Tarpon Fishing in r^londa. 51 



the shape of a very acute angled isosceles triangle. Whether the 

 tarpon or some other large fish had discovered ihcir haunts and 

 habits, or whether the sportsmen were the indirect cause, I do 

 not know, but we often had considerable difficulty in obtaining 

 our quota, and on some days we could get no fresh bait at all. 

 The tarpon is apparently something of a gourmet, or else they 

 found it difficult, in spite of all our skill, to believe that a piece of 

 mullet which had been cut the previous day, was a live and 

 succulent fish. 



Anyhow, we never had much sport on the days when we had 

 no fresh bait. Our expenses for this necessary article amounted 

 to more than i^ dollars a day each. I do not intend to ask the 

 reader to accompany me in my small boat during the long hours 

 which were devoid of incident, but I shall try to draw a picture of 

 the sport on two selected days which were in my opinion the 

 most interesting. 



The four of us board our small fishing boats, and are rowed 

 off by our several darkies at 4 a.m.. so as to catch the first of the 

 tide in the pass at 4.20. F. is armed with a harpoon and I with 

 my camera and Mauser pistol, so that we consider ourselves well 

 prepared for any eventuality. The tide is coming in, so we hug 

 the coast for 15 minutes while going uj) the j)ass, and then row 

 out about a mile fn^m the shore at its head. A small shark 

 follows the boat for some distance, but presumably makes up his 

 mind that we are but poor fishermen, and gives us up. The 

 sharks in these waters have had and will have many a splendid 

 meal at the expense of the tarj)on fishermen, and they seem 

 to thoroughly understand the game. Nevertheless, my hopes are 



D 2 



