THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. 209 
one hundred in number: we then hauled on both 
ropes for nearly the whole of the day, before the 
fish became ‘exhausted. On endeavouring to raise 
the fish it became most desperate, sweeping with its 
saw from side to side, so that we were compelled to 
get strong guy-ropes to prevent it from cutting us to 
pieces. After that, one of the Spaniards got on its 
back, and at great risk cut through the joint of the 
tail, when animation was completely suspended: it 
was then measured, and found to be 22 feet long 
and 8 feet broad, and weighed nearly 5 tons.’”’* 
Other monstrous creatures, of unpleasing forms 
and formidable powers, rove at will through these 
waters. I shall mention only the Horned Ray 
(Cephaloptera). Imagine a Thornback or Skate, of 
the length of twenty-five feet, with the side-fins 
greatly lengthened out, so as to make the total width 
upwards of thirty feet: these side-fins, instead of 
meeting in a point in front of the head, projecting on 
each side into a curved point, like’ a horn. Such is 
the Cephaloptera; and it is powerful and voracious 
in proportion to its size. Col. Hamilton Smith, in the 
neighbourhood of Trinidad, had the pain of witness- 
ing a fellow-creature involved in the horrible embrace 
of one of these monsters. It was at early dawn that 
a soldier was endeavouring to desert from the ship by 
swimming on shore. A sailor from aloft, seeing the 
approach of one of these terrific fishes, alarmed the 
swimmer, who endeavoured to return; but, in sight 
of his comrades, was presently overtaken, the crea- 
ture throwing over him one of its huge fins, and thus 
* Mag. Nat. Hist. 1839, p. 519. 
14 832 
