ANGEL OR DEVIL FISH. 259 



In a short time we drew near the fish, and then 

 the oarsmen began to row more gently, until pre- 

 sently they stopped altogether. We were right in 

 the middle of them, and then the agile and skilful 

 Pluto transfixed an enormous fish, which darted off 

 like a horse at full gallop. The line shot out with the 

 rapidity of lightning, and when it was all paid out 

 the boat was towed rapidly through the water. The 

 devil fish could not get far, so he soon struck upon 

 the sand, and after a fierce struggle yielded himself 

 up upon the shore, where, in spite of all his resist- 

 ance, we soon managed to put an end to him. This 

 fish measured eighteen feet from head to tail. His 

 barbels were over three feet long, and he looked alto- 

 gether a most repulsive monster. This was the first 

 specimen of a devil fish I had ever been close to. 



Next day, we resumed the fishing, Mr. Stiltman 

 having received intelligence of the arrival of eight 

 devil fish which had appeared off Hilton Head. 

 Pluto once more accompanied us. When we 

 arrived at the place, to our great disappointment 

 the surface of the sea was as smooth as glass. 

 Presently, however, Pluto exclaimed, "Dere he be, 

 the big debbil;^^ and there, sure enough, in the 

 middle of the bay was a tremendous fish raising 

 his back above the water, and looking very like a 

 rock which had been suddenly raised above the sea 

 by some volcanic action. I entreated Mr. Stiltman 

 to allow me to try my hand with the harpoon, to 



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