HOW SPONGES ARE PROCURED 



Whatever may be the means chosen for obtaining the 

 sponge, its treatment when taken ashore is pretty much 

 the same. It is first rinsed arid squeezed till every par- 

 ticle of gelatinous animal matter has been got rid of; 

 then it is exposed to the air for a day or two, after which 

 it is taken back to the water and thrown into an enclosure 

 made of planks and stakes, and left to clean itself. Then 

 it is taken out again, trodden vigorously by bare-footed 

 men till it is once more squeezed as dry as possible, and 

 finally is hung up to dry before being sent on to the 

 picking and sorting warehouse. These sponges, it should 

 be remarked, are the finer ones, used for bath and toilet ; 

 the cheap, coarser articles used for horse and carriage- 

 washing come from the American grounds ; but, before 

 we discuss those, there is another European ground which 

 calls for mention. 



Along the east side of the Adriatic Sea sponges are 

 found at almost all depths, and the fishery, which is 

 carried on by the Dalmatians and Croats, is in a very 

 flourishing condition. It is done from small boats and by 

 means of harpoons. These men employ a similar spy- 

 glass to that of the Greeks, and they facilitate its use in 

 a very ingenious, if simple, manner. Every boat carries a 

 small supply of pebbles, and, when the look-out man 

 wishes to inspect the ground, he dips four or five of these 

 in oil and tosses them one by one in a curved line in front 

 of the boat. Each pebble, as it sinks, scatters tiny drops 

 all the way down, which help to clear the water, thus 

 affording a more unobstructed view to the spy-glass. 



The Dalmatians and others have latterly taken to 



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