Giant Fish of Florida 
a slight lop, for roughish weather is undoubtedly the best for 
turtle-spearing. 
At length you see a great loggerhead some three hundred 
yards ahead on the port bow. The loggerhead turtle is the 
most common on this coast ; the more delicate green turtle is 
the rarest ; and between them in point of numbers comes the 
leathery species. It is most important, when you have sighted 
a turtle, to creep up as close and as quickly as possible, without 
making the slightest noise. You must even stand quite steady 
and crouch without kicking the boat, as the least disturbance 
may send the turtle to the bottom. The great thing is to 
restrain yourself from letting drive with the harpoon until the 
most favourable moment, and the most favourable moment is 
that at which you are closest to your quarry, so that it may feel 
the full force of the harpoon. 
If, when you are within reach, the turtle shows signs of 
diving, in with the harpoon ; otherwise, get a little nearer. 
Now put all your back into the 'cast, and the barbed point 
goes clipping through the shell. You think that it did not 
penetrate very far? Well, your instinct is probably correct, so 
it will be as well to fix another dart ready and, playing him 
gently the while, strike again the moment he comes up to 
breathe. He may remain beneath the surface fully twenty 
minutes, on the move the whole while, but he will soon 
want air after that time has elapsed. If you were sure 
of having struck the barb well home, the more usual course 
II2 
