ps the only camp at Clemente. It is a clean, comfortable,
delightful place. I have found no place where sleep is so easy, so
sweet, so deep. Shade lives a lonely life there ten months in the year.
And it is no wonder that when a fisherman arrives Al almost kills
himself in his good humor and kindness and usefulness. Men who live
lonely lives are always glad to see their fellow-men. But he loves
Clemente Island. Who would not?

When I think of it many pictures come to mind--evening with the sea
rolling high and waves curving shoreward in great dark ripples, that
break and spread white and run up the strand. The sky is pale blue
above, a green sheen low down, with white stars blinking. The
promontories run down into the sea, sheer, black, rugged, bold, mighty.
The surf is loud and deep, detonating, and the pebbles scream as the
waves draw them down. Strange to realize that surf when on the morrow
the sea will be like glass--not a wave nor a ripple under the gray fog!
Wild and beautiful Clemente--the island of caves and canons and
cliffs--lilac and cactus and ice-plant and arbor-vitae and ironwood, with
the wild goats silhouetted dark against the bold sky-line!

* * * * *

There came that day of all days. I never believed Captain Dan, but now I
shall never forget. The greatest day that ever befell me! I brought four
swordfish to gaff and whipped another, the biggest one of the whole
trip, and saw him tear away from the hook just at the last--in all, nine
hours of strenuous hanging on to a rod.

I caught the first one before six o'clock, as the sun was rising
red-gold, dazzling, glorious. He leaped in the sun eleven times. He
weighed one hundred and eighty-seven.

After breakfast we sighted two swordfish on the smooth sea. Both charged
the bait. I hooked one of these and he leaped twenty-three times. He
weighed one hundred and sixty-eight.

Then off the east end we saw a big swordfish leap five times. We went
out toward the open sea. But we never got anywhere near him. I had three
strikes, one after another, when we were speeding the boat. Then we shut
down and took to slow trolling. I saw another swordfish sail for my
bait, and yelled. He shot off with the bait and his dorsal fin stuck out
of the water. I hooked him. He leaped thirty-eight times. How the camera
did snap during this fight! He weighed two hundred and ten.

I had a fierce strike on the way in. Too fast! We lost him.

"T