A STRENUOUS FIGHT. 



75 



enongh as the fight went on and the fish's struggles began 

 to wane, it was followed by quantities of smaller ones of 

 rainbow hues. They seemed to have gathered from far 

 and near to rejoice over the last moments of their giant 

 tyrant and witness his last dying efforts : and then — Oh I 

 hideous moment — just as the gaff was being made ready, 

 up went the bent rod-top ; there was that sickening, awful 

 sensation of the negation of resistance, when the over- 

 wrought muscles of the forearm realize that they are 

 straining against nothing ; the line and trace fell limp 

 and useless upon the water : and the hook had drawn. 



Sharks, as we have more than once said before, were 

 very numerous upon the banks ; although we never saw 

 any of very large proportions. Moderate sized ones are 

 very active and make violent rushes when first hooked, 

 so that they are by no means to be despi^d from a fishing 

 point of view. I once caught one in Florida waters, 

 with a tarpon-rod and a No. 22 cutty hank line, which 

 weighed 3731bs. To weigh it we had to haul it on board 

 the yacht and cut it into convenient portions. Anything 

 over this weight means more work than fun. Indeed, 

 before I got this one ashore I was beginning to have grave 

 misgivings on this very point. When we were anchored 

 on the southern side of Swan Island the captain and the 

 boatswain used to take a boat, anchor it, and fish about 

 two miles out. Here, moderate sized sharks seemed to 

 swarm, and were a great nuisance, swimming constantly 

 round the boat and repeatedly coming so close that it 

 required the frequent use of an oar to keep them at arm's 

 length. One was so friendly that the boatswain hit it 

 across the head with the boat-stretcher ; and even this 

 greeting had to be repeated before the brute realized that 

 its company was not enjoyed. 



Large tarpon have been seen and caught by the islanders 

 on the banks. We never saw so much as a gHmpse of one ; 

 but the fact seems worth mentioning as bearing on the 

 manner in which these mighty fish wander at times about 

 the open sea. 



