The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-11-03

A TRbE FISH STORY.

The Free Press. Brunswick, Maine, Elves aa.
animated account OF an attack upon a shoal 90
Black Fish. 70 or 50 Ia number, which we,.
discovered early on Monday morning the GIL
inst near HarpsNc!l, Me. The inhabitants o.
that place and vicinity turned out " ii musk4,s
rarpoens. axes. &c. and bad farr sport. lhev
had killed several, when a council of war VA,
held aud a more scientific mode Of attack was
devised. This was 10 dtlYe the flock iplo /.
narrow cove, Oh Orr's Island. where the nle
would short, leave thrm. Ten ortS el,e baa,s
iiarted the squad, and the main body cut OF
their ret eai in The direction OF The sea. Can,
John Curtis Of Harpswell, CEASED his barre ia
be rowed aloag side ofone oil the largest Of TN.
Dnlphins, himself standing with one foot bra
ced on the bows of the boat. aud the other on
the back al his antagonist. lie had taken this
position to make the attempt of SIP Itimg opea
the head OF the ash bot the boat yeering in IFS
course, placed him ia the dilemma, Of either
railing into the water, or sprlnging upon The
ESh's back. He adopted tie latter alternative,
and the whole s0apaay saw their gallant cap
tain riding OF asl.ide, upon The back OF the
ID Iphin. A fall quarter of a mile was he
b''a p alorg by this rev and extraordinary
mode ofna,,ga alton before he alighted in safety.
The speed with which the captain was carried
through the air, would have mncked the swift.
ness OF the far famed Benjamin franklin, or
ANY other steamer which eve, iloaied upon The
water. Capt Curtis did not. howevet. like A.
gi0u, enter ain his DOLPHIN with b" harmonious
strains o. eodl Ike music, he was constantly in.
%tlieting blows with his axe deeply int the mon
ster's bluLber.
At the basin, the remaining population ofths
island had collected 10 witness this unpreceden.
ted and astonishing spectacle. ana The Shouts
OF merrAneat made the wolain ring again.
Tho fish LeloW swan to and tro,
Attacked from every quarter,
Wv sure thought hey a the devils to pay,
81 A0agst iolks ab0' tie wafef.p
AS the tide ebhed away. the dolphins. in all!
their movements, began 10 4 drag more or less
heavily through the mud, and il became adyisa.
bic 10 find # possible, some more expeditions
mode ofdestroyinG them. A long knife. il was
found plunged IN The direction of the great
blood vessels, soon exhausted The fountain Of iS
purple stream, and so great were the torrents
Of blood thus shed. hat the water for o. rods
was Of a deep crimson color. But all ofthem
were not so easily 10 be despatched Ono
y"uug nan who had long been engaged unsuc.
C~eSSiuily with one OF The laigeat sized dolphius,
al En1th got him entangied ia a strong rope,
and IS he was partly swimming. and par'ly
dragging finiseIi through the mud. be dexter
ousiy cooled II round a tall cedar. which held him
last. An"ther, Initiating tn example OF
Captain Curtis, Sprang upon the back Ofhls
antagonist, and with the design of s%tranglhg
h'm' ran his fist into his s%piracie, or breathing
no'e' "l'eh Is situated on the back and just IT
me base o' the skull but he had scarcely goit
ven painted there, before a blast from tie iungS
y, 'he monster, elected il so suddenly aud iorc.
o'y, thai he believed, until he had looked twice
I" assure himself to the contrary, that his fist
rad actually Aowm off the handle be LOST bs
presence OF mind, and fell n the water, which
Was but four or five feet deep, however, AID
this enatied him to raise his own spir0cle above
the surface ofthe "ater, SO that he rxpr iencfd
no other inconvenience from the accident bs
getting thorough whiting. Before sunset all me
fish were despatched. II was truly a day ct
blood and carnage, and it is remarkable that
not a single individual was injured.
This fish is said to be a species ofthe Dol.
phin, called by naturalists, Deiphin3as Gicb'efP'
The late 5. +. gale, profanity drove thcm INTO
these moorings, whirh proved any thing O'
hospitable TO those tenants of the deep lP
thought that about IS barrels of oil might be
made f,om them. worth 100 to 1000 dollars
one OF the Dolphins mad a harrpoon in his car
case, winch appeared 10 have been there a gfea.
length ni time. The Law OF the chase was tha.
every Que should have what he could Kill, Q.
catch aud secure.