length.
Still, it was better than nothing. It was of a beautiful grey hue. On
getting it into my hand to take it off the hook, what was my surprise to
see it swell out till it became a perfect ball. "_Mamayacu_!" exclaimed
Duppo. "No good eat." I thought he was right, for I certainly should
not have liked attempting to feed on so odd-looking a creature. When
going to unhook it I found that its small mouth was fixed in the meat.
When left alone it gradually resumed its former proportions.

I soon had another bite, and this time I hoped I should get something
worth having. Again I hauled in, when up came a fish as long as the
other was short and round, with a curious pointed snout. This, too, had
been caught by the tough monkey meat, and promised to be of little more
service than my first prize. I caught two or three other curious but
useless fish, though, if very much pressed for food, we might have
managed to scrape a little flesh off them. Duppo sat patiently fishing
on. Though he had got no bites, he escaped being tantalised as I was by
the nibbling little creatures which attacked my bait. Perhaps he sank
his lower down. I could not exactly make it out, but so it was; and at
length I saw his line pulled violently. His eyes glistened with
eagerness. He had evidently, he thought, got a large fish hooked. He
first allowed his line to run to its full length, then gradually he
hauled it in, making a sign to me to come to his assistance. He then
handed me the line. I felt from the tugging that a fish of a
considerable size was hooked. He meantime got an arrow from his quiver
and fitted it to his bow. Then he signed to me to haul in gently. I
did so, dreading every instant that our prize would escape, for I could
scarcely suppose that a bone hook could withstand so strong a pull.
Kneeling down on the trunk, he waited till we could see the dark form of
the fish below the surface. At that moment the arrow flew from his bow,
and the next all resistance ceased; and now without difficulty I hauled
the fish to the surface. Stooping down, he got hold of it by the gills,
and with my assistance hauled it up to the trunk. It was nearly three
feet long, with a flat spoon-shaped head, and beautifully spotted
striped skin. From each side of its head trailed thin feelers, half the
length of the fish itself. I felt very sure that with such tackle as we
had that I should never have been able to secure so fine a fis