Giant Fish of Florida 



a slight lop, for roughish weather is undoubtedly the best for 

 turtle-spearing. 



At length you see a great loggerhead some three hundred 

 yards ahead on the port bow. The loggerhead turtle is the 

 most common on this coast ; the more delicate green turtle is 

 the rarest ; and between them in point of numbers comes the 

 leathery species. It is most important, when you have sighted 

 a turtle/to creep up as close and as quickly as possible, without 

 making the slightest noise. You must even stand quite steady 

 and crouch without kicking the boat, as the least disturbance 

 may send the turtle to the bottom. The great thing is to 

 restrain yourself from letting drive with the harpoon until the 

 most favourable moment, and the most favourable moment is 

 that at which you are closest to your quarry, so that it may feel 

 the full force of the harpoon. 



If, when you are within reach, the turtle shows signs of 

 diving, in with the harpoon ; otherwise, get a little nearer. 

 Now put all your back into the 'cast, iand the barbed point 

 goes clipping through the shell. You think that it did not 

 penetrate very far ? Well, your instinct is probably correct, so 

 it will be as well to fix another dart ready and, playing him 

 gently the while, strike again the moment he comes up to 

 breathe. He may remain beneath the surface fully twenty 

 minutes, on the move the whole while, but he will soon 

 want air after that time has elapsed. If you were sure 

 of having struck the barb well home, the more usual course 



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