San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-02-15
A DEVIL FISH.
r.,,urs Of Que orthese Monsters at La Fus.
MericO.
Prom the San Francisco Chronicle

From tho ran fruncisco Shrouic'e'l
Under date of December 9th an Off
.er of the United States war steamer
Pensacola writes from La Paz, Mexico,
az follows: The most exciting event of
our cruise thus far was the capture to-
day of an immense devil fish. Ever
s;nce our arrival in these waters several
huge fish have been observed in the vi.
cinity of the ship, and much speculation
has arisen rs to what they were. One
making its appearance this afternoon,
our gunner, Gorge +. Cushman, deci
ded to establish his identity if possible;
and, accompanied by Assistant Engi
peer Edwards, Midshipmen Mcdonald,
Wood and Craven, and Paymaster's
Clerk Spaulding, gave'chase in the din
rev. The fish, swimming slowly and
near the surface of the water, which is
very clear here, looked like great
shapeless brown mass, frequently throw
ing above the waves the thin, white tips
Of its sides like the dorsal fin of shark.
It allowed the boat to approach within
few yards of it without showing symp-
toms of alarm, when it suddenly sound
ed. The harpoon thrown by Mr.. Cush-
man struck, but not with sufficient force
TO hold, for the fish freed itself and dis
appeared, after dragging the boat.with
great velocity for several seconds. An
other was seen, however, after q short
search, and was approached more sue
cessfully. As it showed an indifference
to our presence equally great to that of
its companion, we pulled the boat di-
rectly over and no more than foot or
two above it, and Mr.. Cushman, stand
ing in the bow, plunged the harpoon
firmly into its flesh. In an instant that
seemingly passive mass was transformed
into an Infatuated monster, which first
threw itself bodily out of the water and
then, settling down to business, sent the
harpoon-line whizzing out at rate that
would have made it decidedly uncom-
Portable for us had the line become foul.
The strain soon came upon the dingey
and we were whisked along with the
speed of an express train; we felt as
though we had applied the match to
some mine, or that we had been taken
in tow by the gentleman in black him
self. It was ride that, for novelty and
speed, could rarely be equaled. Imag-
inc our situation, in light boat, with
such monster attached to it, which, as
it rushed along, now on the. surface, and
again diving deep, threatening to upset
us among the sharks, and you can real
ize the intense excitement of the mo-
ment. The only available thing in the
boat, bucket, had been made fast to
the harpoon line to offer some addition
al resistance, but the fish seemed to re-
gard it ne more than a feather, and with
the bucket out of sight under the water,
continued to draw us up and down the
bay at fun speed. During all this time
its efforts had been confined to an at
tempt to escape, but as it's load grew
heavy it became belligerent and several
times turned upon the boat, exhibiting
the full capacity Of mouth some two
feet in diaaneter, and lashing the boat
with its sides. We made up our minds
that if the fish decided to jump into the
dingey we would quietly slip out over
one side as he appeared at the other.
But vigorous resistance from boat
hooks and oars induced him to resume
his flight in each instance. By this time
all hands on the ship were watching the
struggle, and the whale-boat was sent to
our assistance, but for fully an hour both
boats, lashed together, were towed with
no signs Of exhaustion from the fish, the
thrusts of boarding pixies seeming only
to accelerate its speed. Finally its i'm
mense exertions told upon it, and it
came to the surface directly between
the two boats, where it was placed hors
se combat by blows from an axe, and,
dyeing the water crimson with blood,
was towed ashore and dragged upon the
beach. 1t required the united exertions
OF nearly forty men to accomplish this
Undertaking. A more formidable look
ing monster than this devil fish could
hardlr, Ia ;.,aao-.noI Ia xrac rl,a.,od