The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-11


monster lately captured in the srbor Of Charleston has
been preserved and mounted the Of natural his
tory Of the ege Of TINS s aao our have
waters whose existence has been deemed fabulous even
down to our own times.
The se-devi or devilfsh belongs to the cartagnous
class of to the family ofrdii rags good tyre
representative ofwhch is the sling ray commonly called
stingdrec by our fishermen.
Along the coast of the Atlantic States but especially in
southern harbors numerous species of ray are oundthe
weknown clamcrackcr eagle ray, the ray
the prickly ray, the skates and many Others.
The clam-cracker attains great sze we have meas
ured them five feet the WINGS and crediby in
formed that much larger have been taken Bu
Of them be said to rival the devil fish, either in size
weight muscular powers curious form. Having body
eight feet long, ail six feet and not unlike large
wagoners whip; two infexble flaps wings a. long rs
the body one attached to each side and from
which he drives himself furiOusly through the water
vaults high into the air. capacious mouth three feet
wide, with cape sufficient to receive "two aldermen
ABREAST two fms one projecting from each side of the
mouth called horns arms but properly instruments OF
prehension used feeers feeders with which it sweeps
into its large mouth the small fish, srmps and fry upon
which it preys; two prominent eyes one placed at the
base Of each horn arm and about four feet apart skin
shagreen like that Of the shark teeth very small not more
than twice the size Of the aspertes upon the scales mouth
lined with double of saners curious but beau
tul apparatus fine scive through which, inrates the
water and the small animals upon which 1t feeds;
color dusty black above with long, dusty opaque clouds
beneath, white ground; these ill combined present
singular form of animated nature-the devil fish.
a unss his the shark sssorsng
of fish, the placoid the devil fish is very lively animal
he leaps often and high into the air and with half SOM
erset or flap Of his wings falls back into his element with
great noise and splash. 1t is uncommon amuse-
ment if amusement indeed it is for this fish to pick up the
grapnel of fishing boat other craft with his horns
arms (which he plies rapidly before his mouth while
he swims and clasps with the utmost obsnacy whatever
body may enclose dart off suddenly, and with great
apdity drag after it the boat and its terrified crew. md
after excursion of mile two relax his hold and
capes But he does not always freely loose himself Mt his
pleasure frequently he becomes cnang led in the rope and
in his struggles to exrcae himself turns somesets twist
ing the rope into coils enycloping himself within them,
and thus forfcits his life to his temerty.
In similar manner was the subject of this paper taken
large schooner anchored few rods from the break
water of Sulivans Island, dscharging her cargo into
fiat or lighter. 70 facilitate the passage Of the lighter
from and to the vessel hawser extended from the lat
ter and the end made fast The Shore the slack of the
rope swinging loosely several feet below the surface of the
water the tide about half ebb and the current rapid sud
denly the schooner discovered to be ndri the cap
Upon looking to the hawser for relief he that devil
fish entangled in the blight This about seven
o'clock in the evening" and not before midnight and after
much labor and considerable risk of life did he succeed in
bringing him alongside the vessel properly secured
During the struggle the fish dragged the schooner,
anchor and all about three hundred yards His horns or
arms found casped around the hawsc and from the
number OF somerses he made round turns and coils
OF the rope were passed about bis body Asw years ago
and near the place where this occurred, an
chored, belonging to the government and used lighter
for stone in building the break-water The
gagged the work ashore Suddenly she was seen moving
at rapid rate out TO boats were sent in pursuit
and after long case OF several miles, she oycrtaken
and found to be safe ct anchor 1t is presumed that
of these fish was the of the mysterious flight Of
the scow claspng his horns around The stock Of the an
Choir he tugged her through the and winding chan
mel, and mpored her safely in the ofng giving the crew
long chase and tedious row and clciting many maedic
tons from the sailors upon the head OF the marine repre-
sentative of his Satanic Majesty.
To the Hon. William Elliot of Beaufort South Carona
we are indebted for knowledge Of the habits Of this ami
NAL and mode OF capture Mr. Elliot has taken more than
twenty and perhaps harpooned twice thrice that num-
Der which have escaped His sportsman, and
his skill displayed in this exciting and dangerous
ment by which he has killed larger number Of the devil
fish than perhaps any other individual living dead en-
title him TO the complimentary appeation, which Seems
to have been unanimously accorded him. of deyl-fh
king--Lharies,on Mercury June "a