The Kingfish 285 
pressed it; but I lived to see him a derisive 
mocker of his compatriots, who “jerked in” game 
fish with a ropelike line, or did not give the game 
a more than fighting chance for its life. 
The fish which Paublo held up in the sunlight 
for my inspection was one of the two or three 
fishes which the wreckers and fishermen along 
the outer reef called “king.” It was between five 
and six feet long; as it was held up its tail rested 
on the boat and its head was even with Paublo’s 
eyes, a splendid creature which we “guessed” at 
forty pounds, a long, slender barracuda-like fish of 
the mackerel type, a privateer, rakish, gamy in 
appearance, fitted for swift rushes and strenuous 
work among the small fry. The dorsals were two 
in number, the first low and extending from the 
base of the pectoral to nearly opposite the front 
fin of the anal, the upper portion colored almost 
black. The second dorsal was higher, with a 
jaunty effect; then followed eight finlets resem- 
bling those of the tuna; the tail was large, forked, 
and powerful. The sides of the fish gleamed like 
burnished silver; its back was dark blue, while 
across its sides pronounced black longitudinal 
stripes extended, represented above and below by 
dark spots, giving the fish a peculiarly attractive 
