THE SEA FISHER IN FOREIGN PARTS 481 



shape to our English friend of that ilk, only a magnificent 

 vermilion with black spots, is another celebrity. 



On the trip I am here recalling we had during the last half- 

 hour a succession of surprises. A member of Parliament, since 

 a cabinet minister, called lustily for help, and we rushed to his 

 aid. He had hooked a shark, and after a tremendous tussle 

 the beast was landed by means of a couple of boathooks thrust 

 into his hideous mouth. It was about five feet long, and as it 

 betrayed an uneasy conscience and was far too lively to be safe, 

 it was conciliated with a well-sharpened axe. Another member 

 of the Legislative Assembly, not to be outdone, set up a wild 

 hullabaloo ; he too, so he averred, had a shark. You could see 

 it was a big fish, there were strong men (all parliament men) 

 engaged in bringing it in ; but, instead of darting hither and 

 thither, it came up a dead weight, no -more like a shark than the 

 chub is like a pike. Its sheer weight unfortunately severed the 

 line, and there were blank lamenting faces near the sponson, 

 and general laughter from the rest of the company. 



The lion of the collection was taken by a member of the 

 Government, since known to fame as a statesman ; it was a 

 groper of 60 Ibs. weight. It did not show an ounce of pluck 

 from first to last, but allowed itself to be hauled in as if it were 

 its fate, against which it were useless to contend ; and the 

 only protest it made on deck was to open its jaws, but in a 

 manner more indicative of an ill-mannered gape than a decided 

 exhibition of defiance. The naturalists are quite right in saying 

 that this fish is distinguished by its large mouth ; a medium- 

 sized portmanteau might be stowed away in it without the 

 slightest inconvenience to the fish. After the engagement is 

 over, the combatants clear the decks, remove the slain, put 

 away their weapons, and resume attitudes and pursuits of peace. 



Fishing excursions like that which is sketched in some 

 detail in the foregoing pages are, however, only occasional. 



3Q 



