Big Game at Sea 



around the gulf began. It was about two o'clock. 

 Two ropes were attached to the fish now, and the 

 two could be used by two crews to stop him and 

 get him to the surface. Time and fatigue werei 

 required to stop him. Strength was required to get 

 him to the surface. 



Time and fatigue did what was expected. The 

 subterranean locomotive began to go slow. Then it 

 stopped. Now was the time for strength. Down at 

 the bottom the creature lay, full eighteen hundred 

 pounds in weight. The two crews bent over to get 

 hold of the ropes as near the water as possible. They 

 heaved. From every throat came cheers of encour- 

 agement. They heaved again and there was slack in 

 the ropes. Again the cheers arose and the monster 

 weight gradually came up to the surface. Cotter 

 seized his rifle. Bang ! There was a splash. Away 

 went the boats again. But there was one shot in him 

 anyhow, and one shot from a Savage with a soft-nosed 

 or dum-dum bullet means death. Again the creature 

 slowed up. Again supremest effort lifted it to the top. 

 Again, bang ! Then, bang-bang ! The creature sunk. 

 But there was no tightening of the ropes on the boats. 

 It had gone down under mortal, paralyzing wounds. 

 Slowly again it was brought to the surface. The blood 

 from it reddened the sea all around. Ropes were at- 

 tached to it and then fastened to the big launch and 

 back toward the hotel it was towed, while the victors, 

 or those who had engaged in the hunt, went other 



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