Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-07-20
MONSTERS or THE DEEP.
s.,n. Mighty Qa.sr Fi,hss ~ the ihs"a
al Nautilus.

al Nautilus.
al never saw s,a-serpenI SUI
Colonel Nichola. Pike. formerly Com
an, AT Maurtlus, ''but fish was seen
while / was stationed at Port Louis
which answered very nearly to VIVA
il generally known AS sea-serpenl
The keeper of the lighthouse several
miles below the port and on ledge
some distance out Mt sea sent me w"r"
that huge fish. some ninety feet long.
had appeared there, and wanted mo
to come down Immediately. took
tho first b,a', but. unfortunately,
when we eached the desired spot we
were unable to land on account OF the
roughness of the sea. and were obligei
IN stand on and off until II Gained.
When we finally landed the huge fish
had disappeared. talked with at least
| fiji persons who were entirely trust
| worthy who had seen It. They all
agreed MS TO its enormous size aud UNI
usual appearance. Nv opinion Is that
it WIS II sea-scrpent, and that II came
in shore to spawn.
| ..The island Of Mauriiius Is thirty
miles long and twenty wide and con-
sists of one huge volcanic deposit.
contains many caverns which open
into tho sea. In these have found
fish and animals which were marvcls
Tor form and color. some being beau
tiful and others hidcous. A strange
SERPENT was said to inhabit one Of
the caverns, for which l made dill
gent search. OIL fishermen would not
60 near its supposed haunts. A ger
tleman owning sugar estate near by
declar, d that he had seen 1t and an
other that he hal fed 1t with cutie
fish and that II was the most hideous
brute he had ever seen. / searched
for him in whalcboat with bom1
lance and other tackle. but never
came across him. AT er ! left the
island my friend. Hon. William Warl,
who was a great shark hunter. took my
rig and went in search of the monster.
H. states that he saw bis head and it
was as big as wine pipe and was
covered with barnacles; that he put a
harpoon into it. which was twisted IF
as if it had been pipes em. He in
tended TO blow it up but could not get
the charge in the right spot and fin
ally abandoned the search
There were 50 many beautiful and
interesting things in nature at my
staff IN, however. said the Co onel
'that it was not worth while to waste
any time searching after monstrosities.
There was a fish seventy feet long.
which seemed TO be compo ,ed entirely
OF cartilage. When it was landed it
would all go to pieces. having no
bones at ALL Then there was what
was called the angel -fish, which. when
hung up. seemed to have broad. white
wings like IN angel. Then there was
he wonderful eels which measured
line feet. Olce caught specimen
Of This fish. and getting him on the
bank. he fought so desperately that ]
didn't know what to do with hi ).
, Tho native who was in attendance
; called out 'Mas+a, l fix him. and
leaning down grasped the squirting
fish with both hands. bit through hi
vert' b e. and the fish succumbed i'm.
,, nediately. This specimen is also in
=. tho museum at Cav bridge. The devil
fish. also found in the Indian ocean.
: not very pleasant to m .et some
lines l saw man VIII, had his arm
o badly lacerated by one that it ha
20 be amputated. 1t has BODY AS
. large as an ordinary dining.roo l.
able. with tentacles TX ending over IA
! space equal to an ordinary room and
md so STR ng that they cal seize u
: IN and drag him out of a boat.
Victor II ,go speaks of this fish in his
Toilers of the Sea- Barnum also had
,, one on exhibition here at one time.
, "Then. again. there is the tazzard.
i which has been called the tiger of the
+ ocean. He is not longer than walk.
q ing-stlck. but terribly fierce. In
walking over the reefs l have fire.
qlenlly encountered him. If he sees
you approach he will wait and then
TART at you like fash. If there Is
= any portion of your body exposed he
9 VIII lear piece out of il as if it had
+ been cut with raz IL F shing one
day 'f the mouth of tho harbor I
, hooked two Of these fish at the same
time with two different lines, and in
irving to get them into my boat thew
, fought me with such desperation that
, l wasobliged to call two fishermen to
a help m, and they declared that they
. vert two of the worst fish they ey.r
, Killed. being worse than bu,l.
:, logs. A fish called the latf exuIe.
a de dly poison. Arow of spines are
concealed in his back which. when
excited he erects. These spines are
hl'ed with milky-looking substance
winch. when mi ,ctel into the human
: hesh' causes the most intense AGONY
, nd If remedies ara not apnlisJ
, prom pity. results fatally. Thi. fish
generally co1ceals itself in tho seo.
Weed whera it is apt to be stepped on
" the bather. l saw soldier opco
who had been unfortunate enough 70
step on ono of these fish. and his cries
, could be heard for half a mile h;s
loot swelled greatly, but he suryeon
: was successful in counteractinp the
, nj fI1