352 Reminiscences of 



school of pursuers, were other contingents of break- 

 fasting salmon taking the places of those which had 

 made their fiU, and no cessation of quick striking oc- 

 curred until the sun was an hour high. 



Many of the anchovies in their fright were driven 

 up upon the sandy beach, where a long line was 

 visible of flopping fish, of which, however, the most 

 managed to regain their native element. At eleven 

 o'clock, when I ceased fishing for the time — as the 

 salmon had retired to deeper water — I had seventeen 

 in my boat. 



In the afternoon I renewed my fishing, securing 

 twelve more, making a total of twenty-nine salmon 

 which gave a total weight of over five hundred pounds. 

 My largest fish of the day weighed thirty-three pounds, 

 and my smallest thirteen. I was satisfied, and had 

 my glut of salmon, a carnival of fishing I was sure 

 I would not soon see again. 



While my result of the day was large, I lost more 

 than ever before in proportion to my catch, owing 

 to careless handling arising from the excitement oc- 

 casioned by such a plentifulness of strikers. It was 

 a dark record against my skill. I lost twelve fish 

 which had been hooked and played from five to 

 fifteen minutes. One large fish, despite all my ex- 

 ertions, ran out all my line and parted it. One sal- 

 mon — a very large one — sprang out of the boat and 

 escaped after being gaffed, before receiving the usual 

 quietus of a blow on the head. 



I had a wagon down from the Del Monte which 

 conveyed all my salmon to the hotel, and I passed 

 the following day in forwarding salmon to San Fran- 

 cisco and neighboring points where I had friends. 



