lled Launches

Ize Fish

Ory From Nh

knot Monster that lled Launches

• Credit for the best fish story of 7 must surely go to Capt. J. rley, of the New Hebrides con ninium vessel “Don Quijote”. He !s it in the last British Newsletter, m Vila, thus: [. BOUVIER, my engineer, and I were in the Burns Philp launch, Elaine, with stores for n Quijote. )n approaching Georges Philippe ss from the Segond Channel we ;iced a small launch with 4 per is aboard about a quarter-of-a le off our starboard bow and veiling in the opposite direction, rhe people on this launch Deared to be trying to attract our ention but we thought they were [y giving us a friendly wave, rhey did not seem to be in any üble, for their launch was travel g at a fair speed towards the ?ond Channel, and we continued our way. As we altered course d drew away from them they ved frantically and it seemed as their steering was out of control ce they kept heading off in dif ent directions every couple of nutes.

We turned about to investigate, d on approaching found the other it to be M. Douyere’s 21-foot, half- Mn launch. He told us that he d anchored off the west coast of ilo Island to do some fishing and mysterious fish had grabbed the chor and had been pulling them • 2i hours—first towards the open i and then towards Bruat Channel, d, finally into Georges Philippe ss, where we found them.

We pulled alongside and took M. uyere and his friends on board Elaine and made his launch fast ours. The three members of the ;w of the Elaine, together with Bouvier and M. Douyere at npted to heave up the anchor (at ;hed to four fathoms of 5/16ths ain) but the chain was pulled so ht that it would not give one ih of slack. The chain felt as ough the anchor had fouled the ttom of the sea bed, and yet the o launches were being towed at a be of three to four knots, still ading for the Channel.

"We tried to tow it to shallow iter at full speed in the hope that might dive down and see what -ange creature could be strong ough to pull the two launches mg at this speed. Even the 100-hp mryncroft diesel in the Elaine did

not make any impression on the monster when it decided to zig-zag towards Luganville, at the same time tugging the 21-footer almost underwater, and giving the Elaine a frightening list. This decided us to release the anchor chain as we feared that both the Elaine and the smaller launch could quite possibly be pulled under.

The unknown creature did not further manifest its presence and we went on our way thankful that we had been able to extricate M.

Douyere from a dangerous predica ment, but disappointed that the mystery had not been solved.

It was suggested locally mat me monster that was hooked was a giant ray.