Big Game at Sea 



an angler, " but to be shocked by one is still more 

 remarkable. Some years ago, I was visiting a friend 

 on the New England coast, who was interested in 

 natural history, and one day during my stay he asked 

 me to accompany him on a collecting trip. Nearly 

 opposite his house was a little bay, having a clean, 

 sandy bottom, and over it we were soon slowly drift- 

 ing, my friend using net or spear, as occasion offered, 

 to secure the various animals which took his fancy. 



" I sat in the stern, enjoying the day and examining 

 the curious things he brought up, when suddenly I 

 heard a groan and a muttered ejaculation. Looking 

 up, I saw my companion clinging in a seemingly help- 

 less way to the pole, his face ashy pale; indeed, his 

 whole appearance indicated a person stricken with 

 some fatal disease. I sprang forward just in time to 

 catch him as he fell back into the boat, and lowered 

 him upon a seat. At first he could only motion to the 

 water, and I noticed that he was almost rigid and 

 numb. Finally he recovered sufficiently to say ' tor- 

 pedo,' and then I saw that the harpoon he had been 

 holding was dancing about at a famous rate, evidently 

 having been forced into a large fish. Grasping it, I 

 quickly discovered what had happened to my friend. 

 As soon as I took hold of the pole with both hands I 

 received an electric shock sufficient to almost knock 

 me over, causing me to drop the pole and roll my 

 eyes well, I can assure you. By this time my friend 

 had somewhat recovered, and acting upon his sugges- 



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