The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-24

| for the rest OF the voyage, ana the stoIy
On The campania Is thHs S snaeneers IN
the row to be within easy calling distance
Of Garfield every morning thereafter
TARPON WITH THE HARPOON
Sport with Spice Of Danger in 1t Found
In Northern Waters.
GAspE BASIN, Bay OF Chaleur, May %.
Like Nantucket, New Bedford and many
another old whaling station, this place
has Ichabod, "the glory has departed
written large over 1t. II occasions surprise
TO the visitors who occasionally come TO
fish the rivers hereabouts for salmon and
sea trout to find boats lying around fitted
out for happening, and to discover that
men arc still rated according to their skill
a. harpoones.
They are 20 rated. But how are the
mighty fallenl 1t is no longer against the
mighty mammals OF the north seas that
their energies are directed. There Is no
return value In oil. whalebone, or ambergris
to make their Homecoming eventful. Inc
stern business has become sport now,
and the men who would have struck and
played and lanced prey OF tons in weight
IN those days are content now to get tast
TO and kill fish OF two or. at most, three hum
dred pounds.
1t is rare sport they engage in, though
little known and seldom heard OF outside
of the bay. The fish is the tarpon. with
energies greatly multiplied by the cool
northern waters.
They tell a tale at Point St. Peter, on the
other side OF the bay, OF medical man VINO
had labored among the tarpon OF Santa
D. ts,sya ifnfn
Of st. Lawrence variety.
Against all local advice, he persisted In
trying for the monsters with hook and line.
He persuaded lad to row him CT to where
little herd were disporting themselves,
and after long hours of fruitless casting
induced a lusty youngster to fasten on.
sprnging to his feet to play his fish, he
showed himself to the creature, which con-
tempt uously yanked him out of the beat in
an instant, and then sailed away with his
expensive tackle. The sports herea bouts
learr ed long a 60 that 1t was no use trying
to take these fish with rod and tackle.
A pretty little harpoon, with regular
detachable hinged shaft. has been invented
for the purpose. To 1t is 4bent on. as the
harpooners say, to very long ouarer-inch
line Of great strength. This line is care
fully coiled In whaling bucket in the for
ward part Of the boat To use the tachle
the assistance OF the expe rienced'
quick eyed and resourceful local fisher men
II essential. On a bright day it is not diff
fcult to find the fish.
They are often seen calling about with
their lack fins and parts OF their bread
sides above water. Sometimes they are
| in playful mood, and turn then selves ABOUT
with rapid, churning molten. which dis
a. ..,t. .,lr.t n
occasionally they have leap,ng eGntesls'
and exhibit their, immense silvery bright
! ness in all it's glory, in the sunlight.
The fishermen differ in their. theories
as to the proper way TO approach without
disturbing them, some being guided by
( the direct ion Of the wind, others by
! the slant of the sun. but they all manage
to get up to them If allowed to have their
| own way about 1t.
| To cast the harpoon properly is not quite
| SO easy as 1t looks. The professional I'm
| parts a cluivering kind of motion to 1t as It
| leaves his hand and sinks it into the back
| OF the fish up to the hinge, more than half
| way up the iron.
No one who knows the tarpon will have
any doubt as to his attitude henceforth
He intends TO fight the fight of his life from
that time on. Something's while cruising
themselves 4 school of bluefsh are en-
| countered. As these. though rather dry;
are considered fair eating. 1t IL not unusual
| for the harpooner to take shy az one OF
them. Though they run up into ne hnn-
things, after the first furry they may be
hauled to the boat side easily enough.
But it is not so with the tarpon:., When
he feels the steel, he Is Just as likely az
or will at once make of for deep wafer
at lightning speed. In either case tho
men at the oars row in the same dlreclion,
to save line, as there is no knowing nov
n h.a fAls4lZ
like it. And if TOO much strain rs put upon
the harpoon, which is pnrposely mace oil
soft ductie steel, i, may wrench free,
leaving he fish to die in helpless IN sery.
One party Last year made fast 10 ruHErn
old warrior weighing 2io pounds, which
they fought over five miles OF water, ana
through five long hours, before he came in
on his mighty side and was, towed ashore.
When near enough TO the boat slender
lance IL used to despatch the fish. which
OF l,erwiHe, in spite Of appearances, may
retain enough strength to break away
with vicious speed when shoal water Is
reached.
The sport Ia by no means without its
spice Of danger A kink in the coiled line
| Is almost es dangerous as in whaling. one
old fisherman a; Sandy Beach lost his arm
through catching it in the blight OF Il me
Ms n big tarpon was running 1t out hu-
other TO get a grip upon the line by when
he was holding an exhausted fish his com,
rade was about To lance, parsed II around
his hand The thrust of the steel only
lightly pierct d the tarpon, which gave a
prodisous leap onto the boat, which 1t
overturn,d d, and put such strain upon the
line az to cut the fingers to the bone, CRUSH
ing them 80 that amputation was nece sea ~.
There IL a case on record of n very large
fish towing an exhausted boatload all night
long. the approach of day showing land
almost out Of light and the fish as vigorously
IS ever ma king for the other side OF the
Atlentic. The wearied fishermen cut the If
line and let 60.
II will he seen that tarpon fishing is no
child's play in these waters. Neverthc-
Il ss these men Of stout nerve ard FAIR
strength who are anxious to expert nee a
new excitement might do wore than en-
dea vor to get next TO a couple OF hundred,
we light OF tarpon in the invigorating and