A Dangerous Fish, 245 



and a few balacoudas, but I am not able to bring them, or 

 even to haul them here; please send the sailors after 

 them.' The fishes were accordingly brought, and as I had 

 never seen a 'dew-fish,' I examined it closely, and took 

 an outline of its form, which some days hence you may 

 perhaps see. It exceeded a hundred pounds in weight, 

 and afforded excellent eating. The balacouda is also a 

 good fish, but at times a dangerous one, for, according to 

 the pilot, on more than one occasion ' some of these gen- 

 try ' had followed him, when waist-deep in the water in 

 pursuit of a more valuable prize, until in self-defence he 

 had to spear them, fearing that the * gentlemen ' might at 

 one dart cut off his legs, or some other nice bit with which 

 he was unwilling to part. Having filled our cask from a 

 fine well, long since dug in the sand of Cape Sable, either 

 by Seminole Indians or pirates, no matter which, we left 

 Sandy Isle about full tide, and proceeded homewards, 

 giving a call here and there at different keys, with the 

 view of procuring rare birds, and also their nests and 

 eggs. We had twenty miles to go 'as the birds fly,' but 

 the tortuosity of the channels rendered our course fully a 

 third longer. The sun was descending fast, when a black 

 cloud suddenly obscured the majestic orb. Our sails 

 swelled by a breeze that was scarcely felt by us, and the 

 pilot, requesting us to sit on the weather gunwale, told us 

 that we were 'going to get it' One sail was hauled in 

 and secured, and the other was reefed, although the wind 

 had not increased. A low murmuring noise was heard, 

 and across the cloud that now rolled along in tumultuous 

 masses shot vivid flashes of lightning. Our experienced 

 guide steered directly across a flat towards the nearest 

 land. The sailors passed their quids from one cheek to 

 the other, and our pilot having covered himself with his 

 oil jacket, we followed his example. ' Blow, sweet breeze, ' 

 cried he at the tiller, ' and we'll reach land before the 



