 
  experience, 
  his 
  keen 
  eyes 
  quickly 
  

   observe 
  every 
  object 
  on 
  the 
  bottom, 
  and 
  he 
  instantly 
  detects 
  the 
  pres- 
  

   ence 
  of 
  a 
  sponge 
  when 
  one 
  comes 
  within 
  the 
  field 
  of 
  his 
  vision. 
  No 
  

   sooner 
  does 
  he 
  discover 
  the 
  prize 
  for 
  whic*h 
  he 
  is 
  seeking 
  than 
  he 
  sig- 
  

   nals, 
  by 
  a 
  motion 
  of 
  his 
  hand, 
  for 
  his 
  companion 
  to 
  stop 
  the 
  boat, 
  which 
  

   is 
  deftly 
  done 
  by 
  turning 
  her 
  around 
  with 
  the 
  oar 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  way 
  that 
  

   her 
  center 
  still 
  remains 
  over 
  the 
  sponge. 
  In 
  an 
  instant 
  the 
  long-handled 
  

   hook 
  is 
  thrust 
  into 
  the 
  water, 
  and 
  down 
  it 
  goes 
  to 
  the 
  bottom, 
  many 
  

  

  "Alarge 
  sponge 
  is 
  fastened 
  on 
  the 
  fisherman's 
  breast 
  to 
  serveas 
  a 
  cushion, 
  otherwise 
  

   lie 
  could 
  not 
  endure 
  to 
  lie 
  hour 
  after 
  hour 
  across 
  a 
  boat's 
  gunwale, 
  and, 
  even 
  with 
  

   this 
  protection, 
  serious 
  consequences 
  sometimes 
  result 
  from 
  persons 
  continuing 
  to 
  fol- 
  

   low 
  a 
  business 
  in 
  which 
  they 
  must 
  assume 
  such 
  unnatural 
  positions. 
  

  

  