RIDE BEHIND A SEA DEVIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13325, 3 November 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

RIDE BEHIND A SEA DEVIL.

AN ALL DAY BATTLE BETWEEN 1 : v ,;,. : MEN AND A FISH. ? "-; [ The sea devil is in appearance like a huge bat. Specimens have been captured weighing 40001b. ,: - , ,■■ , : ; It fell to the lot of a party of 28 strong men to catch one of these sea monsters just off the coast of Texas recently. One of those who took part in the contest was John W. Bobbins, of Austin, Treasurer of the State of Texas. In describing the affair Mr. Robbius. said : — "The channel of Aransas Pass;, which connects Aransas Bay with the Gulf of Mexico, is a favourite tarpon fishing ground! The first knowledge that any of us who comprised the tarpon fishing fleet of two or three dozen boats- had that a sea devil was anywhere round was the statement of Edward Cline, a veteran boatman, who told us when we came in from our fishing one evening that he had seen the back of some monster fish come to the surface of the water of Aransas Pass that day. " When we started for the tarpon fishing grounds next morning Cline carried with him two strong harpoons, each attached to a strong line. There were 14 boats in the fleet. In each boat were two men. y : " We had not been fishing long when I saw the broad, glistening back of a monster fish of some kind come to the surface of the water near me. I yelled to Cline, and he hurried. to the spot. *' He was about to cast his harpoon into it when it suddenly sank beneath the surface. We watched the waters and in a few minutes we saw the big fish come to tne surface again a short distance .off.. " Cline approached cautiously .within striking distance. He raised the harpoon and sent it with all his giant strength into the monster. One of the barbs caught under the backbone of the fish, we, afterwards found, making it impossible to dislodge it. -; '-•" The harpoon had no sooner struck the fish than it sank and struck out for the deeper waters of the gulf. It carried the boat along at a rapid rare. - "The 13 other boats struck out after it. The first boat to get within reach attached itself ■ to the stern of .Cline's -boat by means of its anchor and chain. My boatman got up to the second boat and we threw our anchor over into it and formed another link in the chain. ; t " Then came the other boats,' which attached themselves to one another, and within an hour all 14 boats were . linked together and formed a long line towed by the fish. " How many miles we . were taken into the gulf Ido not know. We expected every moment that the sea monster would begin to show fatigue and that its capture could then be made. " For a time we were unaware what kind of fish was giving us the remarkable ride. Finally it came to the surface for another brief moment and the head boatman got a good glimpse of it. He recognised it as being a large specimen of the sea devil. " This information was conveyed along the long line of boats and we were more determined than ever to bring about its capture. The fish got well out to sea and some of the men in the boats were in favour of quitting the sport. The spirit of adventure prevailed, however, and Ave all resolved to see the thing through. "It was ten o'clock in the morning when the fun began. About eleven o clock the fish made a detour and started back; toward Aransas Pass.. It travelled at the rate of five miles an hour. The monster did not slacken its speed when it reached the channel connecting the bay with the gulf, but it made another turn and again went seaward, dragging the long line of boats behind. ' " Some idea of the strength and endurance of the sea devil may be had when it is stated that it kept up this travelling back and forth for more than four hours. It circled around and around, and at times it kept us busy preventing the boats from getting in a tangle. ■• ; ■' '-', ; "*What was more feared was that it would come up under the boats and capsize them. The forward boatman had another harpoon and he determined to drive it into the fish's body. He finally got the opportunity and made a successful throw. Even with this second harpoon in its body the sea devil showed no signs of weakness. " 1 suggested that a distress signal be hoisted in order that the lifesaving crew might come to our assistance. ! This was done. The crew put out for us in a gasolene launch, and when they came alongside of the head boat and saw what was'the trouble the suggestion was made to kill the monster by shooting it with a rifle. " The launch moved close to the sea devil and Edward Cotter fired a dozen bullets into its body, with a rifle. The wounds weakened the fish very quickly and its speed began to slacken. Then we towed it ashore. Thirty strong men managed to drag it up on the beach. '■ " The sea devil was 20ft_. Bin long, not measuring its .small, rope-like tail, and it was 12ft wide. There'was no means at hand for weighing it, but it must have weighed from 25001b to 30001b."