On the Trail of a Moonfish 87 



interests. It jerked the gaff and rope through 

 our hands, made a terrific plunge, rolling over 

 and over, striking the boat with its powerful 

 flail-like fins until it seemed as though it would 

 beat a hole in her. Indeed we were so impressed 

 by the possibility of this that we moved out of 

 the kelp, where the swimming might be more 

 comfortable. But the fish now rose under the 

 boat, broadside up, and seemed to be engaged in 

 trying to lift her and beat in the bottom at the 

 same time. This was due to a peculiar writhing 

 frenzy that the fish went into in its terror, rage, 

 or despair (if fishes have these attributes), 

 though doubtless it was a case of mild astonish- 

 ment on the part of the fish, expressed with vigor 

 and fervor. 



In one of these rushes it tipped the boat so 

 that a capsize seemed imminent; the next mo- 

 ment it fouled the propeller and doubtless was 

 really squeezed, as it bent its extraordinary 

 body a mass of white rubber-like muscle lift- 

 ing the boat. All this time we were clinging 

 to the cable and trying to hold the fish, and 

 that it tossed and hauled us about at will, goes 

 without saying. 



We were slowly drifting into the kelp again, 

 so the engine was started to see if we could 

 tow the fish; but it could not be moved. The 

 moon-shaped fish, it happened, was headed the 

 other way, and although lying prone upon its 



