DEVIL FISHING. 70 



and the effect was to drive her astern with sucu 

 force, that James Cuthbert, Esq., of Pocotaligo, 

 who was at the helm, was pitched forward at full 

 length on the platform. Each oarsman was thrown 

 forward beyond the seat he occupied ; and my son, 

 who was standing on the forecastle, was projected 

 far beyond the bow of the boat. Pie fell, not into 

 the sea, but directly upon the back of the devil- 

 fish, who lay in full sprawl on the surface. For 

 some seconds Tom lay out of the water, on the 

 back of this veritable Kraken, but happily made 

 his escape without being entangled in the cordage, 

 or receiving a parting salute from his formidable 

 wings. He was an expert swimmer, and struck 

 off for the boat. The fish, meantime, had darted 

 beneath, and was drawing her astern. My hench- 

 man, Dick, who was the first to recover his wits, 

 tossed overboard a coil of rope, and extended an 

 an oar, the blade of which was seized by my son, 

 who thus secured his retreat to the boat. He had 

 no sooner gained footing in it, than, standing on 

 the forecastle, he gave three hearty cheers, and 

 thus assured his companions of his safety. They, 

 meantime, from their several boats, had seen his 

 perilous situation, without the chance of assisting 

 him ; their oarsmen, when ordered to pull ahead, 

 stood amazed or stupefied, and dropping their oars 





