Big Game at Sea 



with which it was enveloped, and also dragging with it 

 three of the otters that had apparently with remark- 

 able ferocity clung to their victim. 



The fall of the fish so near the canoe almost 

 swamped it; but Jose jerked the handle of the har- 

 poon from its socket, tossed over the coil of line, and 

 with a vigorous sweep of the paddle turned the frail 

 craft in the direction of midstream just in time, as 

 it dashed away with the speed of an arrow, then 

 trying to leap into the air, to fall back heavily, beating 

 the water with its ponderous tail. 



These actions soon exhausted the line, and with a 

 jerk the canoe dashed ahead, towed by the arapaima. 

 There was no need for Jose's warning to get astern ; 

 the first lunge of the fish sent the bow of the canoe 

 deep into the water, half-filling it, at which we tum- 

 bled aft as best we could. This brought the bow up 

 into the air, where Jose stood and managed the line, 

 with his knife between his teeth, ready to cut it if 

 necessary. With unerring instinct, the fish made for 

 midstream and deep water, towing us at a rate not 

 to be despised by a steamboat, making the water hiss 

 about the bow and carrying a big wave of disagree- 

 able dimensions on either side. 



In the stream were numerous trunks of palms that 

 had been undermined and were on their slow journey 

 down the river, and beneath one of these the big 

 fish plunged. It was evident that the end had come ; 

 but Jose was equal to the emergency; and seizing the 



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