THE OCEAN FISHING ROD 315 



which, firmly held by two stout double hooks, is churning the 

 tepid sea. The line is hauled inboard, and, without easing the 

 engines or in the slightest degree slackening speed, the sea 

 monster is brought steadily and carefully alongside. One of 

 the crew stands by, cord in hand. This is passed round the 

 line, fashioned at the end into a running bowline knot, and 

 slipped down on to the fish. A sharp jerk pulls it tight, 

 the noosed creature presently swings in mid air, and is hauled 

 up on deck among the plaudits of the passengers. 



A frail, effeminate-looking youngster begins to quote Byron 

 to the black-eyed girl at his side, telling in verse of the 

 changing colours of the dying coryphene, which the licensed 

 poet miscalls dolphin. But this is the third fish and quotation 

 of the kind during the voyage, and he is listened to a trifle im- 

 patiently. The fish is carried off, the line is released ; the big 

 double hook, bearing a poor imitation of a flying fish made out 

 of white bunting, is again skimming over the waves far astern, 

 and the passengers relapse into their former state of inanimation. 



It is fine sport this, catching tunnies, barracuda, dolphins, 

 bonito, coryphenes, seerfish, and other huge and sometimes 

 ugly members of the fish tribe, maybe weighing 100 Ibs. and 

 over. The attempt is often made, but less often successful. 

 Even those who thoroughly know the game fail for days together 

 to bring a fish on board. A big liner is not a fishing boat, and 

 when time is money the owners would be ill pleased if their 

 commanders were to slow the engines when fish were seen play- 

 ing around the vessel, or stop when some extra huge creature 

 had been hooked. The thing, then, was to devise a tackle which 

 would stand the enormous strain when an animal, weighing 

 perhaps 150 Ibs., seizes the bait which is being whizzed through 

 the water at the rate of from nine to fifteen knots an hour. At 

 lower speeds the tackle question is less difficult of solution. 



The ever-restless Bay of Biscay is scoured by men known 



