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Updated: May 4, 2025
Such was the place before which her Majesty's ships Dugong and Blenny brought up, outside a fleet of strange-looking junks, with flags of all colours, devices, and shapes flying at their mast-heads, while in different part of the extensive roads were ships belonging to nearly all the countries in the world, English, American, and Dutch, however, predominating.
In one of Major Holland's charming papers in Science Gossip he speaks of a pet blenny of his who was not only tame but musical. "He was exceedingly sensitive to the vibrations of stringed instruments; the softest note of a violin threw him into a state of agitation, and a harsh scrape or a vigorous staccato drove him wild."
Upon the top story of the same building were preserved in a rough museum various other strange forms, not all from Woods Hole waters; the remora, or sucking fish, that fastens on sharks and becomes a constant passenger enjoying a free ride, specimens of which were often in the Aquarium; the deal-fish, which alone among its tribe has a long slim fin projecting upwards from the tail almost at right angles to it; the blenny, whose facial expression has caused it to be known as the sarcastic blenny; the graceful sea-horse, who swings on seaweed with a prehensile tail like that of a monkey and the male of which hatches the eggs instead of the mother, and not the least extraordinary, the three-cornered trunk-fish whose front view is the most unfishlike apparition possible.
Her Majesty's frigate Dugong was fitting with all despatch for sea at Portsmouth; so was her Majesty's brig-of-war Blenny, just commissioned by Commander Hemming, well-known, as the papers stated, for his gallantry on the coast of Africa, and on every occasion when he had an opportunity of displaying it. The papers spoke truly, and well had our old friend won his present rank.
"Perhaps they are pursued by an enemy, and if so, we have a a chance of being rescued," observed Jack, as he first went on deck. "No, I think not. See, the whole fleet are steering for the same point," answered Murray. "Ah! look ahead; what do you see there?" "A brig, and I do believe a brig-of-war," exclaimed Rogers. "I shouldn't be surprised if she proves to be the Blenny.
He had a number of strange adventures to narrate, of which he was the hero. Although his accounts were not implicitly believed, it was agreed that, at all events, they were possible, which was somewhat in his favour. Two weeks after this, her Majesty's ships Dugong and Blenny were gliding under all sail across the Bay of Biscay.
Should the fly alight at too great a distance for even a second leap, the blenny moves slowly towards it like a cat to its prey, or like a jumping spider; and, as soon as it gets within two or three inches of the insect, by a sudden spring contrives to pop its underset mouth directly over the unlucky victim.
The pirate admiral or commodore, on seeing this, threw out signals to close in still more, and as the junks began to move the Blenny let fly both her broadsides at the same moment, several of the shot striking the junks, and ripping open their sides. This in no way daunted them. They seemed resolved on the destruction of the brig.
You may wonder what kind of anchor they can use. It is a simple matter, however. The fins on the stomach are pressed together to form a little disc. If the Goby wishes to stay still in one place, it presses its sucker to a stone; then it cannot be washed away by the ever-moving water. In the Blenny family we find big, ugly fish as well as pretty little ones of strange shapes and lovely colours.
It had now grown very dark, though the constant flashes of the guns kept the scene well lighted up. The Blenny could be seen, though she had ceased firing, gliding on towards them. The pirates had been taking no notice of their prisoners for some time. The brig had got within a cable's length of them. "Now or never," cried Jack. "Alick, in case I am drowned, you'll do all I have asked you."
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