ll of fresh sea-water by a pump connected with the engine, and it is
used to keep live bait--no other than the little anchovies. One Jap,
using a little net, dips up live bait and throws them overboard to the
albacore. Another Jap beats on the water with long bamboo poles, making
splashes. The other two Japs have short, stiff poles with a wire
attached and the barbless hook at the end. They put on a live bait and
toss it over. Instantly they jerk hard, and two big white albacore, from
fifteen to thirty pounds, come wiggling up on to the stern of the boat.
Down goes the pole and whack! goes a club. It is all done with swift
mechanical precision. It used to amaze me and fill me with sadness. If
the Japs could hold the school of albacore they would very soon load the
boat. But usually a school of albacore cannot be held long.

You cannot fish in the channel any more without encountering these Jap
boats. Once at one time in 1917 I saw one hundred and thirty-two boats.
Most of them were fishing! They ran to and fro over the ocean, chasing
every white splash, and they make an angler's pleasure taste bitter.

Fortunately the Japs had let the tuna alone, for the simple and good
reason that they had not found a way to catch the wise blue-fins. But
they will find a way! Yet they drove the schools down, and that was
almost as bad. As far as swordfish are concerned, it is easy to see what
will happen, now that the albacore have become scarce. Broadbill
swordfish are the finest food fish in the sea. They can be easily
harpooned by these skilful Japs. And so eventually they will be killed
and driven away. This misfortune may not come at once, but it will come.

In this connection it is interesting to note that I tried to photograph
one of the Austrian crews in action. But Captain Dan would not let me
get near enough to take a picture. There is bad blood between Avalon
boatmen and these foreign market fishermen. Shots had been exchanged
more than once. Captain Dan kept a rifle on board. This news sort of
stirred me. And I said: "Run close to that bunch, Cap. Maybe they'll
take a peg at me!" But he refused to comply, and I lost a chance to
serve my country!

The Japs, however, are square fishermen, mostly, and I rather admire
those albacore-chasers, who at least give the fish a chance. Some of
them use nets, and against them and the Austrian round-haul netters I am
exceedingly bitter. These round-haul nets, some of them, must be a mi