DEYIL FISHING. 87 



close up to the boat. "When the lurching from the 

 high sea snapped off, first one, and then the other 

 of the stout ropes, leaving both harpoons fixed in 

 the fish, which was thus uselessly killed. Soon 

 as we were released, we pushed for the shore at 

 Bay Point, which we scarcely reached before the 

 storm was down upon us. 



Thursday r , 2d July. Set out on another cruise 

 to-day. The weather threatening; wind blowing 

 fresh from the south. H. M. S. and E. M. promis- 

 ing to man a boat and come to my assistance, if 

 they observed me succeed in harpooning a fish. 

 Saw but few leap to-day ; did not find them so 

 numerous under the Hilton Head shore. Struck at 

 one while somersetting below the surface ; the 

 harpoon bounded off without entering ; probably it 

 encountered the fore part of the head, in which 

 point they are invulnerable. Soon after, found 

 myself in a group where four were sporting. 

 Pushed at one on the right ; he disappeared, when 

 a very large fish unexpectedly rose to my left, and 

 showed himself so fairly that I unadvisedly pitched 

 the harpoon into him. The first draw of the rope 

 was across my neck ! Not so pleasant that. 

 Spinning myself out of the coil, I leaped clear of it, 

 and he ran out the whole line before we checked 

 him with the weight of the boat. Like the fish 



