Big Game at Sea 



The monster weighed 1 200 pounds, measured thir- 

 teen feet across, and twelve feet six inches from 

 mouth to tip of tail, and there was " something 

 doing " before he was landed. The launch Uncle 

 Sam sighted the fish at ten o'clock Wednesday morn- 

 ing between Fort Bade and Fort De Soto, on Egmont 

 and Mullet Keys, and about one-half mile from land. 

 The harpoon was thrown at ten-fifteen from the star- 

 board side of the launch, and found one of the few 

 soft spots in the tough hide of his satanic majesty of 

 the deep, catching a firm hold. So well did it stick in 

 fact that the heavy iron rod was bent before the devil 

 fish was finally subdued. Instantly the fish dove 

 deep, taking 250 feet of line at a whizzing gait, 

 and when snubbed on the stern bitt, towed the launch 

 half a mile, stern ahead. With the aid of Captain 

 Will McPherson and Arthur May, the line was 

 passed to the bow, and snubbing on the forward bitt, 

 everything was ready for a tow, which was enjoyed 

 by all except the devil-fish, for thirty minutes, the men 

 occasionally taking in slack line, or losing line when 

 the fish got especially energetic and spurted. 



At the end of an hour, the captors were able to 

 get the fish near enough the launch to fasten a tarpon 

 gaff into the lower jaw, made it fast on deck, and 

 started for St. Petersburg. 



The party reached port, bringing with it its dis- 

 tinguished captive at four o'clock in the afternoon, 

 and landed at the city dock, at the foot of Central 



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