52 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



and out terrible place for conger. I remember 

 when I was moored off here about this time last 

 year, I'd got a party aboard, ladies and gentle- 

 men, and some proper fine gals there was, too, 

 amongst them (tho' none on 'em ekal to Dump- 

 ling Bet). We was a fishing, and singing, and 

 drinking some on 'em a smoking, all jolly like, 

 and I had just given 'em an old fa-vou-rite 

 ditty of mine, 



" ' I asked Miss Betsey Bruiser 

 To let me sit beside her ' 



Holloa ! sir, got him again ? haul in, sir, haul in, 

 this be a whopper : dashed if he won't be a 

 towing the wessel off her bearings if you don't 

 get him in." 



" It's all very well," I replied, " your talking 

 about hauling him in, but hang me if I can, for 

 he pulls like blue murder." 



" Never mind, sir, put your heart to it, and 

 in with him. My eye, but he is a stunner," 

 added Tar Bucket, as with a jerk and a hoist 

 enough to lift a young crocodile I got the enor- 

 mous eel into the boat. " If you'd slacked away 

 your line with him on it, you'd a lost the finest 



