[19] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 125 



which is made by inserting a piece of window-glass across the end of a 

 small wooden box or bottomless pail. The latter contrivance enables 

 the sponger to examine the bottom, when the surface is more or less 

 rough. Of the two men in each dingy, one stands at the stern and pad- 

 dles slowly, while the other kneels down amidships or at the bow, and 

 watches the bottom. As soon as a Sponge is sighted, the boat is quickly 

 ■stopped, and the " hooker" thrusts down his spear and fastens into it; 

 doing this with ease, even in depths of 30 to 35 feet. Great dexterity 

 is required in this performance. Collecting goes on at all seasons when 

 the weather will permit. At noon and sunset, the spongers return to 

 the vessels and spread their catches upon the decks, where the slime 

 from the Sponges runs off freely. Every Friday night the vessels carry 

 their week's catch to some place on the neighboring shore, where they 

 have one or more inclosures called crawls, 8 or 10 feet square, and sit- 

 uated in depths of about 2 or 3 feet of water. Saturdays are spent in 

 depositing the past week's catch, to soak, and in cleaning that of the 

 week before, which is done by squeezing the Sponges and beating them 

 with a short heavy stick, called a " bruiser." After cleaning, they are 

 strung on rope yarns, about 6 feet long, suspended from the rigging to 

 dry, and afterwards packed in the hold. 



The cruises last from four to eight weeks, at the end of which time 

 the vessels return to Key West, a few only going to Apalachicola. The 

 Sponges are piled on a wharf, each variety or grade by itself, and are 

 sold to agents who first inspect and then submit a written bid, sales 

 being made, of course, to the highest bidder. The different grades are 

 sold in a lump, and not by weight or count, the agent being able to es- 

 timate the quantity very closely from long experience. The process of 

 bleaching or liming Sponges has been extensively in vogue at Key 

 West, but it is now meeting with much discouragement from the trade, 

 Cor while it renders the Sponge much lighter in color, it also partly de- 

 stroys its fiber and makes it less tough and durable. The Sponges are 

 stored in large airy warehouses by the agents, until a sufficient quantity 

 has been obtained to pay for shipping. After a thorough drying, and 

 bleaching, if desired, the Sponges are pounded to rid them of sand, 

 trimmed, sorted, and packed, by means of hydraulic pressure, in bales 

 measuring about 30 by 18 by 18 inches. They are then ready for ship- 

 ping. The Florida Sponges are all shipped from Key West and Apal- 

 achicola to New York, which is the only market for American Sponges, 

 and where they are disposed of to the trade. There are about six 

 wholesale houses in New York for the purchase and sale of Florida 

 Sponges. The value of the Florida Sponge fishery to the fishermen 

 averages about $200,000 annually. 



The Florida Sponge fishery originated about 1852, for, although the 

 occurrence of Sponges on the Florida reefs was previously made known, 

 the species were not supposed to be of commercial value. The industry 

 has gradually developed to the present time, but during the past few 



