Giant Fish of Florida 
occasionally showing, and their huge shining black backs 
continually appearing above the surface, they looked very 
terrible. 
In full pursuit was the man with the harpoon, who had 
been waiting such a chance for weeks. And now, as we can 
plainly see, he is close to this moving line of flesh. Whiz goes 
the harpoon, hurled by a strong and practised arm ; not 
only the metal head, but also the shaft is deeply buried in that 
three-feet slab of flesh, and the maddened monster bounds off 
with lightning speed. The next moment the man changes 
places with his guide, no easy proceeding in a slender r4ft. 
craft, but it is necessary that he should do so, for he killed 
a devil-fish alone not a month since, and the skin has not 
yet grown again on his raw hands. Ere the boat has got 
properly under way a loose bight of rope catches the guide 
round the leg, and flings him into the gunwale ; there is plenty 
of way on now, and a dangerous list into the bargain as 
the bow dips under water. The man rushes, knife in hand, to 
his guide’s assistance, but the latter succeeds with great 
dexterity in freeing himself from the coils, and there is no 
need to cut loose. 
And now the pace grows fast and furious. Eighty feet of 
line are out, waves are flying from the bow, and the boat 
speeds so that no launch in Florida could catch her. The 
great fish is close to the bottom, and suddenly shifts its 
course. This manceuvre is like to cost it dear, for it enables six 
I0o 
