Giant Fish of Florida 
thing that will tempt a sucker from its comfortable position is a 
small and suitable bait dangled near it. Thus lured, it will 
frequently swim away from its host, and allow itself to be caught. 
The scales of the jewfish are somewhat curiously formed, 
and those of sufficiently active imagination profess to see in 
the centre of each an accurate and unmistakable full length 
portrait of the Virgin Mary. Many, however, will, I venture 
to predict, look for this in vain. 
Before quitting the subject of the many successes achieved 
by women on those hunting grounds, I may mention one in 
which an enormous whip ray was foul-hooked, and the lady 
obligingly stood on her victim that the camera might do its 
share. On the whole, fishing in Florida seas may be said to 
offer thrilling sport to such ladies as are venturesome enough to 
give it atrial. There is just that spice of danger which sports- 
women never resent, without the need of prolonged roughing it, 
that tries them far more than sudden calls on their endurance. 
As long experience and angling skill are not required, at any 
rate at present, a lady has on her first outing as good a chance 
as any one of hooking the record fish of the season, tarpon, 
jewfish, or shark, as the case may be ; nor is the ordinary work 
of tarpon fishing, though beyond doubt arduous, such as to 
alarm any woman of average aptitude for outdoor sport. When 
you have fairly hooked your tarpon, you sit comfortably back 
in the armchair, your rod resting in a socket screwed on the 
thwart or suspended round the waist, and thus you pit your 
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