Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-09-28
Adventure with q Sword Fish.

Toward the end of last November, an
engineer proposed that diver of some
renown should make one of party of
three to explore the rocks of the island
of Ryeres. He accepted the engage
ment. A boat and the necessary diving
dresses were hired, and in due course
the three divers found themselves ex-
ploring the unknown depths of the
ocean. 1t was arranged that they should
all keep close together, so as to be able
to communicate with each other, which
could be done by approaching the he'll
NETS so that they touched, when the
sound of the voice vibrated through with
sufficient distinctness to be understood.
They found mussels in great variety and
abundance amongst sea flowers and
plants of the most lovely and varied COL
ors, sprouting out in all directions from
the crevices in the rocks, such as they
had never seen before. They saw num-
bers of fish differing strangely in form
and size, some of which approached and
eyed them curiously, and vanished as If
by magic at the slightest sound or move
ment. About quarter of an hour after
their descent, the diver who was slightly
in advance suddenly stopped and mo-
toned the others to stop. He then
neared them and said: "a sword fish. /"
A sudden shiver ran through them at
the word, as the strength and vicious
ness of these creatures are well known,
and the one which they saw approaching
was about two meters in length, with q
sword which measured about one meter.
After moments doubt and hesitation,
they drew the daggers with which they
had happily provided themselves, and
awaited the fish, planting their feet
firmly apart, watchful and terribly an1-
ious. Flight was impossible.
The creature, too, appeared unde-
cided, ard for moment seemed intent
upon making away from them. Then
he halted, aud momentarily looked at
them with his small dark eyes, where
upon he turned half round and made a
dart at them. He missed his aim, and
that was his ruin. The diver, who had
been anxiously watching his movements,
turned little on one side as the fish
came shooting past, and with strong
hand seized huld of his sword, which
was pointed at him, while with the other
he dealt the creature heavy blow on
the side of its head, infiicting a wound
of no small dimensions. The blood
shot out in streams, and was at once car
ried away by the sea water. A second
and third blow with the knife followed
in quick succession; the diver twisting
and turning in all manner Of ways, but
never losing his hold of the sword, while
the fish was plugging about in every di-
rection. Recovering from their dismay,
the divers companions all fell upon the
fish, and administered blows OF the
head, back, belly, and wherever posi-
bic. Still the strength of the animal did
not seem in the least to abate, until
we'll directed blow ripped open his ab-
domen, when the body turned on its
back and slowly ascended to the surface
of the water. All these actions were of
course accomplished with extreme ra-
pidity, or the result would probably
have been much less satisfactory.
None of the men thus happily freed
from this terrible danger felt in the
least inclined to encounter similar
hunting adventure, so orders were g iven
through the speaking tube to raise them
as quickly as possible.
After taking off their dresses, they
looked for the body of the sword fish,
which was eventually found, and the
sailors cut it up to divide amongst
themselves, the engineer claiming the
skin, which h. has had stuffed aud
placed in his study, in commemoration
of startling submarine adventure.