SHARKS AS FISHERMEN 



ress against the current it was headed for the 

 shoal water outside near the lighthouse beach. 



The tarpon made a final spurt, of which I had 

 not thought it capable, but I finally drew the 

 canoe beside it. Taking the shank of the hook 

 in my left hand I was cutting it free from the 

 tarpon's jaw when the open mouth of a monster 

 from beneath the canoe slipped over the body of 

 the fish and, closing, cut it in two. The water 

 that was thrown over me was mixed with blood 

 and as I threw myself backward I nearly fell 

 from the canoe, which took in many gallons of 

 water. In our attempt to balance the cockle 

 shell we careened it so far that the captain went 

 overboard to save the craft from capsizing. A 

 moment later he was swimming beside it, rest- 

 ing one hand on the gunwale, not for support 

 but to steady the canoe. 



"Climb aboard quick, Captain, while I bal- 

 ance the canoe!" I shouted, thinking of the 

 great shark that had room enough left in his 

 stomach to accommodate a man. 



"Can't do it without swamping you. You 

 paddle for the beach outside the pass. I'll hang 

 on here and swim with you." 



65 



