Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-27
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

Obeying the orSer, / let out the line.
1t burned my hands. Zip! ] grabbed
the key. Then | caught the rope
again. Fortunately there were 40
fathoms of IL, and when it came taut
with snap l had had q chance to
get firm grip. AS it was, l nearly
lost Ely balance. Recovering, !, could
feel the CULVER Of the 400 pounds of
muscle at the other end. IT was grand
to hold the reins OF such wild steed
of Neptune. Now here, now there, IL
swan, taking us up and down over
tie waves. My back ached and my
arms became lead. Every now and
then the fish could be seen at the ton
of the waves ahead of us. Then, like
d salmon. it would turn suddenly and
dart off III another direction. Tho
dory would slew around and again I
would almost be pulled overheard.
Once Art had to grab my legs to Keep
re in the boat. The long waves and
the sudden plun@es of the fish indeed
madt it hard to keep ones feet in the
tumbling Gory. Thus the fight lasted
fer half an nnur and gradually the
line was shortened. AS we rose to
the top Of Il wave we could see that
those on the schooner were keeping
watch q US.
Suddenly the line began to point
downward and coon it was vertical.
The fish was directly under us.
Hes gone to the BOTTOM Art burst
| out. LOOK out, now! This is bad. He
| NAV ce.ne up through the dory SO
| dEcn quick thnt-here ne comes .now"'
! All Juggling at the line ceased. 1t
| Ia limp il, nay hands; that told the
! story. Art juinred into the stern. l
made SIRE that the slab Of iron was
under no. for I thought of the yard
of bone. heavy as steel and sharp
pointed rs 4 sword. In the next in
slant l WAS sent spraWling in the
bottom of the dory, amid oars, hand
nets. thole pins. gait hooks, rope ends
ard water. Then drenching spray
slapped me on the back.
Missed Just grazed u.s. Art hol
Tered as lie snatched up the line.
Did yer see him come out of the
water? Durn yer. Wen get yer YETI
And he made desperate efforts not
to !ct the line which was now short,
slip through MS hard hands.
BY now We could see the huge.
si,sek body darting Just under the sur
face. The crisis If the catch was at
h and TIE fish kept swimming around
US in circles We had to scamper
about the dancing dory In order To
keep the line clear. Once the fish shot
right under the bow g-- .
You gaf him the next time" Art
commanded.
Picking up a heavy cruel-looking
ron hook WITH stout ash handle
SEINE six feet IN length. waited my
CHARGE.
Here he colleS'" cried Art.
I swung at Il bldcn HASH. and. jump
il5 t. the other side. l. swung again.
E.;.cl ti:la | nisscdss These Wild jaDs
aroused the fish all the uor.. and W.
Whrlod ar"urd ii circles. Sometimes
;E big tail would come out of the
watefeWith many ID whirliEg eddy and
volleys OF spray. The third Try
brought the big hook deer into the
broad back. | felt us if he'd hold
of the hind hpof Of II kicking morse.
Water flew i'll every direction. l.
seemed as ii could never Keep my
grip on the Saft.
Held or HolG on" Art beloved.
picking up another saff with the right
hand, while in his left he held the
yanking harpool line. Then he, too,
hooked his gan in the broad back.
could hear it crunch With difficulty
he worked il loose and drove it into
the g..ls. Blocd gushed out and turn
ed the water red. For a second or two
the fish. which was almost as long as
h, durv. was quiet. We both gaSped
for breath Ry order of Art. l grab
bee, Il siip-knot out OF the water IN
the pottoT ot the boat. Reaching
over the side after many failures. l
got tho loop over the wide tail. As
ht,uIel the line tight the stunned fish
clmc t.. Bang. Bang! Bang! The
powerful body beat against the side
of the ,lo.v. Masses of hard white
water dashed both of us. I ducked
NY head to avoid it. and hauled. ART
belabored the fish with his heavy gaff.
Tie boat was rapidly filling with
water. II seemed as if the sides Of
the boat would be STAYED in. Then
all was still. i opened my eyes. Art
was wiping his face with his shirt
sleeve. -4z-.,.., ~ yssas.
Gee. That fish died tough. say.
He gave us about all We wanted. EN-?
But | had to laugh at yer d"dging
that water. Here comes the schooner
to take the fish aboard Boston
Transcript. sf-s =
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