The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-18
Concerning SwOrdnsh.

The swordtish is considered very good
eating by some, though the flesh is
coarse. aud there is rank fish taste
that |. for one do nol like But for
this purpose he should be caught Young.
There Is qnite an industry in southern
New England devoted 10 sworCifis hing
The Sw0rdfish never comes To the sur
face except in moderate weather, and
the small vessels cruise around near
shore i'll the Summer whenever abund-
ance Of food indicates that they ought
10 be found. \ man at the masthead
keeps Il lookout for the dorsal fin.
which. with his keen. pracliccd eve, he
can see at distance of two or three
miles. When one is sighted the watch
sings out. and the skipper takes his
station in the bow in the pulpit. with
the harpOon in his hands When the
vessel is within ten feet Of the fish it is
struck, not by hurling the spear. hut by
Il sudden plunge which huries the iron
head into the flesh on one side of the
high dOrsal fin. The pursuit of the
swordtish is much more exciting than
ordinary fishing. for it resembles the
hunting of large animals upon the land.
and partakeS more of the nature of the
chase. There is no slow and careful
batting and patient waiting, and no
disappointment caused by the acci-
dental capture OF worthless bait
stealers. The game is seen and fol-
lowed and outwitted by many tactics.
and killed by strength Of arm and skill
The swordiish is a powerful antagonist,
and often sends his pIuSuer's 5 vessel into
harbor leaking and almost sinking. [
have known 4 vessel To be struck bv
wounded swOrdtish as many as twenty
times in one season There is ever the
spice Of personal danger to give SAVIOR 10
The chase. for MEN are occasionally in
jnred by The infuriaIed fish One man
was severely wounded by swordfish
who thrust his beak through the oak
floor of 4 boat on W hich he was stand
ing and penetrated about two inches in
his heel y strange fascination draws
men Ia the pursuit when they have once
learned its charm An old fisherman
who had followed >wordiishing for
twenty years said that when he was on
the cruiSing-@rOuud he often tl>hed ali
night in his dreams. and many a time
he has bruised his hand. and rubbed
the skin of his knuckl,-S by striking
Them against the ceiling .of his bunk
when he raised his arms to thrust the
harpoon into visionary monster sword
fishes.
The pu"nacin of the swordiish has
become 4 hp word. and many are the
instances of furious attacks and deadly
encounter Of which this fish is the hero.
A mo>i curious ca~,- came up before the
Court Of Common Pleas in London some
Years aou-rtther an old place bY the
waS-fOr inquiry into the natural his
Tory of fishes. An English vessel, the
Dreadnaught. was fishing in the open
SEA. when one of the crew hooked a
swurdtish. Ziphias, however broke the
line, and Il few moments after ieaped
half out of the water. with the object, it
should setm. of taking Il look at its per
Secltor. Probably he satisfied himself
that the enemy was some abnormallY
large cetacran. which il was his natural
duty TO attack forthwith. Be this as it
may, the attack was made. and at
O'Clock the next morning the captain
was awakened with the unwelcOme III
telligence that the ship had sprung a
leak. The insurance company was
willing 10 pay the damages claimed bv
the owner if it could be proved that the
hole was made by a swordfish, basing
the defense upon the assumption that =
swOrdtish could not Withdraw its sword
after once imbedding it. Prof Richard
Owen said: lit strikes with the ac-
cumnlated force of fifteen dOuble-headed
hammers. Its velocity is equal to that
of swivel-shOt. and is as dangerous in
its effects rs Il heaVy-artillery projectile"
Neither he nor Mr.. Buckland could
state positively whether the fish could
withdraw its beak after passing it
through three inches of stout planking
The swOrdfish has little backing
power. but might succeed in ''wriggling
its sword out of the hole" Be this as it
may. the insurance company had 10 pay
nearly f6oO because an ill-tempered fish
objected 10 being hooked.