THE TARPON SWAMPS US 



swamp prairie and forest that separates it from 

 the Everglades. 



After releasing the tarpon I fished no more 

 till we were back in Broad River, when, again, 

 on putting out my line, the bait was seized by a 

 tarpon whose length we estimated at five feet 

 since we never had a chance to measure it. The 

 fish attended strictly to business and after a few 

 brilliant, preliminary jumps made straight for 

 the cut-off, where, after turning a few corners 

 and tying the line around some snags, it leaped 

 joyously high in air, free of all bonds and in full 

 possession of a valuable tarpon hook and a good- 

 ly section of costly line. 



We traveled a mile down the river before 

 throwing out another lure and found ourselves 

 in a tarpon town meeting. There were scores of 

 them, leaping and cavorting, dashing hither and 

 yon, and behaving as if at a big banquet, but it 

 was a Barmecide feast, for not a food fish could 

 be seen. 



"Hang to 'em, if you can," called out the 

 Camera-man as I baited my hook; "I've had bad 

 luck with the fish so far to-day." 



"The next tarpon stays with me, or I go with 

 147 



