The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
When the United States steamer Thetis
touched at san Diego, Cal, on the way up
the coast from her annual cruise off the
coast of Lower California attending the
coast survey work of the government,
her officers had a tale to tell concerning
cells, or rather, concerning one lone, but
pugnacious eel. Although snake like in
form and action, the eel Of fresh or salt
water habitat is commonly supposed to
be a harmless creature, although devoid
OF true snake attributes and of a tooth
someness gratifying the epicures Eels are
highly relished by sailors. They know
somewhat of the fastidious taste of eeis
in the matter of food. An eel will never
partake of any tainted food. no matter
how hungry il may be. 1t always insists
on having fresh grub" When fishing for
the mess sailors are especially pleased
when they can take a goodly supply of
cells. They believe, too, that the capture
of cells means good luck. Tickle a sailors
superstitious nature at the same time
you tickle his stomach and you have a
combination which is extremely crafty
ing to the skipper of a ship.
For several months the men aboard the
Thetis had been working hard. Coast sur
vey work is always hard work. Frequent
landings are made through the terrible
surf. Excursions to inland promontories
are frequently necessary in order to estab-
lish signal points for the purpose Of TRAN
gulation. One day the landing party met
with an experience which set the whole
ship to talking, included an exciting ad-
venture and ended in good feed" of de-
licious fish for the seamen's mess The
survey party had landed through the surf
officers vending w
inland leaving the big surf boat in charge
of two sailors These men, finding il diff
cult to kill time, began to explore among
the rocks in the neighbOrhOod seeking GU
rious shells and mosses. On a nicely weed
cushioned rock rolled up in a sleepy coil,
one of the men espied huge eel. The
fish was asleep
The sailors thought they had an easy
victim before them. For although the eel
was Of extraordinary size, it's general APP
pearance was that of the ordinary salt
water eel. One of the sailors carried
boat hook He carele5sly touched the sleep
ing fish. The instant he did so he caused
a commouon which made him jump back
ward in alarm The eel uncoiled in an in
slant Just as sleeping rattlesnake I'M
coils when il is suddenly disturbed. Its
wicked eyes flashed Spltefully. An eel 5
eye is probably the most malicious looking
optical organ in a living fish. The dis
turbed eel assumed the offensive at once.
Snake-like, it threw back its head at a half
coil just as a rattler takes it's position 10
strike. and lunged at the intruding tar its
strong teeth flashing in the sunlight The
tar Jumped backward, slipped on a bunch
of seaweed rolled over in a heap and
scrambled out of the reach of The enemy
on all tours.
The mans sailor superstition was arous-
ed. As he afterward remarked, he thought
al the moment that he had tackled a gen
uine sea serpent The boat hook was a
short-handled affair, so his companion
rushed to the boat secured one Of the
long oars and returned to renew the at
tack. The eel wasn't frightened a bit
1t did not attempt to run away, but re-
NAMED in half coil read to strike the
first enemy that approached. AS the fish
appeared to be nearly as long as the great
oar, the seamen thrust the ashen stick al
their enemy, rather gingerly The instant
however, that the broad blade of the oar
was within striking distance the eel hit it,
The impact caused the long stick to trem-
Bile. A second and third time was the oar
struck, and finally the eel succeeded in i'm
bedding its teeth firmly in the wood and
in holding on with a grip that alarmed the
men. The creature weighed ninety bounds
and when this muscular body, combined
with very respectable weight writhed
and tugged at one end Of the oar the
men at the other end had their hands fun
to retain the weapon and endeaVor 10
punch the life out of their antagonist.
The night between men and eel ragged
for half an hour. At last the eel weak
ened so that one man could hold the oar
The second man seized the boat hook ana
struck the FISH on the skull. finally fraf-
turing the bone II was a hard fight Tha
men were nearly exhausted at the finish
Close examination proved that the eel
was an enormous cOnger. The great slflt
was carefully removed and the BODY taka,,
aboard the ship and turned over ~ NJ
cook; The sailors VIII never to their dy-
ing day forget that night.
The conger eel rs no SLOUGH Of q 6sb
q ls the most reroclous Of an tho ~
family. Although armed with long sham
teeth, its bite is by no means pC.eoUrf,s
although the skin contains poisonous u-,,5,-
critics. 50 sensitive and prohensue ave
the tails Of these cells that neharr,r, ~
the lower California coast have Fr,.,,,,,
ore Of these hsh 20 grasp the gunV.sic
of me boat with the tail aud by a su9
zen contraction Of the muscles H. thr,.
Itself overheard ~"
~ an the eel family The c0neer g. me-
ClnnIls SENSITIVE 10 colo, and where a.
Lower california during the a8ufer ~.
son, bringing down 10 ~ tgarr,.r 49,
water vast volumes ~ cold water nom fhe