Big Game at Sea 



mighty crash, and the singing of the reel and the 

 jerking motion of the rod told of the rush of the 

 fish. It was irresistible, and the brake had to be 

 used with great caution to prevent burning the line. 



An element of the excitement was the disappear- 

 ance of the other fishes, which the frightened boat- 

 men said would attack the boat. They entreated 

 him to cut the line; but he held the rod stiff and 

 vainly attempted to stop the rush. Three hundred 

 five eight hundred feet had gone, and it was evi- 

 dent that the end was coming, when suddenly the 

 line slackened ; the next moment three or four quiver- 

 ing fins were seen rushing along the surface. 



" We are lost, master ! " cried the terrified boat- 

 men. " They see the boat." 



The fish were coming at a marvelous speed, their 

 fins throwing the water high in air; but the angler 

 reeled furiously, took in all the slack of the overrun 

 he could and bade the men keep the stern of the boat 

 to the fish, thus offering the least resistance. The 

 men crowded into the bow, ready to leap overboard, 

 vociferously hailing a neighboring pirogue, while the 

 angler sat reeling as he had never reeled before, not 

 knowing whether or not he was to be spitted. On 

 came the fish, presenting a splendid spectacle of color, 

 with their sails three feet out of water; but when 

 within a short distance from the boat, they swerved 

 and plunged down deep into the ocean. The men 

 now seized the oars, and in obedience to orders, pulled 



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