Many a fish I had lost after a few of
thesehappenings.
Close behind these loomed a ship twice as large. To
repeat, however, no one can guess what I might have takenhad the weather given us a
break.
One instant he seemed as heavy as a rock, and the
next light,moving, different.
He kept repeating about every hour thatthe sharks
must be having an off day. I quite forgot tolook at my watch, which seemed an
indication of my feelings.
Neither bird nor fish showed to long-practisedeyes.
How tenaciously the drabshadow of winter clung to us! He is huge and
frightful,beautiful and savage in the water, and terrible out of it.
Bowen andhis camera men, and mine, caught the
rest.
It was a cold, wintry almostinvisible sea, not
conducive to the thrill and joy of the angler.
For it is a fine thing to kill
thesebrutes.
It was a cold, wintry almostinvisible sea, not
conducive to the thrill and joy of the angler.
This is the nucleus of the idea I would like to
inculcatein all Australian anglers. A violent and persistent lamming, as Peter
called it, brought thattiger shark to the surface. Just forty minutes, said Peter,
consulting his clock in the cabin.
A steely sun made pale bright light upon theruffled
bay; gray fog shrouded the dome of Mt.
The thing is to have them realize its greatness.
Bullen then saw the fish and swiftly reeledin his bait.
Imight as well have done this in the first place.
We caught no end of bait, and soon were trolling off Bondi. He sheered away,plowed
along the surface, then disappeared and went down deep.
Neither bird nor fish showed to
long-practisedeyes.
But including photographs, this would make too
largea volume. So I make my claim for Australian waters and reiterate it and will
standby it.
There, at the end of two hours and something, I
heaved that whalerup to the waiting boatmen.
The hours passed, until about mid-afternoon, and
conversation lagged. I put my gloved hand over themoving spool in the old habit of
being ready to prevent an overrun. Not until the fifthrepetition of this violent
action did I come up on the weight of thatfish.
But I have found fault with Australian traces and
hooks, and especiallyAustralian lines.
I had aneleven-foot mako bite one of these leaders
through and escape, afterleaping prodigiously.
Lonelywanderers of the barren waste of waters!