162 
SNAPPING MACKEREL. 
She was finally freed of water ; hats, oars and rod were 
picked up, the latter bj means of the float that was 
calmly fishing all by itself ; my friend, who had swam to 
and was shivering on a neighboring rock, was taken 
aboard, and we returned, solemn and sad, my friend very 
cold and myself greatly disgusted. 
In fishing, therefore, for snappers, it is better not to 
fall overboard ; but if, by your awkwardness of doing so, 
you half fill the boat, never try to climb in over the side, 
but sacrifice yourself bravely. We were using on this 
occasion a bait that, late in the season, is often more suc- 
cessful than any other — a part of the fish himself. This, 
in the early fishing, they will not touch; but in cold 
weather, frequently prefer. 
It is a singular fact, that although blue-fish have always 
abounded in the Great South Bay, snapping mackerel 
were unknown there till lately ; whereas, while the latter 
have been abundant in Long Island Sound from time 
immemorial, the former have never been taken there to 
any great extent. 
