Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-03-26
CAPTURING A DEVIL FISH.
RARE AND EXCITING SPORT OFF
THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST.
A Monster of the Deep-Eighteen
Feet from Tip to Tip-The Vora-
Cious Sharks.

A Monster of the Deep-Eighteen
Feet from Tip to Tip-The Vora-
cious Sharks.
We jumped aboard, spirited out the
sail, hauled up the jib and lesurely sailed
for the Hilton Head shore. On the way
across, about three miles, we busted our
selves preparing harpoon and lances. We
always made it a rule to have a large
supply of these ready. Our habit in
striking was one to.stand at the head, the
other at the stern, both armed with har-
poons; the one at the stern steering with
his foot, but readyin case of an emergency
TO strike also. Reaching the mouth of
Skull creek which bounds Hilton Head
on he west and empties into Broad river
we anchored near the shore, slowed use
less things away and arranged our weap-
ons to hand, then lay off to watch for the
fish, which generally showed themselves
on the early ebb tide just at the mouth of
Skull creek. Can one fond of the water
imagine anything to surpass this? The
gentle roll of the boat, the constant dip
ping of the gulls, the wind blowing fresh
and crisp, by this time having increased
sufficiently to cap the waves in mid river
beautifully, helandscape around present
ing that peculiar smoky, quiet
appearance so charming on
June day. Such a situation and sun
would, under ordinary circumstances,
induce sleep, but our eyes were strained
for the first sight of the fish; and our in
exhaustible supply of "reminiscences of
| fOrpoop 1ntyoi ,Nlpouopt fn rooon
when another is to be added to the long
list-kept US on the qui vive.
Suddenly Elliott points to the star
BOARD bow. "There is one, l think.
"No, boss" says Bob, "dat porpoise."
When the fish first shows the point of its
wing it resembles the fin of a porpoise
very much. Before Bobs words were
well out of his mouth, the monster sud
denly leapcd entirely out of the water
coming down with slap and a splash
that sent the foam in every direction,
and as quick as thought another and an
other fish show themselves until the
number reaches eight or ten.
Elliott is on his feet. "Haul in the
anchor, Bob; lay out the oars, Jack, and
now, Hal, you strike"
In moment am at the head of the
boat, the harpoon with staff six or eight
feet long poised evenly in my right hand,
coil of rope in my left, in order to give
plenty of line when the harpoon is cast.
The main coil is in the bottom of the
boat, the end fast to something sub,tln-
tial so if the rope is paid out with the
! dash of the fish we will not lose both
rope and harpoon. lam ready, and the
hands are quietly pulling toward the spot
where the tremendous boil indicates the
monsters disappearance Here he is to
the left, about twenty yards off, cutting
around in circle, the point of both
wings showing
EASY, boys, easy, and stand ready to
help me, Bob, when l strike; leave Jack
to look after the oars. Steady. Back
water"
The fish had just turned his gigantic
body over, about ten feet from me, the
harpoon is raised and driven with all my
strength into the center of the white
stomach, which is just on a level with the
surface
"Good shot" says Elliott.
Before the fish realizes the situation
the head of the boat touches him. |
reach out, catch the butt of the harpoon
staff and force it entirely through the
body, and jump out of the way of the
rope which now begins to spin out with
fearful velocity. "Mind your hands,
Bob, y for we are now catching at the
rope and bending it over the bow when
ever the chance offers, thus turning the
head in the dir ction of the fish, assisted
by Elliott at the helm. "Come and help
us, Jack, for if the rope gets on the
broadside we will capsize, certainly"
"No danger" says Jack, who immediate
ly adds his bony hands to the work. and
although the smoke flies, and lose some
skin from my hand, the boat swings
around and we dash away with a speed
hat almost takes away our breath as the
spray pours over us and the head of the
boat buries into the waves, seeming
sometimes as if it wonld never rise
again. For the time beingI can use no
other expression than that we are drunk
with excitement, there is nothing to
equal it in the line OF sport. To relieve
the weight of the head Elliott and Jack
pass the line down TO the stern and sit
ing there, as we give the word, all haul
together, for another harpoon must be
placed in the fish as soon as his
irst dash is over. He is then
gradually hauled nearerand nearer the sur
ace. Gradually and cautiously we haul
Is he approaches nearer and yet nearer.
elliott catches up anotker harpoon, and
coming to the head stands ready to hurl
t into the fish as soon as it approaches
lear enough to the surface. We begin
% see the black mass indistinctly at first,
hen more and more visible, until sud
ienly Elliott says, "Look out' and lets
iy his harpoon. 1t quivers as the staff
S half submerged; and again the fish
lashes down and down until eight OF
en fathoms are paid out. We then
teady him. and begin the hauling again.
This time Elliott arms himself with
ance, and when the time arrives plunges
in and jerks it out rapidly. The blood
purts from the wound and we leave
bloody wake behind. The fish gradually
becomes more and more feeble. His
lashes are less and less violent, until he
It length lies floating alongside gaspiug
or breath No time is to be lost. Quickly
! blight of the rope is passed through a
lostril into the throat. My arm is sud
leniy plunged into the mouth of the fish
Is he gasps. This feat must be performed
apidly, as it would be dangerous to have
he mouth of the fish close on ones arm
ma dying gasp Then catching the rope
bring it out of the mouth This per
oImance is repeated with the second nos
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