Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-10-15
THE sWORDFIsH.

why II wpS go, WHeH ~ wac " -
going, .'me an my mate went out 20
ward Catalina fishing this morning.
and by 10 o'clock we hada matter OF ten
good sized fish, when ali at once they
let up biting, so sudden like, that says
.Ole man. meaning my partner, some
things gone wrong down below; the
bait don't suit, or something's up. Inc
ole man, he let on it might er been an
airthquake, as I've known fish to let up
bitin' after there's been a right smart
shock along shore, but somehow TINS
we're time l thought it was something
else, and, Judge, you're about right IN
tbjnkin' that struck it. We'd Jogged
along for two hours, off an' on, with an
by, when all at once felt pull, and a
second later was wraslin' with as
pretty barracuda as ever clapped my
thinkers on. | worked him in slow, as
he was a powerful chap, and had him
right alongside, when whisk! came a
big fish that shot clean four foot out OF
water, and jest fur one second l see that
barracuda, suspended like as on a
sword, and down they went. 1eS' l
got the barracuda, but when hauled
him in he was as dead as one O. these
we're Mexican towns, and-well, jest
take glance at him yourself.
The barracuda was fine one, about
four feet in length, but right between
the anal and pectoral fins was a terrible
wound, as if some sharp weapon had
been lunged through it, suddenly ana
without warning.
"What was it? Why, what could II
be but swordfish? and was mighty
lucky that it didn't take a notion 10
tackle the boar instead Of the fish. I've
seen them before, and when they are
about Pm for going ashore. Yes, sir;
that's what stopped the fishing that
morning. Fish won't bite when sword
fish are around. They keep shady until
thew get out of the way. The first one
| ever see was when was sealin' ene
year out around the Santa Barbara Is
lands. l was spulling along shore one
evening in small boat when saw q
seal give leap that should have said
on oath was five foot clear Of the water,
and the next minute the sword OF
swordfish shot up after it, just like n
streak of light; down they went, and a
minute later l see them come up togeth-
e.. and the fish caught the seal as IL
came down and pinned it as slick as you
could have done with a harpoon; and
then came the fun. Both were big,
powerful creturs, and the way they did
mound that water into foam was eau
ton to sinners. Ijust sot and watched
'em for ten minutes, and then as they
kinder Gained down hauled alongside
and found that the seal was about dead
and padding about. After | killed 1t
took it aboard, and it had hole right
through the skin. You see, for some
reason, the swordfish had made run at
it, and the weapon had caught and tile
fish couldn't pull it out, and that's what
made all the trouble. What makes a
swordfish tackle an animal it can't eat
is mystery I'd like to know myself,
but they 60 for anything from whale
to q ship.
"Some years ago was on schooner
that run up the Gulf of California, and
one afternoon, it being dead calm, hall
a dozen of us pulled in shore to go swim
ming, and while we were splashing
about and getting cool, Tom Kennedy,
the galley's mate, or duff tosser, as the
boys called him. or in plain English, the
cook, swan out to where the water was
about five feet deep, and began learning
to swim, holding an oar in his hands.
We didn't pay much attention to him
until all at once he let out big yell,
and began to club the water with the
oar and to make for the shore. We ran
out toward him, thinkingit was shark
or something of the kind that was after
him, but just then up came the snout OF
a big swordfish not three feet from
Toms side. As the head Of the fish
rose above water Tom struck it with
the oar, and minute later we had it on
the beach; a rouser, too, not less than
eight feet long. Tom said that when he
first saw it, it was coming for him like
a streak of CREASED lightning, and he
lodged it just in time to save himself.
The swordfish probably took him for
some enemy; but why they 60 for
things they can't eat is mystery, as l
said before. It's pretty sight to see .
sworafish feeding. They sight a school
of small fish, chase them awhile until
they get them all in q heap, and then
with a rush, 70 in and cut them down,
right and left, with .heir sword. They
do it Just for fun, as fish will cut up
four or five hundred small ones-when
they can only eat half dozen perhaps.
They seem to enjoy the sport Of seeing
them falling around them.
"sIf you want to see the swordfish in
all his glory Continued the fisherman,
syou want to 60 to the south seas, OF
down in the South Pacific. and / should
not wonder II they sometimes came up