SCHNAPPER AND BLACK BREAM 135 



of its cover until, some months later, I used it 

 for giant perch (which I never caught) in a Queens- 

 land river. It became quite evident on my way 

 down the Harbour for my first schnapper day, 

 several weeks before the occasion here described 

 from my journals, that it would be hopelessly out 

 of place. The sportsman should not be deaf to 

 the teachings of local custom, for it more often 

 than not has sound reason on its side. The 

 obstinacy that knocks its head against a brick 

 wall is not more disastrous than that which insists 

 on grafting the angling methods of one part of 

 the globe on the diametrically opposite conditions 

 which may rule the sport in another. I was get- 

 ting on fairly well on this occasion. I had caught 

 three or four schnapper and several smaller fish, 

 and had twice lost my hook in " New South Wales/' 

 for with the boat drifting over such rough ground, 

 fouling the bottom means the instant rupture 

 of negotiations. At last, I am fast in a monster. 

 There can be no doubt of it, seeing the way my 

 line is flying out, and some of the others pause 

 in their own fishing to watch the issue. It is soon 

 decided, and my visions of a record schnapper 

 are dispelled. The gentleman at the other end 

 after nearly pulling me over the side, suddenly 

 sends me falling backwards by an unexpected 

 trick of swimming up towards the surface and thus 

 slacking the line. He must then have got a slack 



