The Wakatipu and the Fish.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1055, 30 March 1882, Page 3

The Wakatipu and the Fish.

During the last voyage of the Wakatipu to Sydney a huge fish of some description was struck by the prow of the vessel, and remained attached to it for 24 hours. Capt. Wheeler described it ns possessing a fiat body and a head very much like that of a cow, upon which the Sydney Morning Ilrrald naively suggests that it might have been the sea-serpent in one of its early stages of development. At first it was supposed to be a sunfish, an idea which was dispelled upon closer acquaintance with the animal. It was first observed by the ship’s carpenter, who thought it was a lump of seaweed, as, being far under the water-line and close to the curve of the stem, it could not be seen distinctly, especially as the Wakatipu •was going 10 knots through the water. Some children saw it later < n, and it was again declared to be seaweed, but Capt. Wheeler going forward accidentally the next morning observed it, and immediately saw it was some'thing very different that had formed such an attachment to his good ship. The monster waF then dead, and cuuld only have kept its hold of the bow by reason of the force with which it was pressed against it. Means were then devised to secure the prize. To stop the ■hip would have caused it to drop off. so speed was slackened and a boat anchor thrown out as a grapnel. Owing to the Wakatipu being without overhang in the stem, or a bowsprit, it was a matter of great difficulty to make the anchor grasp the bulky mas» of blubber, some two tons in weight; utid when it did catch it it was not. sharp enough to penetrate the akin, so that when they hove on to the line attached to it all that it did was to loosen the fish’s hold and cause it to turn over and drop off without being secured. The ship was about midway between the continent and New Z.-a--1 ind when th? presell *e of th* animal on the stem was no iced. Captain Wheeler declares that, long as hr has sailed in salt water, he never .-aw such a monstrosity ; aud he dues not brheve th:** ever so curious an adventure betel a ship and fish before.