128 DRUM FISHING. 



the severity of the play that I was incapable of 

 renewing my sport for several days. 



I love all sports, whether " by flood or field," and 

 have engaged in many an animating scene of *syl- 

 van and aquatic amusement ; but I have found 

 none, devil-fishing alone excepted, possessed of so 

 absorbing an interest as successful drum-fishing. 

 Imagine yourself afloat on our beautiful bay, the 

 ocean before you, the islands encircling you, and a 

 fleet of forty .or fifty fishing boats (their white awn- 

 ings glistening in the sun) riding sociably around. 

 Suddenly, a school of fish strike at some particu- 

 lar boat ; a second is engaged the direction of the 

 school is indicated the boats out of the run of the 

 fish, draw up their anchors and place themselves 

 rapidly alongside, or in the rear of the successful 

 boats, and soon they participate in the sport ; and 

 now two, three, a dozen, nay, twenty boats, are en- 

 gaged ; in some boats, three at a time are drawn 

 alongside the fish dart across each other the 

 lines are entangled the water foams with the 

 lashing of their tails, and the fisherman scarce 

 knows, while they flounder on the surface, which 

 lish belongs to his own hook, which to his 'neigh- 

 bors ; the barb is dashed hurriedly and at random 

 into the yet struggling fish and each ouo is mim- 

 ing with anxiety to secure his nsh and return to the 



