THE LONE FISHERMAN.

NZ Truth, Issue 74, 17 November 1906, Page 4

THE LONE FISHERMAN.

A SEATOUN NOVICE'S REMARKABLE DEBUT.

Fourteen-pound Moki and Enormous Elephant Fish.

Max lives at Seatoun, 'and has done so for quite a while; but it is only lately • that he has developed the fishing craze. His extraordinary luck has caused the craze to become an obsession.

Last Sunday week Max took his jury-rigged line down on the wharf and, metaphorically, cast his bread upon the waters. Ke got it back m short order and it took the shape of an 11H> moki, and the soul of the lone fisherman (Avho was so "oxcited" he had to get the help of two boys to extract the fish from its native element) rejoiced.

Likewise the soul . of his worthy helpmeet, who, gladdened by such ati addition to her larder, took the fifehinp; fever readily, and aided and abett£d her Max m "his 'subsequent efforts. Thita incited, he. scored . a 141 b. moki on Friday, also off the whaff, and his excitement grew hysterical. I-le tells of his mighty deeds everywhere. . .

Max has an ingrowing; pain -when afloat m a small boat, when the water is what lie calls "chippy, 1 " and when ho went out. List Saturday, on glassy water, with two others, every time an occupant of the boat .moved, and .she 4 listed ever so little hs would turn pale and 'ask breathlessly, "Yot vas dot ? I. dbnd see no chippy on der Vaster., amd id." But his luck wasn't scared any, as, while the three of ' them only got four moki, Maxi, .caught two of them. He caught something else, though, and it gave him a. fresh scare. It was a. large elephant fish, and when he had demanded and got assistance and it was lifted into the boat and he sa^v its remarkable profile, so to speak, he felt almost inclined to get out himself ; till lie Was calmed by his fellow fishers. *

Once ashore you ought to have seen the honest Max '•chuckin'. chests" as he lugged his catch homo to his delighted frau. He'd got used to the elephant fr r this time, and beside^ it had given up the ghost and left its trunk unpacked. Max did the "pack-* ing." He packed it all the way home m his strong; right hand, and showed it proudly to everyone he met. .■.''.•

The outcome of all these piscatorial feats was that on Sunday last at an impromptu dithering on the wharf, the local amateur fishermen presented Max with a belt, emblematic of the fishing championship of Seatoiin. That it was only a strip of linoleum did not detract from the delight of the ardent convert to the ••gentle art' ; at being so distinguished.

He took the joke merrily and is noti nearly tired yet of telling; his friends m town of his wondrous deeds among! the finny tribes.

But it is no use trying; to pet Max out ih a boat if the water is the least bit "chippy." He prefers the firm foothold of the wharf, even if his catch is confined to what he naively describes as "two leedle red' cods." .".'■■

The further doughty deeds of the Seatoun Walton will be Watched warily and duly chronicled. But he will have to learn to. get his own lines ready beforehand, m future.