The Portland daily press., 1880-08-25
FOUR MEN AGAINST ONE FISH.
Adventures of New York Athletes Off
Cape Elizabeth

The New York Sun gives very interesting
description of sword fishing affair between
Biddeford Pool and Cape Elizabeth, which we
copy. The Sun says;
During the last three weeks party from the
Harlem Athletic Club and the Westchester
Hare and Hound Club, consisting of VIM. j.
Duffy, III. P. Aylsworth, Harry Treadwell,
Chas. Mettam, HI. o. Lyman and others, have
been rusticatlng at Biddeford Pool, and enter
tanning the visitors with marvellous feats of
strength and agility.
Pool, and he was forthwith hired by the party,
with the special proviso that they should do all
the harpooning. They set sail. Lots were
drawn to decide who should be the first har-
pooner, ana the luck fell upon Chas. Mettam,
the tallest of the party. A plank was rugged
along the deck, and on the way to the grounds
the new harpooner practiced on piece of gaff-
topsail boom, and every time he struck the
bulls-eye They had been out about an hour
when the man in the foretop yelled out "ish
on the port bow" and sure enough to the
windward something like knife was seen
cutting along through the water. Mettam
rushed to the bow, where he slipped but for
tunAtely fell astride the jibstay This little
mistake was rectifed and the harpooner in po-
sition, and in moment the fish was right
ahead. Wait till you are right over him,
whispered the Captain. The schooner shot
ahead. and in a moment more the iron shot III
to the back of the monster. 1t was dead shot,
The monster rose al least five feet from the
water and shot away in cloud of foam. Look
out for the linel" yelled the captain. Messrs.
Duffy and Lyman were all mixed up in the
rope-the former losing the leg of his panta-
looms and the latter being almost hauled over
by the rope-that was running over the side
like lightning. ''Get out the boat" and over
the dory went, manned by Treadwell, Duffy,
Lyman and Mettam. They scorned the idea
of letting the fish tire out by towing the keg,
and took it aboard the dory. In a moment
more the slack was used up, and, with jerk,
the Harlem Club went down in body all in
heap, and the dory, her bow half under water,
was rushing along, headed for the coast of
Spain, at about 40 miles an hour.
Get to the windward," roared Duffy.
Where is it?' responded Mettam, who was
half drowned by the water that was coming in.
1t was necessary to get somewhere. right
quick and finally they all got on the stern
and tried to bail out; and here it was discov-
cred that Knox's hats leak. The fish kept the
race up for an hour, going right through every
thing, leaving the schooner far behind. But
at length he showed signs of giving out, and
an attempt was made to haul in the line. This
started the sea monster again, and after short
heat he Gained down. The line was gotten
well in hand, and at last they got within TWEEN
ty feet of the fish and he was seen to be a
monster.
''Hold on said Lyman "dont let him
come any nearer" as the big fish gave -four
ish.
"Pull him in,.' yelled Treadwell who was
in the stern; but the fish had all the pulling on
his side, and he gave an angry lunge and I'M
der went the gunwale and the water came
pouring in. Off went the fish once more. =
''Cut the rope" shouted Duffy, as he shook
the water out of his watch.
But they hung on for an hour, the swordtsh
fooling round the boat, occasionally making
slash at the bottom. 1t seemed about month
before that schooner caught up with them, and
it was a hard looking crowd that climbed
aboard the schooner and threw the key aboard.
and it is not yet decided whether they caught
the fish or the fish caught them. In summing
up the damage it was found that Mr.. Mettam
had suffered black eye through the agency of
some ones elbow in the scuffle. Mr.. Duffy
was decked out in pair of one1egged panta-
looms, while Messrs. Lyman and Treadwell had
swallowed water enough to last them over
forty days. However, the hands of the vessel
here took hand and the fish was hoisted on
board and found to be very large. 1t weighed
800 pounds, and the saw was over five feet
long. The latter is in the repair department
of Tiffany & Co., and is to be mounted as q
memento of the exploits of New York athletes.