THE SPONGE FISHERY. 825 



autl iu from one to three days is ou the fishing-ground and at work. The cook remains on board, 

 keeps the vessel under way, and prepares the meals, while the spongers pair oft' into the diugies. 

 Of the two men who occupy each dingy, one is called the " sculler," and the other the " hooker." 

 The former stands in the stern of the boat and sculls it slowly and steadily forward, being pre- 

 pared to stop it and hold it exactly in place at a moment's notice from the " hooker," or " bow- 

 man," who kneels down amidships, or at the bow, with the upper half of his body projecting over 

 the side. The duty of the latter is to scan the bottom, and, as soon as a sponge of sufficient value 

 comes into view, to fasten into it by means of his long sponge-hook, and bring it to the surface. 

 It is very evident that both " sculler" and " hooker" must be men of considerable experience and 

 dexterity in their respective occupations, in order to work together advantageously. The instant 

 a sponge is sighted, the boat must stop, and without a moment's delay the hooked pole must be 

 plunged downwards, sometimes to a depth of 25 to 35 feet, with sufficient accuracy to pierce an 

 object which at the most is only a few inches in diameter. As might be expected, the task of 

 hooking sponges is rendered much more difficult, when, as frequently happens, the water is rough 

 or clouded by sediment. To make his position more comfortable and prevent sores and blisters, 

 the hooker ties sponges about his knees where they would come in contact with the bottom of the 

 boat, and also across his chest to raise it above the rail. His posture .is an exceedingly tiresome 

 one, lying as he does with his head and shoulders over the rail, and he must retain it all day. 



Formerly, when sponges were collected only in shallow water, no difficulty was experienced in 

 detecting them with the unaided eye, but of late years, since they have been gathered most abun- 

 dantly in depths of 20 to 35 feet, it has become necessary to make use of the sponge-glass already 

 described. The " hooker," wearing the handle of this rude glass about his neck, has both hands 

 left free, when he wishes to use the pole, which his companion first hands to him, having started 

 it over the side of the boat. In addition to his skill in detecting a small object on the bottom, 

 and bringing it to the surface, he must be able to tell at sight whether it is a valuable sponge or 

 not ; and if not, pass it by. Some sponges grow so firmly attached to the bottom that it is almost 

 impossible to pull them off with the hook. Instances are cited where the hooker, in his strenuous 

 efforts to loosen such a specimen from the bottom, has actually pulled the bow of his boat under 

 the water and caused it to partially fill. Sheepswool sponges are said to be the most difficult to 

 detach, and yellow sponges the easiest of those growing iu moderate depths of water. When a 

 small sponge, attached to a large one is taken, it is pulled off and thrown back. These sponges 

 are said not to attach themselves again but to remain loose at the bottom, and to be rolled about by 

 the movement of the water. When they are again taken, showing no point of attachment, they 

 are called " rolling Johns." The useful sponges taken by the fishermen are the so-called sheeps- 

 wool, boat, yellow, grass, and glove sponges; and the worthless ones which they sometimes hook, 

 arc termed by them " loggerhead," " bastard sheepswool," bastard yellow," and u finger sponge." 



The gathering of sponges from the depths iu which the fishery is now mainly carried on, on 

 the west coast of Florida, is very hard work, and only the strongest and most skillful men can 

 succeed. Capt. Ben Pearson, of the schooner Champion, and others, state that they hook up 

 the sponges from 30 and 36 feet of water. When working in such depths as these, they have to 

 contend with stronger currents and rougher water than in shoaler localities, and in addition there 

 is the uuwieldiuess of so long a pole. Sponges from those depths are, however, superior in 

 quality to those from inshore. 



Collecting goes on at all times when the water is smooth and clear conditions not always met 

 with. Some of the Key West spongers have partially removed the inconveniences of rough water 

 by distributing oil over the surface, and are thus enabled to work more continuously. A tea- 



