The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-08
SEA DEVILS OF FLozIDA WATERS.
Monster Rays That Swim Away With
the Boats of Their Captors.

haunts Of their kindred, the sharks and
sawfishes. There are three species In the
Gulf of Mexico, namely. the sting ray. the
whip ray. and the great ray. which is also
known as the sea bat, sea vampire, sea
devil and devilfsh.
The sting ray carries barb in its tail,
which can be raised or depressed at pleas
ure, and, being very sharp and covered
with O poisonous excretion, a wound made
by il in the hand of a man is very likely TO
prove serious unless attended TO promptly,
and the pain is agonizing.
The eagle, or whip ray, is a comparative
ly harmless creature, and seems TO devote
much OF its time to lashing the water with
its long whlte-like caudal, especially when
several are together. Both these species are
locally known as stingarees, whiparees, and
clamcrackers, the latter cognomen being
given them on account Of their strength OF
jaws, which enables them to crush she'll fish
with the greatest ease.
These fish are 80 powerful that specimens
weighing fifty or sixty pounds can easily
tow a boat with two men in IL for an hour
or more before succumbing, and evea thea
the sting ray will lash its tail against the
craft with all its might or try to strike the
hand lowered to haul it aboard The only
way in which this species can safely be taken
aboard is to gaR Ii near the head, turn Its
back against the side OF the boat, and stick
it several times ia the throat with sharp
knife. The blood will thea squirt out as IL
it were driven with force pump.
1t is very dangerous to place wounded
stingaree in a small craft, owing to its habit
Of Tapping about and striking at every
object within range Of its barbed lance.
This and the whip ray attain about the
same size, being, when full grown. from ten
to twelve feet in length, and weighing be-
tween 100 and 200 pounds. Large as these
may seem, they are mere pigmies compared
to the great ray, or sea devil, for the latter
often measures from fifteen to twenty feet
in length, nearly the same in width, and
weighs from / 200 to 1000 pounds, accord
ing to its condition and the season Of the
year. The majority of fishermen seem to
be afraid Of this genuine marine monster,
and carefully avoid attacking it except
under favorable conditions.
Notwithstanding its enormous size, il is
very playful when moving in shoals, and
seems to take the greatest delight In flap
ping about near the surface, turning over
and over, and thrashing the water SO vigor-
ously with its huge alar wings as 10 send
clouds of mist high into the air. 1t moves
through the water very rapidly. and with
smooth, butterfly motion that causes little
commotion even in the oalmest weather.
The clearer the water the more hideous it
looks to the novice, with its eyes three or
more feet apart, bat-like head and long
antennR and tail, which seem to have
length of six or seven feet. Its blackish
color, white belly with dark spots, and
enormous mouth give it terrifying aspect
on first sight, yet it is one of the most harm
less fishes in the sea if let alone, aud never,
SO far as l can learn, attacks its smaller
congeners, its food being chiefly minute
weeds and mlolusks. The food is thrown
into its mouth by the two long paddles, or
feelers on either side Of the jaws which
fulfill the same purpose, apparently, as the
trunk of the elephant.
Il is very abundant in Charlotte harbor,
the Fahatchee. Shark and Caloosahatchie
rivers, which empty into the Gulf Of
Mexico, and in the lower part of Indian
river, on the Atlantic coast. As it never
takes a baited hook, the ordinary means of
capturing it is with a heavy grains or lilly
irons, the latter being the best, as it retains
good hold In the flesh. When struck, the
sea devil lashes the water with its huge
wings and whiplike tail, and often throws
large quantities of water into a small craft,
or upsets or careens it by powerful blow,
and sends its occupants headlong into the
sea. Not being vindictive. 1t never attacks
them with its mouth. but should
they come within range of Its
powerful wings some of them
would probably receive blows that would
| send them to eternity in few moments. II
| it does not injure the boat at the first on
| slaught, it is likely to put to sea, and to run
| until it Is exhausted or killed with a rife or
revolver. have heard of O well authenti-
Gated case where it towsd a boat containing
five men thirty-six miles, and was then
overpowered only when the crew used
butcher knives fastened to poles to stab it in
the head. l know OF several instances
where it lowed small boats cotaining q
couple of men from four to a dozen miles,
and schooner over mile. When the
monster was sought by fishermen on ac-
count of the oil which its liver yelled, many
tar was injured in tho contests; but one
rarely hears Of mishaps now.
was out with party of four one day
in search Of tarpon, jewish or devilfish, but
most DESTROYS OF meeting the latter. We
were fortunate enough to run into a shoal
of them that we're playing near one of the
keys that form the Ten Thousand Islands.
They thrashed the water, rolled about,
dived and came to the surface again, but
each kept to itself, and did not approach
the others in the widest ecstacy Of its gam
bols. Our most expert harpooner sent the
grains into the back of huge fellow, but It
did not remain In long sudden forward
plunge of the captive having torn 10 out and
large piece of flesh with it. The lilly iron
was tried on the head Of another, and buried
SO deeply that it retained its hold during the
time that the creature towed US up and down
watery cuL de sac, which was at least two
mics long. On becoming weary it sank TO
the bottom and rem ined there despite all
our Juggling on the line and punching it
with poles until it had good rest, then rose
suddenly to the surface, aud, striking the
boat heavy blow with its wing, careened
it sufficiently almost to fill it with water
We prevented a complete capsze by throw
| ing ourselves on the p TT gunwale and send
ing half a dozen revolver bullets into the
head of cur assailant before it collected its
wits sufficiently to move out of range The
blood spurted out Of it's head IN strong jets
and dyed the water red for distance Of
several yards all round us. After bailing
| out the boat we towed the dead monster to
our sloop, but we had no tackle strong
enough to hoist it aboard, and, as we could
not lift it in by main strength, we were
| compelled to let it 60, after cutting off its
paddle-like feelers and the tail. As soon as
| it drifted away it was assailed by large
shoal of sharks, which rent it into shreds Ia
a few minutes.
We noticed In this instance what fancy,
is rather a rare sight in Florida, aud that is
the different species Of sharks running TO-
gether and participating In feast without
| fighting among themselves. Our captain
reported seeing the common brown, the
nurses, the hammerhead, the shovelnose,
| aud the blue sharks in the same shoal, bu {
| the landsman could not tell one species from
another in that large body of ferocious
brutes, for they darted hither and thither,