68 Ifctnss of tbe 1Rofc, IRtde, an& Gun 



immense size was now very apparent ; we proceeded 

 with all due caution, and, being once more drawn 

 towards land, I tried to get his head into the net, upon 

 effecting which, the servants were ordered to seize his 

 tail and slide him on shore. I took all imaginable pains 

 to accomplish this, but in vain, and began to think 

 myself strangely awkward, when at length, having got 

 his snout in, I discovered that the hoop of the net, 

 though adapted to very large pike, would admit no more 

 than that part. He was, however, completely spent, 

 and in a few moments we landed him, a perfect monster ! 

 He was stabbed by my directions in the spinal marrow, 

 with a large knife, which appeared to be the most 

 humane method of killing him, and I then ordered all 

 the signals, with the sky scrapers to be hoisted ; and the 

 whoop re-echoed through the whole range of the 

 Grampians. On opening his jaws to endeavour to take 

 the hooks from him, which were both fast in his gorge, 

 so dreadful a forest of teeth, or tusks, I think I never 

 beheld : if I had not had a double link of gimp, with two 

 swivels, the depth between his stomach and mouth 

 would have made the former quite useless. His measure- 

 ment, accurately taken, was five feet four inches from 

 eye to fork. 



On examining him attentively, I perceived that a 

 very large bag hung deep below his belly, and, thinking 

 it was lower down than usual with other pike, I con- 

 cluded that this was deeply fed but a short time 

 before he was taken. After exhibiting him, there- 

 fore, to several gentlemen, I ordered that my house- 

 keeper on whom I could depend, should have him 



