P RECREATION 
the boat now glides serenely out on the bay. 
A few warships may be lying in quarantine, 
or one or two may be passed on the way to 
Sandy Hook. What a picture they make 
in the shimmering sunlight. Three rousing 
cheers go up from the hundreds on board 
to the jackies on the great steel miracles. 
How the blood goes atingling when Old 
Glory is run up and “broke out!” Even 
the stolid Germans manage to shout; the 

bibe more freely than they should and thus 
later imagine themselves taking home a 
fuller string than actually will be the case. 
After a few hours’ ride the fishing-banks 
are reached, where the excursion boats all 
anchor close together. As soon as the 
anchor falls, hundreds of lines are cast. 
‘Follow your line!”’ ‘‘Here with that last 
throw!”’ call a dozen of voices, and it all 
works out so smoothly that you suspect 
THE STARTING POINT, A PIER HARD BY HISTORIC BATTERY PARK 
Irishmen yell. There is no more thrilling 
sight in its associations with patriotic pride 
than the magnificent entrance to the finest 
harbor in the world. The Narrows are 
beautiful, and the ships passing there add 
a touch of romance to the scene. Fort 
Wadsworth and Fort Hamilton at either 
side, with their fine swards and background 
of trees, set off a picture that could hardly be 
improved. Then comes the long stretch of 
beach at Sandy Hook, with the glistening 
targets as its only decoration. 
On the way down five or six men are 
preparing bait. Pity the clams! Barrels 
of them are cut up like so many potatoes. 
But the work is forgotten in the mere 
pleasure of being free and easy, and in the 
joyful anticipation of the coming sport. 
Some may get a little too hilarious and im- 
the act has been rehearsed. Not a hitch is 
made and no one loses his temper. When 
the first catch is made another old-fashioned 
cheer goes up, which is especially heart- 
some should the good luck fall to Mrs. 
Schmitt or Mrs. Hennessy. Whoever pulls 
the first bass is the hero of the hour. It 
may be the sprightly little girl of seven 
summers or the oldtimer of sixty winters 
who sits on the upper deck and draws ’em 
in at regular intervals. No one cares for 
cocker eels, but blackfish and fluke, 
though plentiful, are considered good 
catches. Weakfish, bluefish, ling, porgy, 
cod and perhaps one or two monster 
anglers all go to make up the “catch.” 
After all, health must be included in the 
catch, too. 
“Just fancy the tangle!” exclaims a 
