They went off the map, though, and they found a place at the top of collapse we call Dragon's Back, and there they looked down a seven-and-a-half-inch slot.
Finally his left hand found the line and he leaned back against the line and now it burned his back and his left hand, and his left hand was taking all the strain and cutting badly.
But four hours later the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was still braced solidly with the line across his back.