Cape Breton's Magazine

Bob Fitzgerald and the Big Fish We were visiting with Bob Fitzgerald at his home in Dingwall. Winston Briand came by and talk turned to the Big Fish • -' Bob told us this: and Bob Fitzgerald: You heard tell of the Big Fish--Winston, that's before you were born. You know, the one that we harpooned. Capt. Pearl was boss of the raft, (Winston Briand: Gordon Dunphy told me about that one,) BobT It was Gordon was the man that stuck him. (Winston: Yes, the biggest mistake he ever made,) Bob: Well, it was a tremendous big fish, you know--and he was going around here, and it was for days that we saw him. Why, he had a great dorsal fin on his back that high--oh, it was five or six feet high. He was an immense animal. Nobody'd ever go near him, didn't know what he was. So Gordon was coming ashore from fishing-- and Gordon had seen him. And Gordon went alongside of him in the boat, gasoline boat. So he was telling a bunch of us on the pier. He said, "That's not a fish, that's the devil." "The devil?" "Yes, it's the devil. I was up alongside of him today, and he's 90 feet long and he's got hair on him." He said, "He's covered with hair." "Eh, go on!" "Yes," he said, "he's got hair onto him--that's what I took it to be anyway." Said, "I didn't get too close to him. But he looked like he had hair onto him," Capt, Pearl was coming, walking out on the wharf, heard us talking--came over. He lis? tened to the story, "By God, boys," he said, "we should try and get her," "Try and get her?" "Yes," he said, "we should try and get her," Old Capt, Pearl, you know, he was an old sea dog, and he was game for anything. And he had settled at White Point, He had a house there. Well, okay. We'll try and get him, if there's any use. Yeah. He said, "We'll rig it up." So we got a swordfish dart and a piece of telephone wire and put it through the dart--put a- bout five, feet of telephone wire on it. And then we fastened a 21-thread hawser on it. Oh, I suppose 60 to 70 fathoms of 21- thread hawser. "Now, by Jesus," old Pearl said now--"if we see him now--we'11 give him a twist." That was in the morning. About 3 o'clock in the evening, looked across the bay and there he was. Somebody hollered, "There's 7. Blue Heron Gift Shop V BOOKS, GLASSWARE, FIGURINES, WOODENWARE, CRYSTAL P' Gifts for All Occasions BADDECK, N. S. 295-3424 We Buy & We Sell and We're as Near as yotrr Telephone Sid's Used Furniture 436 Charlotte St, Sydney . 564-6123 Known for Quality Products and CarefUl Service ?> Je ??Blery and Gifts MacDonald Jewelery Limited 357 Charlotte St.. Sydney ?? 864-8318 P, 0. Box 430, ('Sydney, Nova Scoti, Sydney, Nova Scotia BIP 6H2 overlooking Sydney Harbour, the corner of DORCHESTER STREET and THE ESPLANADE?? P, 0. Box 430 are located downtown The Isle Royale is a warm, traditional-hotel in the heart of Old Sydney, Our modem facilities promise a comfortable stay for visitors, conventions, and meetings. We offer special rates for groups, tours, and commercial travellers, and parking is free. Drop in and enjoy our Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. isle Royale Hotel Downtown Sydney 564-5511 (39)