CAN SWINE SWIM?

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 21, 4 June 1952, Page 5

CAN SWINE SWIM?

(True story, but names used are fictitious) The launch glided siowly in the deep, still water near high cliffs which echoed the gentle chuff-chuff of the engine. A party of three men on board were trolling for trout; a form of fishing intensely dispised by the superior and devout fly-rod anglers, who consider the lazy prac- ! tice of dragging the spinning-spoon far behind a boat; nothing but sheer murder. They would never do it! (?) Oh no, only just furtively at times when they want to be certain of fresh fish to take home. Ron Taliand considered it a Mug's game also, he was too busy steering his launch, while the others sat holding their stumpy rods with long lines out and having an* argument. It was all rather one-sided as the small, fair Jim Ashton, as usual did most of the talking. "It's a well known fact,,, he insisted, "that pigs can't swim. Credible too; their heads and shoulders being so heavy, and with such short legs and sharp hoofs; they cut their own throats, Fve heard." Wilfred Barroway, dark with sunburn and stout, nodded idly. "Yes, so've I, but its only a theory, and what's the use of bothering about it when we don't know. Better to keep quiet and enjoy the scenery." Jim became annoyed, "If you don't discuss things, you never learn anything," he continued, 'And you can prove a theory with examples. Even in the Bible story the swine were drowned." "That was quite an unusual case," murmered Wilfred as he moved into a more comfortable position on the hard seat. "That's right," Jim agreed. "But it was one example, and I'm ready to bet you — Suddenly his reel interrupted with a seream as the line ran out and for awhile he concentrated on bringing in a trout. It was a large fish, but as usual in trolling, had little fight left by the time it reached the launch. When it was aboard and the lines were out again, Jim began another controversy. This time about deerstalking. But his speech was cut short by E?on Taliand, who shouted. HI THERE! LOOK AHEAD^ and see if you can see what I can see?" Standing all alone on a flat rock at the base of the cliff was a small wild pig. How it 'had come there had them all guessing for awhile. Then Ron said, "Now we'll see if it can swim; its bound to jump off when we try to nab him." And so it happened. The small porker leapt into the lake and swam away ahead of the launch. Jim Ashton watched, confident that the water would soon become sufused with blood. But the little pig swam on and on. , The men resumed fishing. Whenever the launch stopped to take in a trout, the swimmer gained distance but graduaily he became tired out, and soon after that Ron was able to grab it by the hind leg and heave it aboard. "Well" be said, "That settles the argument." " And when we have young pork roasted in our eamp-oven Jim; that 11 keep you quftet for awhile."

T.

P.