News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-18
CAPTURING A DEVIL FISH,
AN EXCITING ADVENTURE OFF THE
FLORIDA COAST.
A Marine Monster That Fought Long
and Hard for Life-Eighteen Feet

| FLORIDA COAST. ;
A Marine Monster That Fought Long
and Hard for Life-Eighteen Feet
From Wing to Wing. J
1t has been suggested to the writer by
our mutual friend, DIR. Ferber, that some
of the incidents which occurred during
a certain trip made last season down the
western coast Of the peninsula of Florid0
were worth preserving. If 1t were
possible to picture to your readers the
events of such a day as wildly as mem
ory presents them to the actors, then
might this communication justify itself.
The day selected for the experiment is
March 10, 1885. The boat Is the sloop
ELLA NJ. Little" of about eight tonsl
Captain and owner, Alfred p. Jones.
Pilot, Wilson; Christian name omitted,
as a suspicion exists that he never was
properly baptized. Able seaman, Abram,
Supernumeraries, Messrs. Blank and
Black, otherwise the "big" and ''little"
doctor, well-known physicians OF Chr
cago, genial companions, ardent sports
men; and lastly, the writer. Time, sun
rise. Location, few miles south OF
Punta Rassa, and just opposite the en-
trance to Estcro Bay. 4
The day is perfect one, the air soft,
balmy and inspired by a gentle breeze
from the west One of the party Is
seated upon the cabin sweeping the
horizon with his omnipresent field glass.
''Pilot, what's that big fin half milo
away on the weather bow"
Devil fish"
"Devil fshl Pilot, that's what we arc
here for We want that fish. . snsls
osr{ ..HoS a.s, do"6t ,6vfg Batnt r. n9dn4wis piaS
about them
''Pilot, we want that fish,"
eyes" adds the little doctor; 1--WE
will have him if we have to follow him
home"
''Well, If 1 must, must but you've
got to tend the line, and the others get
into the cockpit out of the way.
don't want any one killed by this foolish
ness"
eve will do as we are told, if it is to
jump overheard; only strike that fshl"
Off came the pilots coat, shoes and
stockings, the anchors are carried aft,
everything movable taken from the for
ward deck, and three or four hundred
feet of half inch MANILA rope coiled
there. The jib is hauled down
and carefully lashed. The pilot
plants himself upon the bowsprit, with
his heavy pole balanced in his right
hand, his left gathering in u few coils of
the line which he has just attached firm
ly to the harpoon. The hand of the cap
tain is on the tiller, while his eyes follow
every motion of the pilot. Abram stands
by the halliards ready for the expected
order. One of the passengers, with
hands trembling with excitement, holds
the line, prepared to give it turn around
the windlass or his own neck, as he may
be instructed. The other two sit with
the rifles on the top of the cabin, equally
ready to Jump overheard or down among
tho coilsAof line, according as the one or
the other gives promise Of most excite.
ment.
Thodi Crashl A young waterspout
under the bow, line whizzing through
torn and blistered fingers
ssDown mainsail.. Give that line a turn
round the windlass. Hard down your
helm. Catch that pole" But everything
cannot be done at once. The line has q
double turn around the windlass, tho
sloop is already plowing the water In the
direction of the great fish, and the har-
poon pole is fifty yards astern. Into the
skiff tumbles one of the party, and, pull
ing vigorously, soon RECEIVERS the pole.
To turn is less easy, and when, after
long pull, our friend is within forty yards
of the sloop, the monster, suddenly chang.
ing his course, swims straight for the lit
tie boat. For o moment the occupant
contemplates the sport of the chase from
an unusual standpoint Qor a many, but
happily his boat is barely touched by one
of the great wings of the gigantic "sea
bat, and he soon finds himself safe (end
warm) on board. Back comes the fish,
| and casual blow makes cur craft shiver
from stem to stern, and suggests that we
ornebody,s rino cracks, and the spout
ing blood and crimson wake promise 70
our inexperiepce tho approaching termi-,
nation of our resistance and consequent
" of sport. But neither one bullet nor
the score that follow it avail In the di-
rection of our anticipations. Deeper
and deeper swims the fish, now probably
forty feet below the surface, but straight
out into the gulf, and with increasing ve-
locity. The occupants of pleasure .
yacht which we pass gaze with wonder
upon a sloop bowling along against wind
and wave without sail set. The wind
is increasing; waves rising; hours pass
ing. The weight of three men is con-
stantly on the line hauling in as opportu-
nifty offers, paying out Gs the vagaries OF
the fish demand.
Our captain, after glance in the di-
rection of the now invisible shore and
another toward some fast gathering
clouds, incidentally observes, THAT
devil fish is bound for Mexico"
''Then so are we, captain"
And yet something must be done. To
openly suggest cutting the line would ex-
pose one to the risk of assassination.
So another turn of the line around the
windlass, the bars inserted, and the
sloop walked up toward the fish until the
parting of one of the strands of the rope
warns us we must draw the line of me-
chanical force somewhere.
But now the back of the monster is
again seen near the surface and some
thirty feet beyond the bowsprit. Another
harpoon is hastily prepared, another
thud. furry, and renewed excitement.
Now we have two lines on the windlass.
Soon the devil fish is swimming directly
under the bow, but with undiminished
energy. A great shark hook is soon cast
in his cavernous mouth, its heavy chain
carried aft and made fast, tho
the big mainsail and jib hoisted, and our
bow pointed away from the heavy wind
now blowing straight for Estero bay. We
sit upon the stern of the sloop watching
the great mouth, the curious horn-like
fippers, and the wonderful power and
grace of the propeller-like wings, as
with oft-loosening chain the great fish
swims easily after us.
AS we reach the entrance to Estero
bay, and are about entering it, our cap
tive suddenly awakens to the possibility
that perhaps he is after all not carrying
| out his own ideas. His propellers are
worked backward, the spray covers us,
the commotion in the water is tremen-
! dous. and for moment the result seems