The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-01-28
WHOLE NO. 1880.
SwOrdfsh.

Strange though the fact may seem,
the terrible swordfsh, of which we have
all heard so much, is near cousin to
the gentle and delicious mackerel.
The resemblance is scientific one, and
hence one that must be sworn by, for,
if scientists say thing is so, we mnst
take it for granted because they know
better than we. They tell us that the
swordfish and mackerel are as nearly
related as the dog and wolf, or the eagle
and hawk. The difference, leaving out
of the question that of size, which is of
no Importance from scientific stand
point, is mainly in the long, sword
like upper jaw, which gives the fish its
name.
A ilsh so curious as this could not
help attracting the attention of all OBJ
servers, and for this reason we see it
spoken of by nearly all the early writ
ers from Phny down. Christopher Co
lumbus in the height of his triumph as
a discoverer deposited in the old collie
glate church at Siena, in northern Italy,
where he was educated, memento of
his first voyage across the seas, consist
ing of the helmet and armor worn BY
the discover when he first landed in
America, together with the weapon of
warrior killed by his party, This wea-
pom is the sword of swordiish.
Members of the swordiish family are
found in all seas of the old and new
worlds, and is one of the most widely
distributed groups of fishes | have
seen them basking in the sun on the
surface OF the water south of New En-
gland, scores of them all around with
nothing but their dorsal fin projecting
above the water. They seem 10 enjoy
lying still in the sun as if asleep. One
day we wanted to get a specimen for
the National museum, so the long-boat
was put over from the steamer Albatross
and l was allowed to 60 with them
to see the sport. We rowed nearly hall
a mile toward the projecting fin, a sailor
in the bow, harpoon il hand, ready to
spear the unsuspecting fish as soon as
we were near enough. just as the har-
poon was hurled the fish made a dive
and barely escaped his death, for the
harpoon went true to the mark, but the
fish had gone. Another was seen in
the distance on the port side The boat
spun rapidly away under the strong
NAOiNSS VI OiiC o6tio. VIC llCdltu tUG
raZor-like fin. The sailor stood in the
bow until we were nearly upon the fish,
and then, just as it turned, rs if in idle
curiosity to see what the great moving
shadow meant, he hurled a spear, and
the next moment the huge fish sprang
from the water and with furious twist
tried to shake out the iron so firmly i'm
bedded in its body. So great was the
effort that it fell upon its side with
crash, and for a second was still. Then
with terrific plunges, dashing through
the water with tremendous force, the
fish disappeared from our sight The
line rushed out so rapidly that we could
not follow it as it swayed to and fro,
making the water fly like rain. If the
rope had been tied it would have snap
ped like twine. About fifty feet of rope
had gone out when six of the sailors
managed to get fair hold on the line
and matched their strength against that
OF one fish, | never saw six indlvid-
uals jerked around in more vivacious
manner. Now the sWordfsh would
land them altogether in heap, then
slacken up and take them unawares.
throwing them into the bottom of the
boat with force that the sailors did
not seem to enjoy. At times it would |
seem that all six must go overheard. |
and, indeed, believe they only saved
themselves and the rest of us from |
good wetting by letting 60 the rope en-
urely. This sort of fun was kept up tol |
about fifteen minutes, when the fish per.
ceptibly weakened and the long rushes |
to the right and left grew feebler and
feebler, until they ventured to haul in. |
At last the brute was alongside, and the |
sailors sat painting on their seats, not
anxious to try again. The monster was |
nine feet six inches long.