The herald., 1918-06-06
WONDERFUL
MARINE
EXHIBIT
The Collection Contains Many Rare
Specimens and is Considered
one of the Most Complete
in America

Imagine yourself in mid-Ocean at
midnight standing in the bow of
small lifeboat being towed at ter
rifle speed through the trackless
ocean by an unseen monster" Such
was the dramatic picture tersely
painted by Captain Charles II.
Thompson, the well known sports
man of Miami, Fla. as he related
the thrilling story or his capture of
the giant fish known as the Deep
Sea Mystery and which is now on
of Canal Street.
The fish is declared by scientists
TO be the largest ever captured in
the history of the world. 1t is ere
ating wonderful interest in New Or
leans, and it is conservatively esti
mated that it will be seen by at
least $4,000 people while here during
the next few days.
The story of the capture of this
unknown monster, reads like fiction.
\ struggle that lasted thirty-nine
hours, two days and a night, with
the sea monster, dragging a small
boat at eXpress-train speed in an
open sea. AT one time the crew
was about to give up the fight, il
Capt. Thompson had not used siren
uous methods and threatened to kill
one of the crew if he cut the lines
that held this monster. In its cap
ture, harpOons were used and $50
rifle balls were fireu into its body.
1t took five days to finally kill it.
The entire supply of formaldehyde
of the undertaking establishment of
Florida, from Key West to Jackson
vile were used up to preserve the
monster.
Second only in interest to the
Deep Sea Mystery itself, which is at
tracing thousands of visitors to Cap
tain Thompson's yacht at the foot
of Canal street. is the captains mar
velous marine exhibit, which is con-
sidered by many who have seen it
to be one of the finest and most COM
plete private collections in America.
Among the rare specimens are an
octupus, one of the most repulsive
creatures imaginable; a devil-fish;
hammerhead shark; angel fish; a
giant. sail-fish, with a sail two and
one-half feet long and one and a
half feet wide; a giant bacacouta
over seven feet long and that weighed
40 pounds and with a mouth and
teeth large enough to bite a mans
arm off; to say nothing of hundreds
of other marvels of the great deep,
all of which are shown in their ma
tural forms and colors.
By far the most interesting speci-
men, however, is Bessie the Sea
Cow, who is now making her home
on Capt. Thompson's yacht. Bes-
sic was recently captured near Eau
Gaille. Fla, and is one of the largest
specimen ever captured, weighing
nearly 1000 pounds. According to
government authorities the sea COW
or manitee has become almost ex-
tinct and there are probably not
more than 100 in existence.
One of the most interesting and
singular specimens of the entire col
lection is the baby hammerhead
shark, with the singular enlongated
head from which it derives its name.
The eyes are situated on the extreme
outer edge of the hammer" so that
it can cover an unusually wide range
of vision. The hammerheads grow
to a length of fifteen feet and bring
forth their young alive.
The tiger shark is the terror of the
seas. Growing to a length of thirty
feet, they inhabit the warm waters
of the tropics and often ascend the
gulf stream to more northerly lati-
tudes, where they are a menace to
bathers in summer.
The angel fish is a curious crea-
ture whose place in nature is mid
way between the shark and the ray.
Their large pectoral fins projecting
resemblance to wings which is their
only angelic feature.
Few creatures of the sea have a
more horrible appearance than the
octupus, about which some of the
most grusome stories ever written
have been told. Another interest
ing specimen of marine life is the
giant sail fish. Captain Thompson's
specimen is one of the largest ever
captured on the east coast, measurJ
ing seven feet in length.
Other specimens are a giant sword
fish, giant Jewish, leather fish, dol
phin, amber jack, parrot fish, porcu-
pine fish and others too numerous
to mention, all of which are the
finest specimens obtainable and in
a perfect state of preservation.
Thousands of persons are visiting
this exhibition daily. An instructor
aboard explains the differen speci-
mems.
Now on exhibition in New Or
leans at foot of Canal street, on
board the yacht "Tamiami." Hours
10 a. m. to IL p. m.-Adv.