THE CORAL OF COMMERCE. 23 



which bilious captains are sometimes apt to commit, has generally on 

 board some private ' regalo ' for his consul. The next morning, perhaps, 

 they push out to sea, and commence operations — not to return that even- 

 ing, or the next, or the next, but to remain at sea for a fortnight or a 

 month at a time, working night and day without intermission. The more 

 humane captains allow half their crews to repose from Ave Maria to mid- 

 night, and the other half from midnight to the break of day ; others allow 

 only two hours' repose at a time ; whilst some, again, allow no regular 

 time ; — 'so that,' said a poor mariner to me, 'we sleep as we can, either 

 standing or as we haul in the nets.' Nor do they fare better than they 

 sleep ; for the whole time they have nothing — literally nothing — but 

 biscuit and water, whilst the captain, as a privileged person, has his dish 

 of dried beans or haricots boiled. Should they, however, have a run of 

 good luck, and put into port once in fifteen days or so, they are indulged 

 with a feast of maccaroni. These privations make it rather rough work, it 

 must be confessed, for a mariner, especially when it is remembered that it 

 lasts seven months ; but if to this be added the brutality of the captains, 

 whose tyranny and cruelty, as I have heard, exceed anything that has ever 

 been recounted to me before, we have a combination of sufferings which go 

 far to justify the description given to me of this service by one engaged in 

 it, as being an ' Inferno terrestre.' 



" Now let us view them at work. Every vessel carries about 12 contaj 

 (a contaio being about 200 pounds) of hemp to make the nets, which 

 are changed every week. They are about 7 or 10 palmi in width, 

 and 100 or 120 palmi in length, — worked very loosely, and with 

 large meshes. On being thrown into the sea, the vessel is put 

 before the wind, or else propelled by oars, until these loosely-formed 

 nets have fastened upon a rock. Then comes the tug of war. If 

 they have great good fortune, they will take a piece of 2 or 3 rotoli at a 

 haul (a rotoli being 33 ounces), though this is a rare occurrence. The 

 white coral is very rare and very precious, comparatively a small quantity 

 being sufficient to make a good voyage, especially if it be taken ' ingrosso,' 

 when it will fetch as high as 100 ducati, or more, the rotolo. The red ' a 

 minuto ' is not very valuable ; but if it is ' scelta ' and ' ingrosso,' it can be 

 sold for from 25 up to 60 ducati the rotolo. As a rule, however, the round- 

 shaped coral is much more valuable than the tree or the spiral coral, 



' Full fathoms five thy father lies ; 

 Of his bones are coral made ' — 



So sang Ariel, without, I suppose, intending to lay down any rule as to 

 the depth at which coral may be found. Indeed, it is found at all depths, 

 from 12 to 16 palmi up to 150, or even more. At last arrives the Feast of 

 San Michaele, or of the Madonna del Rosario. As soon as the clay dawns, 

 the nets are slackened ; no man will work more, even if treasures are in 

 prospect. So, pushing into land, and taking up their ' carte,' away they 

 set on their return — many as poor as when they departed ; some with a fe-vr 



