The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-07-18
SCHOOL OF
Strange Experience of the Captain of til,
Abbie Grcen-His Vessel Attacked,

Strange Experience of the Captain of the
Abbie Grcen-His Vessel Attacked.
Capt. Green, of the schooner Abbie
Green, now lying at Bulson street wharf,
New York, brought his vessel from Rio de
Janeiro, and when twenty miles off Cape
Hatteras ran into a school of sea monsters
such as he had never before seen. The
monsters we're sighted by mi of the crsw.
They were nearly 100 yards ahead of the
vessel, and were apparently rushing toward
her.
When first seen by the sailors they
taougnt the snip was running into a float
ing island, some of which are often seen
mt sea. They soon changed their minds,
however, when they got closer and saw q
school OF big fish that no n on board
could recognize as having seen before.
The school opened to let the ship pass,
and then ut once closed in and followed
her. They tioated all around her and
greatly impeded her progress.
Although the vessel was going ut o
speed of several knots an hour the mon.
sters followed along in her wake, and sew
eral more daring ones seemed to catch
hold of the vessels side and let themselves
be carried along. They were larger than
the average sharks, being about ten feet iu
length and varying from the size of q
bucket to a tub in circumference.
They seemed to be running a race and
having a great battle among themselves.
They had four long arms which resem-
bled the hands OF ar ape. These arm-like
things extended from each side of the
body. Discovering that they were a now
species Of fish, the captain Immediately
communicated the fact to the first mate,
with orders to try to capture some of the
strange monsters. Boathooks were first
used i'll their attempt to catch the fish, but
unsnccessfully. The fish seemed to know
what was needed of them, and they used
their Glands" to protect themselves.
Groups of two and three of the monsters
would grab holdo Of the boat hooks and pull
them away. Eight of these hooks we're
taken from the sailors. Tho arms were
about six feet long, said Capt. Green.
The sailors became alarmed, thinking that
some ill-omen had caused the serpents to
follow the ship, and they thought they
were going to be lost. They told the cap
tain they thought the ship would never
reach port. Some rushed to the forecastle
and some to the captains cabin in their
endeavor to escape from the supposed
Jonahs. By this time the fish had become
more daring and would swim alongside the
boat and grab the sail lemons and traces.
AT first the captain became 80 exas-
perated at the men that he ordered them
to cast the lines which they use in catch
ing drum and sturgeon. This the crew re-
luctantly did.
The lines were bated with huge pieces
of Goldfish and cast over the side. They
were handled by the fish the same as they
handled the boat hooks. They would grab
the lines with their hands and try to tear
them apart.
Two or three were captured, killed and
cooked and tasted like boiled shad.
Chunks of the uncooksd parts of the fsh
were thrown overheard, and in the battle
among their companions in the water for
the feast the boat escaped.