Leaves from a Madeira Garden 



human food. To kill for the mere sake of 

 killing, and to leave your gallant quarry to rot 

 upon the strand when killed, must surely be 

 repugnant to the sportsman's instincts. All 

 sport has its origin and its excuse in a desire 

 inherited from barbaric forefathers either to rid 

 the earth of vermin, whether lions or foxes, or 

 to procure food, whether deer or salmon. And 

 any sport which does not however remotely 

 fulfil one condition or the other, lacks senti- 

 mental justification. But the tunny is a very 

 warrantable prey. Perhaps the wise angler 

 who goes forth to angle for these gigantic fish 

 will not use too fine a tackle, even if he does 

 not equip himself as suggested by Sir William 

 Davenant — 



*' For angling rod he took a sturdy oake ; 

 For line, a cable that in storm ne'er broke ; 

 His hooke was baited with a dragon's tail, 

 And then on rock he stood to bob for whale." 



As the " run " only occurs at the moment of 

 my departure, I have an opportunity to exercise 

 those distinguishing qualities of the angler, 

 patience and hope. He is held by the un- 

 sympathetic to possess at least one vice ; no 

 one denies him these virtues. 



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