Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-03-26
A BALLOON FISH.
Huge PiscatOriaI Pirate---One Hun
dred Feet of Serpent---A Marine
WANDER


dred Feet of serpent---A Marine
Wonder.
From the New York Herald.l
The monsters of the air, forest and sea
have been illustrated by such great au-
thorities as Button, Cuvier and Agassiz.
They have classified species, determined
the purpose, characteristics and propen-
sites Of the lesser life, and have even
gone so far as to express the belief that
all monsters of the past and present are
known to the naturalist The fallacy of
this confidence is not only evident in the
discovery of the fossil remains of the
great hydrosaurus by Professor Water
house Hawkins, but also in the appear
ance of vast sea-serpent in American
waters, off Cape Hatteras, on the 18th
instant.
The schooner Saladin sailed from lac
mel, Hayti, with with a cargo of copper, bound
for New York. On the 10th and III tn
instant she had heavy weather; but as
the morning of the 18th dawned there
were only light airs and swelling sea.
About six o'clock the Captain was on
deck alone his hands being below safely
quartered in their hunks, enjoying those
visions that hover over heavy eyelids.
The Saladin was now steering north
northwest, going along at an easy pace,
about four knots an hour. Murky and
foggy drapery obscured the brightness
Of the sky. AS the Captain scanned the
horizon he deserted what he considered
to be wreck on the starboard beam,
about five miles distant, bearing east
10 Il 4olx-
his helm and turned the Saladin's head
to eastward, hoping to overhaul the
object and render what assistance might
be necessary. The Captain inserted his
head in the cabin and called; "All hands
on deck" In q moment the crew was
upon deck, rubbing their eyelids, and
curious between hope and fear
The Saladin had few provisions on
board. but was only seventy-fve miles
from Hampton Roads, bearing south
southeast, and the Captain, unlike the
Bombay's Captain, thought of perform
ing an office of humanity and save those
who might be clinging to an ugly wreck.
Progress was made toward the point of
interest for few minutes when it was
plainly evident that the Saladin was
overhauling huge piscatorial pirate,
which they soon saw was the most re-
markable specimen of a marine serpent
probably ever seen since pre-Adamite
man, The good Saladin sailed on, steer
ing due east. Commotion reigned on
board. The Captain exclaimed, Is this
a dream is this dream?'
The seamen, who had just been re-
leased from the bondage Of profound
sleep, thought it was, for there dead
ahead sat an enormous fish, larger than a
ship, looming up in comparison with the
Saladin as st. Peters before village
parsonage. The serpent was making
headway at the rate of about two knots
an hour, and the Saladin was rapidly
overhauling her. At halfpast seven am
the schooner hove to, with the monster
twenty feet on her starboard quarter
Then all hands strained their eyes from
their sockets to see how the monster !
looked and would behave. 1t was now
in plain sight, with every portion clearly /
visible. Its architecture was accurately |
measured, and the serpent was found to |
be one hundred feet long, with a body /
forty feet in length, and a tail of sixty .
feet. But the most curious feature of 1
the monster was an immense body of 4
hard gristle matter twelve feet in hight, 1
forty feet in width, with the same
length, which was entirely void within,
forming large bladder-shaped balloon,
which, filled with air, bnoyed the serpent
on the water, and seemed to be an agent
it could keep the surface and
commit its depredations either upon
or upon the harmless inhabi-
tants of its own element. This oval
buoy had regular ridges, running from the
apex ahead-for this bladder preceded
the body of the fsh-to where it Joined
the main body. These ridges extended
fore and aft, at intervals Of four inches,
and gave TO the surface the appearance
Of the network of balloon. The bladder
portion was elastic, and yielded TO the
movements of the sea, and was two
inches thick, but Of hard, dense, i'm
character that would resist !
knife or bullet. On each side of this
loating dome were two heavy paddles,
each FIVE feet long, by which the monster
made progress. This part described may
III be considered as one Of The most sul' I
1risiRg tcoRders of the piscatorial world. 1
rhe fish proper, which was but an ap-
,endage tailed on to this blown-up blad
Ter, consisted sf a heavy ishy substance, q
nth brown sides, and about ten feet ]
rom ihe dome were two eyes, one on {
,ither side of iarge horn
From this point the ish tapered of to /
forked tail of material as heavy ANA q
lard as iron Captain Slocum declares
be ,sil you'd weigh 100 pounds to the I
.ubic foot, ssd forks of the tail stood l
in he EaseF, but submerged a
our feet, tbs rest Of the EosSflr sitting $
ightly on the ocean wave. CaFtaiH sic- !
um feared to FIRE at her, 10 disturb her a
n any way, as one movement Of the do O
lie si-ate sEenld Heve crushed the Sa- v
adm 10 the deep. He believes thar the 4
nimui has some iniersal engine hy I
which she fills her balloon With air and d
isehSrges It at pleasure, then sinking 4
mt of sight Her touch is poison and I
ier contact dangerous. She is like a q
upfsh, but Is really nev-'-a Balloon fsh. .