File:Travels and researches in Crete (1865) (14597914427).jpg

Identifier: travelsresearch01spra (find matches)
Title: Travels and researches in Crete
Year: 1865 (1860s)
Authors: Spratt, Thomas Abel Brimage, 1811-1888
Subjects:
Publisher: London J. van Voorst
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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seasons an interesting scene of the aquaticgambols of the young divers, who, from two to tenyears of age, sport in the sea as if it were their naturalelement; for, in the summer months, when the grown-up are all absent, and the children and aged onlyleft, the mothers seem to send their infants to thewater as soon as they can walk, as a duck does herbrood, and they are very soon expert enough to divein two, three, and five fathoms. At the first commencement of the diving-season thediver suffers much, and cannot easily dive at greaterdepths than twelve and fifteen fathoms for a few days;the eyes, nose, and ears then bleed freely under thepressure and consequent congestion of the vessels. The sponge-fishing is chiefly carried on in neatlyrigged but small caiques or half-decked boats fromeight to ten tons burthen, that contain from seven tonine men in each, and are very handy little craft,very good sea-boats, and fine models, that seem tohave been the original of the famed yacht the Ame-
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MODE OF OPERATION. 223 rica. They go to work in companies of half a dozento twenty or thirty boats for mutual support and pro-tection ; and when the weather is favourable, and theyare in working condition, each diver will dive fifteen,and even twenty times a day, in as many fathoms. They are obliged to be particular in their dietduring the diving-season, making no meal until even-ing, and sustaining their strength by an occasionalpipe and a small cup of coffee once or twice duringthe day. It is to behold one of the most interesting sights pos-sible, to be in the midst of a fleet of these sponge-boatswhen the men are at work on their fishing-ground; forthey are like a flight of mosquitoes, or rather of butter-flies flitting from flower to flower, as they move fromone spot to another, anchoring for a few minutes onlywhilst a few dives are made, then hoisting theirnumerous and well-handled sails to shift a few yardsfurther in the direction desired, and then anchoringagain and diving, as

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