The Osceola times., 1886-03-20
THE FLORIDA RAY.
An Ugly Fight with a Fish Twenty ree'
Long and Eighteen Wide.

from puSaloiy W .
shooting and fishing enough to satisfy
the most ardent sportsman. Deer anu
turkeys live in the surrounding forests.
The streams and lake-like bays abound
in fish of many kinds. At times one
may have a little sport at the expense
of the sawlish, kind Of shark-llke lei
low. whose teeth, by some strange ms
take. appear to have located themselves
mon each side of his long nose rather
than in the jaws.
Cruising along without any unusual
incidents other than the ordinary shoot-
inc and fishing, we one night came 10
anchor in Wyvile Bay. This is small,
nearly circular sheet of water, very
shallow. and with narrow entrance at
the southeastern end of Sanlbcl hey'
Unless YOU knew the bay was there, you
might sail within half mile of it with
Out discovering the entrance, so well is
il shut in by the land During the night
a cleaning phosporescent light ilickered
about in various parts OF the bay, snow
inc that some shark-like creature was
roaming around searching for its md
night meal. This was not an unusual
sight, so we thought nothing of it except,
perhaps. TO reflect how admirably nature
has outiitted some animals furnishing
them with a lamp which they can al
WAYS have ready for use. The Great
ures do not have the bother of filling
the lamps, nor the worry OF gas bills.
They carry about with them some sort
of electric light generator.
Next morning, while lounglng upon
deck, large dorsal fin was seen at
times lifting itself above the surface.
The creature seemed SO large there was
promise of sport, so, taking our places
in the boat we pulled toward the place
where the monster had last been seen.
We Piled the oars with will, while the
doctor. who had often boasted of his
feats with the harpoon, stood in the
bow ready to sink the iron into its
flesh. The doctor stood at the bows,
watching intently for the strange mon
ster. In a few moments he saw ahead
of us. down below the surface a dark,
moving mass. We steadily neared
the fish until his form showed
plainly in the clear blue waters,
which were scarcely disturbed by a
ripple. The creature rose toward the
surface, and the doctor, lifting his har-
poon into the air, held poised for a mo-
ment. while calculating the distance,
| the effect Of refraction and the force re-
| quircd. Then whiz went the spear
| down into the water. A single second
| sufliccd to show the effect of the cast.
First the creature lifted his great flip
/ perS from the water with motion that
| sent bucketfuls OF brine into the boat,
| giving us all q morning bath. Then
the line began to run out over the gun
vale of the boat. As it skipped through
| the water, swaying to and fro, the spray
/ flew like rain. After about fifty feet Of
| line had gone out we managed to get
hold of the rope,' and matched ouI
strength against that Of the sea devil
/ If three individuals were ever ierked
around in more vivacious manner they
/ have my utmost sympathics. Now the
creature would land us all together in q
heap, then slacken up and take us una
wares. throwing MS to the deck with q
/ force that fully came up to my precon
| ceivcd ideas of sport.
This sort of fun lasted about five
minutes. during which council of wal
was held. The question at issue was
"Shall we cut the rope, or hold on and
let him tear the boat to peces?'
We decided to hold on or die. Our
/ hands were badly blistered, and on one
accord we let 90 and the line rushed on
/ until the end was reached. The ropet
was fastened in the bow; ] held my
breath, expecting to see the line snap
/ but it held fast. Backward and for
ward went the monster. Sometime.
faster, sometimes slower, turning
abruptly upon his course, then speeding
ON again, in II vain endeavor to get rio
of his pursuers; but wherever he wen
we followed OneS Smoment he was 90
ing directly for our schooner, and had
| he kept in his course we would have
been obliged TO cut the rope, but he
turned aside.
He now went straight onward, turn
ing neither to right nor left, and it soor
became evident what new idea had en-
tered his head He was going ou
through the entrance into the deerel
waters with the idea of eluding us there
Swiftly we rushed along and began tc
despair of capturing the monster, wher
of sudden he appeared at the surface
Bang went my rifle and a piece of lcac
was added to his weight. The shallow
water forced him to the surface and il
five minutes not less than half pount
of lead entered his carcass He begar
10. L a l.
towards US. Just as we were going in
to the deep water he turned savagely a,
if to crush the boat. As he approached
the doctor dealt a death blow with :
lance, and the great fish plunged will
terrific force into the water. Then il
became motionless. How long this was
kept up do not know, but it must hav,
been nearly two hours.
We now began to understand, for tn,
first time, what huge fish we had beer
following Finding that we could moi
move the carcass from the bottom W,
brought the schooner alongside, anc
rigging tackles TO both masts. we man
aged TO hoist it to the surface, but oulc
not get more than third Of the bod,
out of the water at time. II belonget
to the group of rays or skate. The com
mon name is sea vampire or sea bat
He has no fins but uses the exteadc,
flaps of the body AS means of propul
sion, and as he moves through tn,
water looks very much like huge bat
hence, | suppose, the name vampire
The tail has shriveled up until there i
nothing left but long, slender ray .fiv,
feet in length and slender as whip
stick, a ludicrous appendage for such
monster, The measurement from sid
to side was twenty feet, and the lengtl