The New York herald., 1870-03-19
A BALLOON FISH.
Huge Piscatorial Pirate-One Hundred Feet Of
ssrpent-A New Marine Wonder-A Sub
marine Autocrat Rises to the Sur
face-"Shiver Your Timbers"

Tne monsters OF the air, forest and sea have been
hiustrated by such great authorities AZ Bunon
Cuvler ana Agassz. 1ney have classified species
determined the purpose characteristics and pro-
penslties OF the lesser liie and nave even gone 80
lar as to express the belief that all monsters OF the
past and present are known TO the naturalist. The
fallacy OF this confidence not only evident in the
discovery or the fossil remains OF the great hydro
saurus by Professor walernouse Hawkins, but also
in the appearance OF sea serpent In American
waters. on Cape Hatteras. on the 18th instant OF
which the HERALD has full particulars
The schooner SaadiH sailed from Jacme Hayt,
with cargo OF copper, bound for New York. On the
10th and 1lth inst she had heavy weather; but as
the morning OF the 18th dawned there were only
light airs and swelling About SIX O'Clock the
captain was on deck alone, his hands being below
safely quartered In their hunks enjoying those WIS.,
IONS that hover over heavy eyelids. The saiadn
was now steering north northwest, gong along At an
easy pace, about four knots an hour. Murxy and
fOggy drapery Obscured the brightness Of the sky.
As the captain scanned horizon he deserted what
he considered TO be wreck on the starDoard beam,
about ave miles distant bearing east northeast He
Immediately put down MS helm and turned the
Saadin's head to eastward, hoping to overhaul the
object aud render wnat assistance might be ne ces.
sary. The captain in serted his head IN the cabin
and called
"AJL HANDS ON DECK"
In o moment the crew was upon It's higher plane
rubbing gravitatlng eyellds and curious between
hope and fear.
The Saadin had lew provisions on board but was
only seventy-hve miles nom hampton Roads bear.
ng south. 80 utheast, and the captain unlike the
Bombay's captain thought OF performing an ofice
OF humanity ana save those VINO might be clinging
TO an ugly wreck. Progress was made toward the
point OF interest for iew minutes, when 10 was
plainly evident that the SaladlD was ovcrhauling
HUGE risCAroRlAL llRArK,
which they soon saw was the most remarkable
specimen OF marine serpent probably ever seen
Gnce pre- -Adamite man. Ine good Saadln sailed
on, steering due east. Commoton rclgned on
The seamen who mad Just been released from the
bondage s OF profound sleep thought 1t was, ior
AN ENORMOUS FISH LARGER THAN A SHIP,
looming up N COMPARISON with the SaIadin as st.
Peters before village parsonage. The serpent was
making neadway aoous Two knots nour and the
Sa!adln WAS RAPIDLY overhauiing her. AT
hafpast seven A. NJ. the schooner move to with the
monster twenty feet Oh her starDoard quarter.
Then all hands strained their eyes from their sockets
TO see
HOW TUE MONSTER LOOKED
ana would behave. IL was now IN PLAIN sight with
every portion clearly vsio.e. Its architecture Was
very accurately measured, and the serpent was
found 70 be 100 feet long with body forty feet
length and tan Of sixty feet But the most curious
hard gristle matter twelve feet IN height forty
feet in width, with the same length which was en-.
urely void WITHIN, forming large
BLADDER-SHAPED BALLOON,
which, nlled with air. bIoyed the serpent on the
water and seemed to be an agent whereby IT could
keep the surface and commit lts depredaonS either
upon commerce or upon the harmless nha oitants OF
lis own element. This oval buoy mad regular
ridges. running from the apex ahead-for this blad-
der preceded the body OF the hsh-to where it
Joiaed the main body. These ridges extended fore
and ATT 1T intervals OF four incneS, with regular
height OF two inches and gave to the surface the ap
Be0ranCe OF The network U1 u balloon. Tue bladder
portion was elastic and Yielded to the movements
dense, 1mpenetlaDle character tnat would resist
knife or bullet. On each slde OF this floating dome
were TWO heavy paddles each nve feet long, by
vhicn the monster made progress. This part de-
ocrlDed may a be considered aS
ONn OF TEE MOST SURPRISING WONDERS
OF the piscatorial world. The nsh proper. which was
put an appendaRe tailed on TO this blOwnup bad
Ger, consisted OF heavy hshy substance, with
brown siues ana about ton feet from the dome were
TWO eyes, one on either side Of q large horn,
From this point the fish tapsrcd on 10 o forked
tail OF material ~ heavy ana hard as irOn Cap
tain Slocum declares the tail would weigh 100
pounds to the cubic foot aud the FORKS OF the tail
stood horizontally III the water, but submerged four
feet the rest Of the monster sitting lightly on the
ocean wave. Captain Siocum
FEAKHD TO FIRE At HER.
to disturb her IN any way, al one movement OF the
6oCll0 pirate would nave crushed the Saadin to the
deep. He believes that The animal has some In.
ternal engine by which she fills ner balloon with air
and discharges 1t at pleasure then SINKING out Of
sight. Her touch Is poison and her contact dan.
gerOus. She Ii IKE sunf1sh, but ID really new-a
balloon fish. Had the Saadln encountered her II
would have been up In balloon, boys, up IN .
balOOnn
This discovery valuable to science and was made
BY men Of entire credbility, and the statements
given are by those wn0 understand the sea and are
enthusiastic at the marvellous discovery.