CHAPTER 



11 



^ To obtain specimens of black marlin for Luis 

 Rivas we sailed first to Cabo Blanco, a great fishing 

 spot in Peru, where we were to stay as guests of the 

 International Petroleum Company. From Cabo Blanco 

 we were to push on to La Plata, an Ecuadorian island 

 where giant black marlin filled the surrounding wa- 

 ters. The island itself was covered with virgin jungle, 

 commercial fishermen reported, and the sea around it 

 was almost virgin to anglers. We had planned this trip 

 to be the climax of our expedition and we were looking 

 forward to it with great excitement. We went over our 

 itinerary once again. 



We traced the route to Guayaquil, then through a 

 town called Hippi Hoppi, and on to a village at a 



196 



