50 DEVIL FISHING. 



other purpose than to quicken his speed. "We threw our- 

 selves on the course of the other boat, some forty or fifty 

 yards ahead. 



" Where is the devil-fish V shouted P. 



"A sign with the hand directed us some distance 

 beyond, where we saw indistinctly the wings of the devil- 

 fish, shooting alternately out to the height of a foot or 

 more. We were soon over him ; but, with all his skill, 

 P. could not reach his body. Stroke after stroke failed. 

 The rocking of the boat, and the exhaustion of the oars- 

 men, under their constant exertions to keep up with him, 

 made things still worse. Was he to escape from us after 

 all ? ' Strike, sir, for the black side of his wing ;' but 

 the advice was not wanted, for the harpoon was already 

 deep in him. As before, the devil-fish now went directly 

 for the bottom ; but we were in the channel, and that 

 resource could not avail him. He played about for some 

 time, but we finally succeeded in bringing him up within 

 six feet of us, where we pierced him with our lances until 

 life was gone. But no force could lift him higher. By 

 this time another boat had come from the Point to our 

 aid, which, with the two we had already, it was thought, 

 would be quite sufficient to take our fish ashore. The 

 sails were set, and the oars put out to the number of 

 eighteen ; the wind,, too, was as fair as could be wished 

 still there was no headway. The devil-fish was, indeed, 

 unmanageable ; and but for the force of the wind counter- 

 acting the outward tendencies of the tide, we must have 



