146 DAHLAK 



fight with a decent-sized dusky shark, which only just got 

 away. Priscilla found another new cowrie (new to us, that is) 

 and I caught a black and yellow striped fish not yet in our 

 collection. 



Together we discovered a stretch of beach formed ex- 

 clusively by thousands of colonies of shells, lying three 

 inches deep, and we took specimens. And together we caught 

 other fish and animals of interest. ... In short, it was one of 

 those days when everything is right. The line did not get 

 tangled, the sparking plugs did not get wet, the sea was not 

 too turbid, the sun was lightly veiled, the tinned meat was 

 not too repulsive and the bottle of mineral water was not 

 left out in the sun. 



But the glorious epilogue had to come. 



At about 1 1 a.m. Gigi came upon two corpulent 'cefaloni' 

 a little outside the gulf, south of Entedebir. He warned me 

 and we began the chase together. I saw them again and Gigi 

 who was nearer, struck one full on. But there was the usual 

 maddening follow-up: the line snapped and the cefalone 

 cleared off, leaving Gigi in disgrace. 



At about 12.15 p.m. I was swimming gently, gun in hand, 

 at the edge of the short coral reef. The tide was rising and 

 the water was turbid. I scoured the bottom with my eyes, 

 going down every so often, travelling close to the floor or at 

 half-depth in search of something new. At a certain point I 

 noticed a flashing, like a blade, ten yards off. Cautiously I 

 increased my speed, gripped by a strong premonition, and 

 there, just beyond ... a great, long, luminous, silver fish was 

 sliding along a cleft ... it w^as the cefalone. There it was, 

 sliding along the corridor, scraping its body, still carrying 

 Gigi's bent arrow. I dropped on it like a hawk. It darted off, 

 leaving the corridor for the open sea. My arrow nipped it 

 behind the shoulders. I shouted with joy and exploded on to 



