142 SUNSHINE AND SPORT IN 



wide one. It smashed his rod, and was saved only 

 by his own skill and the great pluck of his coloured 

 guide, who, risking a capsize, clambered out over 

 the stern and handlined it to the gaff in deep 

 water. Some days, on the other hand, there is a 

 very remarkable uniformity among the fish, as if 

 those of a size went in shoals. One evening I got 

 two to the beach in rapid succession, each of them 

 measuring exactly 5 feet 9 inches and weighing 

 exactly 108 lbs. Another day I caught two, one 

 after the other, exactly 80 lbs. apiece. 



Although in the natural state they are pro- 

 bably, like the majority of herrings, surface-feeders, 

 they take the bait at considerable depths, and 

 occasionally one follows it up to the boat. One of 

 about 80 lbs. followed mine up to the top of 

 the water in this fashion, seized it with a jerk that 

 nearly pulled me over the side and, without even 

 jumping, threw out the hook, which, not expecting 

 the fish, I had not struck home. This is an 

 exceptional experience, but the same thing hap- 

 pened, once each, to Mr Vom Hofe and Mr 

 Ramsbottom. 



The contention that luck and brute strength 

 count for more in tarpon-fishing than previous 

 experience and skill may perhaps be thought to 

 call for illustration. As regards the part played by 

 luck, I cannot do better than contrast Mr Vom 

 Hofe's ten fish with my seventeen. I knew 

 nothing whatever of tarpon-fishing ; he knew 

 everything that there is to know, and his experience 

 of the sport dates from its first year. There is just 

 one feature of his ten fish, which may possibly 

 indicate the result of special knowledge, but even 



