54: DEVIL FISHING. 



The results of this day's sport, I need hardly say, 

 were exceedingly grateful. We had seen the fish 

 had measured strength with them and captured 

 two! We had led the way in a new and exciting 

 sport. We had done what none had done before, 

 and what few might hope to exceed. We might 

 now retire from the scene, and, hanging up our 

 battered harpoons among the trophies of our hum- 

 ble rostral column, amuse our children with the 

 histories that belonged to them. 



Several years elapsed before I renewed my at- 

 tempts against the devil-fish. I was otherwise oc- 

 cupied and the scouts that I sometimes sent, to 

 observe whether the fish were there, reported 

 " that they did not see them " so that I inferred 

 (what I now believe to be incorrect) that their 

 visits to the coast were but occasional. In the' 

 year 1843, however, I passed the month of July at 

 Bay Point, and determined to investigate for my- 

 self. I found them in abundance, and enjoyed ex- 

 cellent sport, throughout that and the succeeding 

 month, chiefly in company with Wm. Henry Mon- 

 gin, Esq., of Dawfuskie, whose equipments were 

 of the first order. On one day we captured a fish 



