HUNTING WITH A HARPOON 



In the shallow water of Florida Bay, when 

 the day is calm, the hunter with a harpoon may 

 float seemingly in air above a garden of shells 

 and sea-feathers, flowers of coral and sponges of 

 strange shapes. Sometimes there glides beneath 

 the craft a creature spotted like a leopard and 

 beautiful as a butterfly, from one to eight feet 

 across the back. It is called a whip-ray and the 

 tail from which it takes its name is many feet 

 long, smooth as ivory and slim as a coach whip. 

 Attached to the base of the tail are half a dozen 

 serrated daggers a blow from which might not 

 kill you, but would probably make you wish you 

 were dead. You could hardly miss the creature 

 with your harpoon, and if you did strike and the 

 barb of your little harpoon held in its tough hide, 

 you would have a joyous ride till your line 

 parted. But you must hold your hand and not 

 waste your time when you are hunting tarpon. 



Those ugly things, there are plenty of them, 

 with the wicked eyes and cruel mouths, are 

 sharks. If you strike one of them you will lose 

 your harpoon, for the brute will roll upon your 

 line for a couple of turns and bite it in two. 



See those three big fins in tandem order sail- 

 37 



