PERU 



time in the entire history of fishing— the first iioo-pounder 

 ever to be boated. 



I'm constantly asked how I felt and what were my reac- 

 tions. I can say truthfully that my reactions on going to sleep 

 that night and waking early next morning were somewhat 

 the same as on the night I lost that other fish. Then I had 

 awakened feeling chagrin and disappointment. Now I woke 

 up with the jitters, thinking of all the things that could have 

 gone wrong in the handling of great fish such as this had 

 turned out to be. I thought also of other anglers far more 

 deserving of taking such a prize. And I still wondered humbly 

 why I had been singled out for this splendid fate. 



It probably took twenty-four hours for me to rid myself 

 of these mixed emotions, and I've taken quite a few big fish 

 in my time— some of which I fought for hectic periods up to 

 nigh on nine hours in length. At any rate that night I thanked 

 the good Lord for answering my prayers. Many fishermen 

 pray in times of stress and I know that I feel nearer to God 

 and more religious when fighting fish than at any other time. 



I did not bring my prize black marlin back to be mounted. 

 I only saved the tail and bill, which I had mounted in Peru on 

 a Peruvian silver base and with a silver plate on the bill 

 bearing name and date— and they adorn my mantel now. 

 This was slightly at variance with the usual custom when 

 mounting trophies but I wanted a very special memento of 

 that wonderful country, its fine people and incomparable salt- 

 water fishing which afforded me this great sport only nine 

 and a half hours from home. 



My black marlin was eaten by the villagers after being 

 skinned by Old Man Tumi, dean of the commercials, whose 



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