2i DEVIL FISHING. 



just to miss him. He never budged, and I passed 

 so near, as easily to have harpooned him, if the 

 implements had been at hand. 



The devil-fish (in numbers thus unusual), had 

 doubtless run into the inlet to escape the gales ; for 

 from repeated observations, I am persuaded that 

 fish are provided with an instinct, by which they 

 are forewarned of convulsions in their proper ele- 

 ment. 



The sight of these fish disturbed my rest, and I 

 felt uncomfortable, until 1 found myself planning 

 an attack and providing myself with the needful 

 apparatus. A harpoon, two inches wide in the 

 barb, between two and three feet in the shank (a 

 regular whaler), was turned out from the work- 

 shop of Mr. Mickler. Forty fathoms of half-inch 

 rope were purchased and stretched. To one end 

 the harpoon was firmly attached ; the other, pass- 

 ing through a hole cut in the bottom of a tub, 

 in which the rope was carefully coiled, was to be 

 fastened to the forecastle. A six-oared boat was 

 inspected, new thwarted, and new thole-pinned; 

 and a clete nailed firmly on the forecastle to sup- 

 port the right foot of the harpooner. A day was 

 fixed, and friends and sportsmen were invited to 

 repair to the field of action ; but the weather was 

 unpropitious, and but two boats appeared. 



