GAME FISHES OF SOUTH AMEEICA 



A friend who had taken this monster gave me the following 

 account : 



' We were moAdng up one of the upper branches of the Amazon, on a 

 hunting and fishing trip, and Jose, our guide, had promised to take us to 

 the lair of the game fish of South American waters, a monster that attained 

 a length of fifteen feet and a weight of twelve hundred pounds, and whose 

 strength and activity he was never weary of dilating upon. 



' The river bank which we were passing was four or five feet in height, 

 and covered to its very edge with trees, which, in turn, were wound with 

 interminable vines or Uanes. The stream was continually undermining 

 the banks, bringing down sections of forest into the water with a resound- 

 ing reverberation, and which floated away as small islands. Soon again 

 Jose stopped rowing, and again we heard the pecuhar splash repeated 

 several times in succession. We were now at the turn, only a narrow 

 spit being between us ; and as the Indian pulled cautiously, we turned 

 just in time to see an enormous fish hurl itself clear of the water, shake 

 itself hke a dog in convulsive bends, seemingly scattering a number of 

 small animals that were clinging to it. 



' " The otter ! " said our guide, briefly, giving the canoe a vigorous 

 puU which sent it into the stream. " See, they are after the Arapaima." 

 And now we observed five or six cat-hke animals swimming about in the 

 water, as if looking for prey. In a few seconds they dived, and up came 

 the gigantic fish, so near the boat that we distinctly saw its plight as it 

 roUed over and over. Clinging to it by the gUls and fins and throat were 

 several of the httle animals, whUe a number were following and diving 

 after the monster. AVhen they saw the canoe they dropped away and 

 made for the shore. I was tempted to shoot, but the Indian had seized 

 his spear and was now in the bow, asking us to row slowing along. 



' Instead of a branch of the river, we were in a small inlet or bay, not 

 over six feet in depth, and up this the Arapaima had dashed, as we could 

 see by the ripple, and would soon reach the end and turn. This was 

 just what occurred. The big fish almost ran out of the water on a sand- 

 bar, scattering a score of turtles that were sunning themselves there, and 

 then, with a convulsive effort, turned and plunged again in our direction. 



' On it came, its big fin cutting the water like a knife, reminding 

 one of a shark. As it reached us, Jose drew back and plunged the spear 

 into its side with an underhand blow that lodged beneath the pectoral 

 fin in a vulnerable spot. The moment the fish felt the cold steel it gave 

 a magnificent leap into the air, seeming to rise bodily, showing at once its 

 enormous size, the gleaming coat of armoured scales with which it was 

 enveloped, and also dragging with it three of the otters that had appar- 

 ently with remarkable ferocity clung to their victim. 



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