DEVIL FISHING. 29 



tow. He pushed dead in the eye of a stiff north- 

 easter. His motion is not so rapid as we expected, 

 but regular and business-like reminding one of the 

 motion of a canal boat drawn by a team of stout 

 horses. On Middle Bank he approached the sur- 

 face the rifle is caught up, but soon laid aside as 

 useless, for no vulnerable part appeared. We then 

 drew upon the line, that we might force him to the 

 surface and spear him I soon found that was no 

 fun. " Tom, don't you want to play a devil-fish ? 

 I have enough to last me an hour, so here's my 

 place, if you desire it." Behold me now reclined 

 on the stern seat, taking breath after my pull, and 

 lifting my umbrella to repel the heat of the sun. 

 It was very pleasant to see the woods of Hilton 

 Head recede, and the hammocks of Paris Island 

 grow into distinctness, as we moved along .under 

 this novel, and yet unpatented impelling power ! 

 "You will find this melon refreshing, friends! at 

 twelve o'clock, let us take a glass of wine to our 

 success. Tom, why don't jou pull him up ?" Tom 

 held up his hands, from which the gloves had been 

 stripped clean by the friction of the rope. " We'll 

 put three men to the line and .bouse on him." He 

 comes ! George seizes the lance, but the devil-fish 

 stops ten feet below the surface, and can't be coaxed 



nearer. George sinks his long staff in the direction 



22 



