io Recreations of a Sportsman 



as I was forced continually to haul to the north 

 or change my course. Curiously enough, the boy 

 could not see them, due to some defect of his 

 eyesight, and through no fault of his would, 

 doubtless, not have found the skiff, as it was 

 being towed up the coast and offshore. 



I kept the skiff in sight with difficulty, and 

 when I reached it, it was so dark that I could 

 just see Pinchot bending to the rod as he shouted 

 to me, and Mexican Joe behind, pushing at the 

 oars in a gallant attempt to force the boat up 

 over the fish to enable Pinchot to gain line. 

 There was a fair sea on, and as I fell in close 

 behind the procession, to stand by until the 

 gaffing, it was one of the most exhilarating 

 spectacles in the way of excitement and daring 

 sport I have ever witnessed; and with a decided 

 spice of possible danger to the angler, thrown in. 



We gave them a cheer, and Pinchot shouted 

 to me that the fish had leaped fifteen times im- 

 mediately after it was hooked, and that he had 

 brought it alongside several times, but could not 

 hold it. 



I at once became aware that something re- 

 markable had been hooked, due to the speed at 

 which they were going. I had been towed once 

 in an open boat ten or twelve miles by a large 

 tuna, but not at such a continuous speed as this. 



I had slowed down to within twenty feet of 

 them, just behind, and believing that there was 



