Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-06-14
offer DENlzEN OF DEEP CAUGHT

The following was sent us by
Rev. w. C. Sponaugle, Highland
boy, now at Tampa, Fla:
Miami, Fla, June 5.-The auxil-
larry yacht Samoa came limping in
to port yesterday morning at about
6 o'clock. towed by the katherine
X. and bearing a curious creature
of the deep seas, forty feet long,
weighing sixteen thousand pounds,
as a trophy of the cruise.
When it Was learned by the citi-
zens of Miami that Captain Thomp-
son really had captured the strange
monster, crowds of people throng-
ed to the waters edge to catch a
9 impse of the fish, and curious and
Interested persons stood about all
day, watching the process OF haul
ing the creature out On the land.
Speculation was rife as to the
name and nature of the monster,
and many suggestions have been
given and many theories advanced
as to the genus and species.
Some persons said it was shark,
others, Indignantly said whale.
But those who held to the shark
theory pointed out the fact that all
members of the whale family have
horizontal tails, and that the sharks
have vertical tails. They said also
that the whales are warm blooded
animals. and blow, or breathe,
while the monster on the south
bank of the Miami river has gills,
and treathes like a shark or other
fish. They added, too, that the
mouth is unlike that of a whale.
1t is said by those who have a
knowledge of such creatures that
the monster of the deep cannot be
a cetorhinus maximus. although
the description of that giant shark
more nearly tallies with Captain
Thompscn's fish than any other.
Neither can it be a rhinodon typi-
Gus, which often exceeds fifty feet
in length, as there are several ma
terial differences. Nor can 1t be
cachorodon carcharias, which al
so grows to be forty feet in length,
as that giant fish is almost white in
color.
Captain Thompson told har-
rowing tale of the fight with tn:
iortv-foot monster, and of the mad
dash for the open sea made by the
creature when harpooned. He told
OF now he, with one man as help
er, and with his passenger, Mr.. e.:
T. Brooks, a leading lawyer OF
Cleveland, went out in a small
launch and harpooned the creature,
had remained all day in the open
boat, without food, towed toward
the deep sea by the great fish; how
they fought and struggled; how the
fish minded not in the least the
gines of the launch and the pro-
peller pulling against it. He spoke
O. another launch which came to
his assistance and hitched on be-
hind, both engines pulling ahead
with full power.
The creature cared nothing for
that and did not seem to know he
was pulling anything. Then, when
the opportunity came, they poured
shot after shot into the body of the
big fish from a thirty-thirty Win
ches err rifle, without any notlcea-
bic effect. After time they tied
their captive to Knights Key dock.
When the big fish learned that
he was made fast, he gave one ter
rife lunge and tore seven piling
loose, swapping them like tooth
picks, and again made off towards
the deep water.
During the fight the ferocious
monster struck the launch repeat
eddy with it's tail, hurting it high
above the water, and later over
turning the boat which came to The
assistance of Captain Thompson
and his party, spilling the frighten-
ed occupants.
After a time the fish came around
and started toward the Samoa,
some miles off When they had
arrived in the neighborhood of the
Yacht, the fish was Unanswered IN
to a position alongside. 1t was
tired by then, ard Captain Thomp-
son made it fast with anchors, but
left the five harpoons in position.
Soon the monster made another
wide dash for the deep sea, and
attacked the Samoa, which lay be-
tween it and liberty.
The yacht was so badly damaged
that it became necessary for Cap
tain Thompson to send kilograms
for aid. In response to a message,
CAPTAIN George F. Cook yesterday
morning sent the Katherine K to
the rescue.
She encountered the Samoa near
Dusenberry creek, limping slowly
toward port, still hanging on to the
captive. The Katherine K threw
the Samoa a line and came into
port towing captive and captor.-
TAMPA Times, (Fla.)