Tarpon Fishino- m Monda. 59 



5 yards of each other, but my camera is only a single- barrel led 

 instniment, and I ha\e just shot at the first leap of one of them. 

 ( Vli I.) The tarpon, however, are not the only objects of interest. 

 Here and there great brown turtles, sometimes 3 feet across, come 

 up and bask on the surface for a few minutes. I learn that they 

 are not difficult to harpoon if one can get within reach, as their 

 shell is of such a te.vture that, if the iron penetrates but half an 

 inch, it will hold until its purpose is accomplished. I am very 

 keen to add a large turtle shell to my mementos, so we stalk 

 every one we see, but they are too wary, and I was never able to 

 get to sufficiently close quarters ; though the sportsmen from the 

 yacht managed to gaff a large one. li would be easy enough 

 to shoot them, but short of exploding a pound or two of dynamite 

 in contact with them, it is impossible to kill them instantaneously, 

 and they never remain on the surface however good the shot. 



At last a good strong pull at my rod ; the bait is far and deep, 

 and the line I presume sagging, so the blow as given by the 

 Panuco tarpon is much modified. A few seconds and out he 

 dashes, splashing the spray in all directions. (IX.) Hut now it is 

 a very different story ; there is fixed on the seat a leather bucket 

 in which I place the butt of the rod, and it is unnecessary to touch 

 reel or line at all when the fish is rushing away. The brakes are 

 quite sufficiently powerful, so 1 have a splendid hold on the rod 

 with both hands until the strain is relaxed and 1 have to reel up. 

 The odds now seem all in the fisherman's favour, so 1 hand the 

 rod to my guide and })repare to photograph. Hut the fish sounds, 

 my darkey plays the miser with the line, the rod consequent!)- 

 comes in contact with the side of the boat, and snaps like a straw 



