SAILFISH 



" walking on the water." But he gave a mighty good 

 imitation. Then before the cameras got in a snap 

 he went down. And he ran, to come up far astern 

 and begin to leap. I threw oflF the drag and yelled, 

 "Go!" 



This was pleasant for Sam, who kept repeating, 

 "Look at him yump!" 



The sailfish evidently wanted to pose for pictures, 

 for he gave a wonderful exhibition of high and lofty 

 tumbling, with the result, of course, that he quickly 

 exhausted himself. Then came a short period dur- 

 ing which he sounded and I slowly worked him 

 closer. Presently he swam toward the boat — the 

 old swordfish trick. I never liked it, but with the 

 sailfish I at least was not nervous about him at- 

 tacking the boat. Let me add here that this free- 

 dom from dread — which is never absent during the 

 fighting of a big swordfish — is one of the features so 

 attractive in sailfishing. Besides, fish that have 

 been hooked for any length of time, if they are going 

 to shake or break loose, always do so near the boat. 

 We moved away from this fellow, and presently he 

 came up again, and leaped three more times clear, 

 making nineteen leaps in all. That about finished 

 his performance, so regretfully I led him alongside; 

 and Sam, who had profited by our other days 

 of landing sailfish, took him cautiously by the 

 sword, and then by the gills, and slid him into the 

 boat. 



Sailfish are never alike, except in general outline. 

 This one was silver and bronze, with green bars, 

 rather faint, and a dark-blue sail without any spots. 

 He measured seven feet one inch. But we measured 



77 



