24 



The American Angler 



loves company, but from their actions 

 I could plainly see that they had no 

 sympathy for us. We started break- 

 fast, and even though it was Sunday 

 we determined to have fish, so Fermin 

 started out with his net and bucket 

 after mullett. I can't swear that Fer- 

 min did not put in all his time catch- 

 ino^ bait, but it seems to me that he 

 must have gone to sleep doing it. 

 He got back after we were through 

 breakfast, but would neither confirm 

 nor deny the accusation. Suffice it 

 to say that the nice assortment of 

 bait entirely failed of its purpose, and 

 at I o o'clock we hoisted our sails and 

 left St. Joseph's Island without a fish. 



At about noon we reached Aransas 

 Pass and tried to beat out into the 

 Gulf, but with a light wind right 

 against us, and a strong tide coming in, 

 we could not make it, and had to turn 

 back, making a landing in the cove at 

 the head of Mustang Island. 



While here we inspected the life-sav- 

 ing station, and it was coming back from 

 there that I first saw a porpoise feeding. 



The fish, if fish it is, came up wnthin 

 a few yards of us after mullett, which 

 it would toss into the air and jump 

 for as they came down. It looked as 

 thoiigh he threw them up with his 

 nose, although I am not sure. Al- 

 though so close his movements were 

 so quick that the eye could hardly 

 follow them. 



After returning to the lola we again 

 hoisted sail and made for St. Joseph's 

 Island, where we gathered shells and 

 bathed in the surf until we knew that 

 it was time to start for home. 



The homeward trip was uneventful 

 as we even found Boyd with his wagon 

 at the landing waiting for us. We 

 were both glad and sorry that our trip 

 was over. Glad because we were a little 

 bit lonesome, and sorry because it was 

 all over. 



