Giant Fish of Florida 



occasionally showing, and their huge shining black backs 

 continually appearing above the surface, they looked very 

 terrible. 



In full pursuit was the man with the harpoon, who had 

 been waiting such a chance for weeks. And now, as we can 

 plainly see, he is close to this moving line of flesh. Whiz goes 

 the harpoon, hurled by a strong and practised arm ; not 

 only the metal head, but also the shaft is deeply buried in that 

 three-feet slab of flesh, and the maddened monster bounds off 

 with lightning speed. The next moment the man changes 

 places with his guide, no easy proceeding in a slender I4ft. 

 craft, but it is necessary that he should do so, for he killed 

 a devil-fish alone not a month since, and the skin has not 

 yet grown again on his raw hands. Ere the boat has got 

 properly under way a loose bight of rope catches the guide 

 round the leg, and flings him into the gunwale ; there is plenty 

 of way on now, and a dangerous list into the bargain as 

 the bow dips under water. The man rushes, knife in hand, to 

 his guide's assistance, but the latter succeeds with great 

 dexterity in freeing himself from the coils, and there is no 

 need to cut loose. 



And now the pace grows fast and furious. Eighty feet of 

 line are out, waves are flying from the bow, and the boat 

 speeds so that no launch in Florida could catch her. The 

 great fish is close to the bottom, and suddenly shifts its 

 course. This manoeuvre is like to cost it dear, for it enables six 



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