26 DEVIL FISHING. 



to meet the devil-fish on their return from Skull 

 Creek, the scene of their high water gambols. 

 The smaller boat, with outspread sails, stretched 

 off and on, traversing the same region, but on dif- 

 ferent lines. No fish were seen. We advanced in 

 front of Mrs. E.'s avenue, and took another survey, 

 and thus slowly extended the cruise to Skull Creek, 

 while our consort stretched away as far as Pinck- 

 ney's Island. The ebb was half spent, and we 

 began to despair. I landed on the beach at Hilton 

 Head, yet kept the boat afloat, and two hands on 

 the lookout. Before a quarter of an hour had 

 elapsed, "There," cried our lookout man. I fol- 

 lowed the direction of his hand it pointed to 

 Skull Creek channel, and I saw the wing of the 

 fish two feet above water. There was no mis- 

 taking it it was a devil-fish. One shout sum- 

 mons the crew to their posts the red flag is raised 

 to signal our consort the oarsmen spring to their 

 oars and we dashed furiously onward in the di- 

 rection in which we had seen him. Once again 

 before we had accomplished the distance, he ap- 

 peared a moment on the surface. 



The place of harpooner I had not the generosity 

 to yield to any one ; so I planted myself on the 

 forecastle, my left leg advanced, my right sup- 

 ported by the clete, my harpoon poised, and three 



