8 DEVIL FISHING. 



amazing rapidity, yet showing nothing but the tip 

 of his wing. We dashed at him whenever he ap- 

 peared, .but he changed position so quickly, that 

 we were always too late. Suddenly his broad 

 black back was lifted above the water directly be- 

 fore our bow. " Forward !" the oarsmen bend to 

 the stroke, but before we could gain our distance, 

 his tail flies up, and he is plunging downward for 

 his depths. I could not resist I pitched my har- 

 poon, from the distance of full thirty feet. It went 

 whizzing through the air, and cleaved the water 

 just beneath the spot where the fish had disap- 

 peared. My companions in our consort (who had 

 now approached within fifty yards) observed the 

 staff quiver for a second before it disappeared be- 

 neath the surface of the water. This was unob- 

 served by myself, and I was drawing in my line 

 to prepare for a new throw, when ho ! the line 

 stopped short ! " Is it possible ? I have him the 

 devil-fish is struck !" Out flies the line from the 

 bow a joyful shout bursts from our crew our 

 consort is lashed to our stern E. and C. spring 

 aboard and here we go ! driven by this most 

 diabolical of locomotives. 



Thirty fathoms are run out, and I venture a turn 

 round the stem. The harpoon holds, and he leads 

 gallantly off for Middle Bank the two boats in 



