120 DAYS IN THE OPEN 



out they are left hanging in great masses, high, if 

 not dry. The little fiddler crabs, swarming by 

 thousands in the sand of the beach, waving their 

 single arm frantically in the air, were an unfailing 

 source of amusement. Pelicans abounded, and a 

 part of the day's program was to feed mullet to the 

 two tame ones which made their headquarters on 

 the pier. Through long practice and because of the 

 capacious bag which they carry, they could catch, 

 with almost unfailing accuracy, every fish pitched 

 in their direction. Every day some of the visitors 

 fished from the pier for sharks. Probably this 

 sport has its fascination for those who enjoy that 

 sort of thing, but when it is considered that from 

 this same pier one might catch many varieties of 

 excellent food fish, the passion for shark fishing 

 becomes an impenetrable mystery. 



Probably no one who fishes at all can withstand 

 the temptation to try his hand at tarpon when visit- 

 ing the Gulf of Mexico waters. One hears such 

 stories of the gaminess of this fish, of the fight, 

 prolonged through many hours, at times, which is 

 necessary to land it, that he soon contracts the 

 tarpon fever. In spite of a certain reluctance to 

 go in pursuit of fish which are good for nothing 

 when caught, fish that have never injured us and 

 against which we hold no malice, a sunny morning 

 saw the writer and a boatman starting out for 

 tarpon. We anchored at a favourable point, the 

 hook was baited with half a mullet, tied on as well 



