The sun., 1902-03-09
At GRIPS WITH A TARPON.
Judge Kings Gallant Flight with n Fish
That Boarded His Boat.

William King Of southern Texas, formerly
a District Judge. knows the tarpon pretty
well as tremendous fighter at the end OF a
line, a voracious feeder upon smaller fishes
and an uncertain adversary until it has been
gated deeply. He also knows as much
about the tarpon as a catch-as-catch-can
wrestler and clever two-handed pugilist
as any man alive.
King, who is small and under weight but
pugnacious, gained his knowledge in Aran-
sas Bay. He and u party OF friends went
after targon in a small yacht-like craft
that was fast and crank,
The boat was decked over except in the
middle, where there was an opening four
feet square above the cockpit, In which
the party slept and did their eating and
drinking This cockpit has a room nearly
as wide as the boat and some ten feet long.
Its flooring was six feet below the opening.
Fishing was good, which is to say that
every man in the party inside OF an hour
hung a tarpon or two and let It get away,
which Is the usual course OF events. Finally,
a member Of the party got strike. reefed
the barb into his foemen as deeply as a
strong arm and wrist could send II and the
fun began. All Of the others reeled in
to get their tackle out of the way and watch
the fight.
This tarpon was possessed OF devil.
II took out 200 feet of silk on its initial rush
and the moment II felt the drag went a
yard into the air. They saw that it was
more than five feet long and the man who
was playing tor being played with
said that il weighed a ton.
The war, with ups and downs, lasted
for more than an hour. Thrice the fish
was reeled within five feet Of the boat and
each time broke away. King. who is ex-
citable, had most Of the hour danced from
stem TO stern, shouting advice. expostula-
ton, encourageme and anathema.
When tine tarpon was brought IN for the
fourth time il seemed utterly exhausted.
IL came heavily within yard Of the tatfrail
and its head was raised six inches from the
water.
The lord high executiorer Of the band
lifted his gaff TO deal the fatal blow. With
n mighty bound the fish rose from the water
and crashed upon the deck. II was near
the cockpit and not IA foot from King,
With a lightning sweep Of the tail it struck
him across the knees. knocked him back
ward into the cockpit and fell after him,
landing across his legs. Then. in tho semi
darkness of the little cabin, ensued a com
bat that would have used up fifty pages Of
The men above could see little. but they
could hear the thud OF blows, which fell
like hail. the mighty thumps Of falls, the
raspng OF heavy bodies on the plankinR,
snorts, grlnts, gasps and CALCULATIONS.
The Judge and the tarpon had fought
the length of the cabin twice and all around
the walls once when "A sailor jumped down
with n hatchet and ended the match. There
was n good deal of blood and scales every
where. somo of them in Kings hair The
fsh weighed nearly l2O pounds.
II il not an unhearCl-of thing FOR tarpon
20 leap on board OF low-lying craft. There
Is an instance of a tremendous fellow jump
ing TO the deck Of a tugboat near the mouth
Of the Brazos River II struck an iron
stanchion a half-inch thick, bent Il six
inches ont Of plumb and Topped back into
the water.
On another occasion in tho shallow port
off this river a negro fisherman, sitting in
tho bow Of n small skif. was struck by a
leaping tarpon, knocked backward into
the sea, stunned and drowned.