224 Fish Stories 



quarters of an hour before they can be brought to gaff and 

 when landed in a small boat pandemonium reigns supreme 

 for many moments, as both their powerful tails and danger- 

 ous spears are prepared for instant retaliation. Like the 

 tarpon, they have a common enemy in the large sharks that 

 abound in tropical waters, and when the latter appear upon 

 the scene the excitement and antics of these magnificent 

 fighters are greatly incensed. 



The. sailfish, although but little known to the average 

 deep-sea angler, is surely destined to rival the tarpon in the 

 estimation of northern fishermen, eager to encounter pisca- 

 torial novelties with extraordinary fighting prowess. Only 

 the most persistent and ardent sportsmen who are at home 

 in the rough waters and strong currents of the Gulf Stream 

 can hope to secure one of these marvelously constructed 

 trophies, the appearance of which when first caught far 

 excels in brilliancy and variety of coloring the much-lauded 

 silver king. This interesting fish, which may be distinctly 

 classified as an open-sea fish (Istiophorus nigricans), is 

 occasionally found near the Brazilian Coast, in the West 

 Indies and off the West African Coast from the Cape of 

 Good Hope to Morocco. The first of the species ever taken 

 off Palm Beach was captured about four winters ago by 

 Richmond Talbot of Tuxedo, and since then scarcely more 

 than one fish a year has been taken up to last season, but 

 this winter's catch already foots up the extraordinary total 

 of a dozen specimens, and among the successful amateur 

 fishermen may be mentioned Messrs. Crimmins, Christian, 

 Mitchell, Longly, Waterbury, Park, Miller, and Cauldwell." 



Mr. Cauldwell so far has made the phenomenal record of 

 landing two fish in one morning, the largest of which 

 measured seven feet, six and one-half inches in length. 



Real sport should have at least a suggestion of danger in 

 it. The cross-country rider takes a chance every time he 

 makes a fence; the captain of the flying machine takes his 

 life in his hands, as does the fast motor driver, the tiger- 



