HALIBUT FISHING. 147 



line by a piece of hemp-cord ; then comes a heavy 

 plunge of the sinker, the rattle of the line as it 

 runs over the side of the canoe, and we wait in 

 silence for the expected bite. 



A tug, that came unpleasantly near to upset- 

 ting all hands, lets us know that a halibut was 

 bolting the tempting morsel, hook and all. A 

 few minutes gave him time fairly to swallow it, 

 and now a sudden twick buries the hook deeply 

 in the fleshy throat ; the huge flatfish finds, to his 

 cost, that his dinner is likely seriously to disagree 

 with him, whilst in the canoe all hands are in full 

 employ. The bowman, kneeling, holds on tightly 

 with both hands to the line ; the savage next 

 him takes one of the long spears, and quickly 

 places on the end of it a shorter one, baited 

 and bladdered ; the other two paddle warily. 



At first the hooked fish was sulky, and re- 

 mained obstinately at the bottom, until continued 

 jerks at the line ruffled his temper, and excited 

 his curiosity sufficiently to induce a sudden ascent 

 to the surface ; perhaps to have a peep at his 

 persecutors. Awaiting his appearance stood the 

 spearman, and when the canoe was sufficiently 

 near, in he sent the spear, plucking the long haft 

 or handle from the shorter barbed spear, which 

 remained in the fish, the bladder, floating like a 



L 2 



