U4 



RECREATION. 



ibly weaker and slower, his rests longer, he 

 yielded to the upward lift of the rod, and 

 1 began to think there were some chances 

 for success. Finally he gave enough so 

 that I threw the rod back sufficiently to 

 grasp the line in my hands. I pulled it in 

 slowly, carefully, I may say, tremblingly, 

 foot after foot, expecting every instant that 

 he would make another lunge, but ready 

 to pay out the line if I must. He did not 

 do so, however, contrary to my expecta- 

 tions, and greatly to my relief. Finally I 

 drew him alongside of the boat, leaned 

 over, slipped my left hand into his gills, and 

 with a quick movement drew him into the 

 boat. Then I seized the little hatchet that 

 I always keep under the seat, gave him a 

 tap over the nose, and the prize was mine. 

 I rested and chuckled and hugged myself. 



It was a landlocked salmon; not only by 

 far the largest I had ever caught, but the 

 largest I had ever seen. After my excite- 

 ment had somewhat subsided, thoughts of 

 breakfast began to insinuate themselves, 

 and with them the desire to exhibit my 

 treasure to the boys. I returned to camp, 

 where the big fish was duly admired and 

 conjectures were made as to its weight, for 

 unfortunately the only scales we had were 

 inadequate to the weighing of so large a 

 fish. One of the boys had a pocket rule, 

 however, and the fish proved to be 3 feet 

 4 inches from tip to tip, g l / 2 inches in depth 

 from back to belly, and stout in propor- 

 tion. There was no trouble after that about 

 getting up early to go fishing, and the boys 

 caught some choice large fish ; but not one 

 that could quite rival my "big trout" 



A PENNSYLVANIA FISH HOG. 



Herewith I send a picture of 13 tarpons, 

 the largest catch ever made in one day. 

 This picture was taken at Tarpon, Texas, 

 at the fishing grounds. Mr. J. R. Wain- 

 wright has beaten the world's record for 

 a catch and broken the season's record for 

 an individual, having caught 169 tarpons 

 up to this date. Length offish 5 feet 10 

 inches to 6 feet 3 inches. 



S. Smith, San Antonio, Texas. 



gave them away to his friends.. He simply 

 fished for a record. He was ambitious to be 

 photographed with the victims of his insati- 

 ate thirst for blood. Then the fish would 

 have to be thrown away to rot, or be fed 

 to the 4-legged hogs, which are models of 

 decency as compared with this 2-legged 

 specimen. 



It appears that you are a professional 

 photographer; that you make pictures for 



COPYRIGHT B? S. SMITH, 1902. 



Here is one of the most revolting cases 

 of slaughter that has come to my notice in 

 many a day. Thirteen fish, which vary in 

 length from 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 3 

 inches. The smallest of these fish would 

 probably weigh 100 pounds, and the largest 

 150 pounds ; so that the lot would aggre- 

 gate 1,500 to 1,800 pounds. The tarpon is 

 not fit to eat, so the brute who committed 

 this butchery has not the pitiable excuse 

 that many men put up, to the effect that he 



money. If I were in your place, I would 

 not prostitute my art to such a despicable 

 specimen of humanity as this man Wain- 

 wright, if he should offer me $1,000 for 

 such a picture. However, since you took 

 the photograph, I regret you did not get a 

 better light on his face, in order that 

 sportsmen might be able to know him by 

 sight in future and shun him as they would 

 a viper. — Editor. 



