68 WONDERS OF THE DEEP 



sembling paddles. At one time it was customary 

 to bury the sponge in the sand for nearly three 

 weeks to enable the insects to eat away the soft 

 gelatinous matter. But the modern method is pre- 

 ferable, for it is quicker, more simple, and cleans 

 the sponge better. 



Now the sponges are taken ashore, and here 

 men and boys sort them out according to size and 

 quality, but the natives, it may be mentioned in 

 passing, are not very good judges of the quality 

 of the sponge. When this has been done, the next 

 operation consists of cutting the sponges into various 

 shapes and removing all the irregularities. Much 

 of this work is performed by native girls and 

 women, and it is most amusing to see the women 

 puffing away at an old, short, clay pipe and to 

 hear them singing hymns. The next step is to 

 pack the sponges into bales for shipment. As soon 

 as this is done, a specimen sponge is fastened out- 

 side the bale as an indication of the quality and 

 size of the contents. 



But even after all this has been done, the 

 sponges are not yet ready for sale. Before they can 

 be placed on the market they are pressed and washed 

 a great many times in salt and fresh water until 

 every trace of the soft animal matter has disappeared. 

 When these processes have been accomplished the 

 sponges are passed through boiling water with the object 

 of ridding them of the peculiar smell inseparable from 

 the presence of animal matter. At some centres 

 the sponges are bleached by steeping them in a 



