20 Tarpon Fishing in Mexico. 



our delay in re-embarking. I notice that the spans of life granted 

 to mullet in anything like the condition which my bait represents, 

 are to-day exceedingly short. And even amongst the hale and 

 hearty, the great principle of the survival of the fittest and in this 

 case the swiftest, is strenuously and inexorably at work. I often 

 see a small shoal of these little fish suddenly explode from the 

 water in all directions from a particular point, and then catch a 

 glimpse of the cause — a small white cloud a foot under the surface. 

 Many more tarpon are fed freely, or to be accurate, at the price of 

 one wonderful leap, on my account. However I catch one more 

 before the day's sport comes to an end. Three other boats, which 

 had been fishing near by, have done at least as well as I have, and 

 we each feel that there never was anyone more anxious to promote 

 the happiness of all the world, as we leave our boats in the now 

 unforgettable bay, and walk 200 yards to the Barra station. 

 Twenty minutes' journey along the river bank and we are back in 

 the town. 



Among the evening attractions of Tampico, there is a room 

 where the worshippers of the fickle goddess will find a roulette 

 table with two zeros, and various other, to me, incompre- 

 hensible games of chance ; or rather chances of verifying the 

 old saw concerning the unwise man and his money. I am 

 told that this establishment, which I believe to be the only 

 remaining one in Mexico under official recognition — gives the 

 Government ;^3,ooo a year, and I cheerily pay my mite towards 

 that tribute. The windows and the door of the rooms in the hotel 

 are made mosquito proof with screens of wire gauze, which are 

 never left open ; so admitting to myself that my host's promise 



