THE BABEACUDA 



as it pays little attention to a boat, and is at once attracted to the 

 rag, and swims after it. I had seen nothing but the picturesque 

 figure of the fisherman sculling with a peculiar rhythmic motion, 

 holding the long grains balanced in his right hand, his gaze fixed on 

 the indigo-blue of the channel just astern. Suddenly he motioned 

 to me with his head. I crept towards him and looking over his 

 shoulder into the water, I presently made out a barracuda of 

 large size, at least five or six feet in length, its large, black, saucer- 

 like eyes presenting an extraordinary spectacle. The fish paid 

 no attention to the dinghy or to the figure of the man. 



It would come up to within four feet of the oar, then turn 

 and sheer off, showing its silvery side, then going about on the 

 opposite tack, disappearing a moment, to come up suddenly 

 so near the oar as to almost touch it. It was a most fascinating 

 spectacle ; next to seeiag a fourteen-foot hammer-head shark 

 come up near my swinging legs as I sat, on one occasion, on a 

 yacht's rail. As I looked, the fisherman silently dropped the 

 oar, took the pole in both hands, and as the barracuda turned to 

 the left, he threw the grains into it with such perfect effect that 

 the handle bounded back, and I caught it as the great fish rushed 

 away with aU the force of a shark, making the line hiss through 

 his calloused hands. This fish towed the dinghy about and 

 around, and made a most gaUant fight. 



It was a long time before I could make even a presentable 

 imitation of this game, and I spent many an hour stabbing the 

 water fruitlessly before I succeeded in hitting a barracuda, then 

 was nearly jerked overboard in my excitement. This man did 

 not always use the rag in gaining the barracuda, but could entice 

 a fish within reach of his grains by the clever use of the scuUing 

 oar, which was an imitation of the movements of a propeller. 



The very large barracudas were not common here, but they 

 could be found when hunted for. At Long Key Camp up the 

 reef, they are a common catch with rod and reel to-day, and few 

 fishes make a better fight for liberty either on a number twenty- 

 one line or spear. In appearance the barracuda looks the part of 



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