HiLuting Tarpon in Corpiis Christ i Waters 



23 



another one leaped a little further over 

 on the other side. The distance was 

 too great to see clearly what followed, 

 but I could see that things were getting 

 into a delightful tangle. It was not 

 long before they came back, and were 

 well satisfied. Both fish had circled 

 and crossed the lines, and started north 

 and the other south, and kept right on 

 going. The steward said the tarpon 

 were too big anyway, and that she had 

 no use for that kind of a fish. 



We were all tired and hungry enough 

 to stop fishing, and so we started sup- 

 per. While preparing it, Johnny called 

 Fermin's attention to a big fish swim- 

 ming around the boat, which the latter 

 pronounced a man-eater, and the same 

 one that had given us our scare. Plans 

 were laid to effect his capture, and after 

 supper a stout rope with large hook was 

 baited with mullett and thrown out for 

 him. He bit. And for a few minutes 

 we all had our hands full. Gradually 

 he pulled the rope from our grasp until 

 at last all the slack was gone. We could 

 see every move the "varmint" made 

 in the phosphorescent water; but not 

 for long, for with a sudden jerk he 

 broke the rope and stood not on the 

 order of his going. 



This was the first anchorage we made 

 where we could feel the swell from the 

 bay, and as the lola gracefully bowed 

 to the incoming waves, both the Stew- 

 ard and Will began to look anxious. 

 Shortly after supper the Steward 

 wanted to know if we couldn't pitch 

 the tent on shore, while Will com- 

 plained of a headache. But such talk 

 was treason and would not be listened 

 too. With many misgivings on their 

 part we retired for the night, and truth 

 compels me to state that their fears 

 were unfounded, as we wxre all too tired 

 to submit to the nightmare of the seas. 



Morning came too soon, and as we 

 had only one day left we decided to 

 start for the old wrecks on St. Joseph's 

 Island. The time passed so rapidly 

 that it was nearly nine before we 

 started, and shortly after the wind 

 died down so that we made almost no 

 progress. We reached Shellbank at 

 supper time and turned into Aransas 

 Bay just before dark. Although the 

 stars were all out it was so dark that I 

 could not imagine how in the world 

 Fermin managed to keep his course, 

 tacking against the light breeze. About 

 9 130 the Captain sent Will forward to 

 watch for the buoy which he expected 

 to pass. Will watched for about ten 

 minutes faithfully, then he relaxed his 

 vigilance, and the first thing we knew 

 there was a bump that threw us all to 

 the deck, a rumbling, grating noise, 

 and we had found the buoy. 



"Caramba!" rolled out of Fermin's 

 mouth, as he handed the tiller to the 

 Tender of the Jib and jumped down 

 the hatch with a lantern to inspect the 

 damage. No trace of the collision 

 could be found, and as we were near 

 the wrecks a landing was soon made. 



Heretofore our nights had been 

 nights of bliss, and I would like to pass 

 this night of nights over without a 

 word, but candor will not permit. 



We went to sleep all right, but about 

 3 o'clock I was aroused by a serenade. 

 The air was full of music and my arms 

 and face full of burning. In my vain 

 attempt to drive the tormentors away, 

 I aroused the Steward and she woke 

 up the kid. We tried to sleep some 

 more, and then we tried again, but it 

 was no use. The light breeze from off 

 St. Joseph's Island seemed to be loaded 

 with mosquitoes. 



The only excuse I have for waking 

 the rest of the crowd is that misery 



