58 DEVIL FISHING. 



pitching of tlie boat, to stand on the forecastle ; so I 

 took post (standing on the bottom of the boat), a& 

 near to the bow as I could comfortably get. I did 

 not wait long before the fish rose, and, as he crossed 

 the bow with one of those rapid circular movements, 

 so characteristic of this species, I made a cast at 

 him ; but from my unsteady footing, and the imper- 

 fect view of him (the tip of the wing only being 

 visible, and the water exceedingly turbid), I missed 

 him. Again he sunk, and when he next rose, 

 showed his whole back above the surface. From 

 over-anxiety, I threw the harpoon too soon, it fell 

 short, and slightly grazed him, without entering the 

 flesh. The fish darted off in alarm, and rose fifty 

 yards ahead, with a demi-vault in the air! The 

 young cadet has the helm and as the fish shows 

 himself, now here, now there, heads the boat in the 

 direction while the oarsmen, with straining sinews, 

 sweep after him in silence. Before we can overtake 

 him, he sinks, is invisible for five minutes together, 

 then suddenly reappears in some unexpected direc- 

 tion. Not a word is spoken the staff of the har- 

 poon silently indicates the point and again we 

 press forward to assail him. And now, to our great 

 gratification, we find that two other devil-fish had 

 joined company; and this giving greater assurance 

 of success, I determined to select the largest fish, and 



