Big Game at Sea 



fish could leave what was presumably its native ele- 

 ment and roam about the land in the shape of a white 

 elephant. Such tales were not reassuring to the native 

 crew, and not a few refused to start, so that when the 

 boat put off on the following day it was seriously 

 short-handed. 



" The sail-fish had been seen but a few days before, 

 dashing across the waters of a small bay, pre- 

 sumably in chase of schools of fish that at this season 

 sought the seclusion the inlets and bays afforded, and 

 for this place the boat was directed, the natives sing- 

 ing a mournful chant, hoping, perhaps, in this way to 

 appease its rage. For several hours they rowed this 

 way and that, the lookout standing on a short mast, 

 ready to give the signal. Occasionally a porpoise or 

 some large fish would dash into the air and create a 

 momentary excitement. It was after several of these 

 false alarms that the Englishman took his stand on 

 the lookout. The water was nearly smooth, here and 

 there a ripple being seen, caused by a school of fish, 

 when suddenly, among the small fry, there appeared 

 a sharp, knife-like fin. It was merely a shark, per- 

 haps, or a great horse-mackerel, chasing the small 

 fry; but no shark had such a fim It was rising every 

 second, and was soon two feet out of water. Up it 

 came, glistening, gleaming in the sunlight, and the 

 looker-on was so fascinated and spellbound with the 

 curious apparition that not until a shout came from 

 the crew did he realize that they were there to do 



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