THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
145 
Operations were at first confined to the shoals 
near the shore, but they were afterwards extended 
and are now concentrated on three banks which 
are situated at a distance of about 30 miles from 
Lampedusa. One of these lies to the north-west, 
one to the north, and the third to the west of the 
island. 
Of these the last two are the most frequented, 
as they are not only more extensive than the first, 
but the sponges are of finer quality, and are there- 
fore more marketable. 
During the season a strange and motley crowd 
assemble on and around the shores of Lampedusa. 
Spaniards, French, Sicilians, Maltese, Greek, and 
Italians engage in the work either by dredging 
or diving for the sponges. 
i gagova,” a word that has been borrowed from the 
Greek. It consists of a bag shaped net, made of 
stout hempen cord; and it is affixed to an iron 
frame of a trapezoidal form which serves as the 
mouth. The casting of the apparatus requires 
considerable dexterity on the part of the men, so 
as to insure its falling on the bottom with the 
right side down. 
When in the sea it is towed from the end of a 
boom by means of a manilla rope, and the whole 
apparatus is so adjusted that the net is main- 
tained in a position directly in the wake of the 
vessel. Should the sea, however, be rough, towing 
operations have to be suspended as it is only 
with a smooth sea. and a light fair wind, that the 
dredge can be worked. 
Of these, however, the predominating elements 
are Sicilians, Greeks, and Italians. 
The fishing season usually begins in May and 
lasts till the middle of July: but many of the 
boats continue operations until the commence- 
ment of the Autumnal Equinox. When a good 
“field” is struck the work goes merrily forward, 
and the boats rapidly load and return to port: but 
when as it sometimes happens the boats are 
delayed either on account of stress of weather, 
clerangment of apparatus, or other similar causes, 
the time for which the crew was provisioned is 
exceeded, and hardships naturally follow. The 
life of the sponge fisher is an exceedingly laborious 
one, and is not unattended with, considerable 
danger. Exposure to the powerful rays of a semi- 
tropical sun, the frequent and sudden changes of 
temperature caused by the rapid alternations of 
wet and dry, and the prolonged immersions are 
but a few of the many privations that the Lam- 
pedusan sponge-fishers have to undergo. 
The boats used for the work are of the type 
known as the “trabaccolo.” They are specially 
adapted for dredging as they can be readily 
handled, and are capable of sailing so close to the 
wind that the rate of sailing can be varied to 
any speed that may be required for the operations 
of casting, of towing, and of hauling the net. 
The average size of the boats is about 12 tons; 
and they generally carry five men. The net that 
is used for the work is of peculiar construction, 
and it is known among the fisherman as “la 
It is upon such occasions that the “palombari,” 
or divers, show to the best advantage the supe- 
riority of their system over that of the dredgers. 
They can continue their work long after the 
others have been compelled to suspend opera- 
tions: and, not only can they work more rapidly, 
but they are also enabled to pick the finest speci- 
mens from the sea bed, and therefore the results 
of their labours always command the highest 
prices in the market. 
Like the dredgers, they also use the “trabac- 
colo” for their work. As a rule, two men do the 
diving, while the other three attend to the diving 
apparatus; but not more than one man from 
each boat is in the water at the same time. They 
usually remain under water for periods varying 
from ten to twenty minutes; and they make five 
and six descents a day. 
The machine used for the work is constructed on 
the “Sdebe Erma nan System,” and consists of 
three cylinders, the whole apparatus being spe- 
cially adapted for the hard wear and tear which 
the nature of the work that it has to do entails. 
The average cost of a complete diving outfit 
is £ 100. 
The advantages that the divers have over the 
net- fishers is universally admitted ; but the initial 
outlay that is required for the equipment of the 
former is an insuperable obstacle to its adoption 
by the majority of the fisherman. 
