280 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



" Eleven pounds, Jennings," and, as he looked 

 round to see me weighing it, he got a tug that 

 pulled his line through loosened fingers and was 

 too late with his strike, but the fish, five pounds, 

 came again and was secured, making the contest 

 level in numbers. After this there was, for some 

 considerable time, no response to either's offerings 

 and this caused the captain to let out the reef he 

 had taken in and, while doing so, to say : "I'll be 

 making for Inishlackan, where it will need my lines 

 to hould thim." 



The move proved fruitful and I had cause to fear 

 that the first fish would, with the aid of the weeds 

 it dashed down amongst, strengthen again Pat's 

 weakening belief that our lines would not last. 

 The rod was bent to a dangerous bow with the 

 fisher's effort, but a turn had to be called for, 

 which the boatman cleverly executed by bringing 

 his boat back over the spot and, to my great relief, 

 the fish, in answer to the strain in this opposite 

 direction, cleared the weeds, and then fought 

 gallantly before it rolled upon its side and was 

 brought to gaff. 



" It'll be weighing twinty pounds I'd be thinking," 

 was the staggered Pat's opinion. Its weight was 

 between sixteen and seventeen. 



" Shure thin it's meself that has a finer line I'll 

 be for trying." 



He tried a finer line but, as the sun was now 

 high above us, it helped so little that he exclaimed : 

 " By the powers, it's meself that's disremimbering 

 that the fish won't take the eel in the full light of 

 day. I'll be putting it by until avening. Shall I 

 be trying a red rubber, yer honours ? " 



