The Kingfisb 285 



pressed it ; but I lived to see him a derisive 

 mocker of his compatriots, who " jerked in" game 

 fish with a ropelike line, or did not give the game 

 a more than fighting chance for its life. 



The fish which Paublo held up in the sunlight 

 for my inspection was one of the two or three 

 fishes which the wreckers and fishermen along 

 the outer reef called " king." It was between five 

 and six feet long ; as it was held up its tail rested 

 on the boat and its head was even with Paublo's 

 eyes, a splendid creature which we " guessed " at 

 forty pounds, a long, slender barracuda-like fish of 

 the mackerel type, a privateer, rakish, gamy in 

 appearance, fitted for swift rushes and strenuous 

 work among the small fry. The dorsals were two 

 in number, the first low and extending from the 

 base of the pectoral to nearly opposite the front 

 fin of the anal, the upper portion colored almost 

 black. The second dorsal was higher, with a 

 jaunty effect; then followed eight finlets resem- 

 bling those of the tuna ; the tail was large, forked, 

 and powerful. The sides of the fish gleamed like 

 burnished silver ; its back was dark blue, while 

 across its sides pronounced black longitudinal 

 stripes extended, represented above and below by 

 dark spots, giving the fish a peculiarly attractive 



