DUR GHELLA AND ITS INHABITANTS 189 



perhaps tunny had bitten early, but soon after, these in turn 

 had been pounced upon by small and big sharks (or other 

 barracudas or large groupers) . They carried off their choice 

 offish, the hook and a good stretch of line as well. However, 

 in the short time that we used the 'coffe' we hooked some 

 interesting bream that are not common in coral shallows. 



Both the 'coffe' and the triple nets delivered about one 

 fifth of the normal haul as soon as the monsoon arrived and 

 the sky turned grey. But when this passed and the weather 

 was bright and calm the fish were caught again in 

 abundance. 



When the water is clear, the fall of the coral reef to the west 

 looks quite vertiginous. It plunges into a watery void and 

 you feel you are being drawn down into an open abyss. And, 

 as at Dissei, it is a moving wall, teeming with life. 



It is a wonderful experience to survey the depths from the 

 brink of the precipice, secure, yet anxious nevertheless. A 

 long surface swim on the rim of horror fills the mind with 

 images and whirling fancies. 



Near that coral wall shoals of multi-coloured fish appeared 

 in their thousands. Unexpected shadows sprang from no- 

 where — the silhouettes of sharks. Swarms of silver, round 

 pampano with a terrified expression on their faces arrived 

 intermittently. Two or three big mackerel passed by like 

 meteors. Down below images of striped marine cables slipped 

 by — barracudas with fang teeth. The entry to that abyss was 

 a proscenium where an endless line of fantastic characters 

 entered and made their exit. The fish came from all direc- 

 tions, from the land and from the ocean, but they usually 

 followed the length of the wall. Sharks came without warning, 

 behind our backs, and overtook us with studied nonchalance, 



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