The Penn's Grove record., 1888-03-03
RAYS FROM THE SUNNY SOUTH
BrusIiy ut Fla,
E~I.-...- Tnkl.

Brusiiy ut Fla,
February 10th 1888.
Mr.. EDITOR. The temperature has
assumed its mol NAL condition from 65c
to 500 and we have an azure sky with
zephyr breezes. On Monday night Nep-
tune, the god of the SEA, aroused the
elements which submerged our fiotilla,
mourning a loss of one sail, 3 rudders,
II oars &c. The catch Of fish is decreas-
ing, Fenley and HARRISON having
caught the most during the week.
Mfr. Sparks had All exciting o
with two sword fish aud captured their
swords, ~ fe t long with so teeth on
each sword and the teeth II inches long.
According to Mr. Sparks's report the fish
would measure i'll length, including the
sword. Is feet. Mr.. Sparks holds the
two swords Us souvenirs OF his valUr
while sojouruing in the lands OF flowers.
The sword fist, ranges along the At
lantic coast of America from Jamica TO
Cuba, Bermudas, and Cage Brenton, in
tropical temperate seas. The various
names given the fish have references To
to its most prominent feature, the pro-
longed sword. Aristotle, the father OF
Zoology, called the same fish 2300 years
ago. sword fish, the ocean King fish,
and by that name i. has been know
ever since. 1t is called the emperor Of
the sea; is pngnacious ard being sup
piled with such IL terrible defensive
weapon other vorac,ous fish do 10 dare
to attack it. Their skin is phospi,or-
escent al night. Several have been la
ken weighing 600 To 1000 lbs. Al.
though such large fishes are not usually
welff Favored this one is c0nsideiei
palabable. Pieces OF the belly ami the
tail are especially rs, eeined. The fils
are sailed and sold under the iams
Gallo"
The ancient city of Sieua secluded
and almost forgotten mn ing the
hills of northern Ita:y sll0uld have n
peculiar interest for Americans. Here
Christopher Columbus WAS educated
and here in the height of his t,iumphs
as a discoverer he chose 10 deposit u
mementO of his first voyage across the
seas. His votive offering hangs over
the portal Of The old collegiate church
closed for many years and rarely visit
ed save bv .,nterprising American
tourists. 1t consists of The helmet and
arms worn by the dlscove er when he
first planted his feet on the New World,
his weapons and tiir, weap n of " war
rior killed 10y his party when approach
ing ilie Amei iGa,, coast and tbat wta-
pom was the sword of IL sword fish. IL
is not probable that Coiumbns or some
Of his crew, s~eafaring men of the M-di-
terran-an, had never seen tie sword
fish, still its sword WAS treasured by
them and has formed for mtre than "A
centuries Il striking feature in the best
preserve monument OF the discovers
of America.
The coming of the sword fish. upon
our coast is evident that they are in
pursuit of food. They prev upon tile
sch0als of mendaden, herring and mack
erel, which are s % abundant during the
summer months. Little is known re-
garding their time and place OF breed
ing. Ii is generally conceded that
they deposit their eggs i'll large quaiti-
ties on the coasts of Sicily. Old fish,
ermen on the Atlantic co ,st that have
taken and dressed them by the hundred,
never saw traces OF spa wn in them and
and the absence OF young fish aud
spawning females on uur coast would
indicate that they do not breed with us
and seems probable that they breed in
the open ocean. They frequent the
coast of Sicily in the spring where they
deposit their eggs on the bottom In
great numbers. The pointed head, the
fine of the back and abdomen snugly
fitting into groves, the absence of ven-
trails, the long 1.-the muscular body
sluping slowly to the tail lit it for
the most rapid and forcibie move
ments through the waters. 1t strikes
with the accumulated force of 20
double handed hammers. Its velocity
is equal to that of swivel shot and is NJ
dangerous in its fleets ms a heavy ar
tilleIy proj-ctile. Their encounter rs
with other fish and their frequent at.
tacks upon ships are ain ast ineredu-
l,us. What can be the inducemeiit
for 1t 20 attack objects so much larger
than itself is hard 20 surmise, YET the
couplet frnm ''Oppian' beautifully ex-
plains il.
Mature her bounty to his mouth confined.
Gave him a sword but left unarined his mind
1t seems as if temporary insanity
sometimes takes possession OF this fish.
II is not strange that when harpioned
it should letaliate by attacking its as
sailant, hut their are however many
instances of entirely uurroyoked as
saulted OH vessels at sea. Two fish are
never cen swimming close together q.
They are not u scloaling fish. The con
jugal affection and mnSriiislI devotion
of the sword fish have been the origin
OF many 81, timontal stories. When
the female is taken the male seems de-
void of fear, approaches The boat and
allows himself easily to he taken, sew
several of the s words taken from the
fish measured 4 feet in length. Many
attacks of sword iisl, on vessels are re-
corded and many vessels have been
sunk by them while Others have been
compelled to make the neares, port in
a sinking condition. There are lnstan-
cps recorded where they have driven
their swords Is inches through plank
| and timber.
On one occasion II sword fish ran his
sword soma two feet through IL fisher
! mans boat and stuck fast. The fish.
ermen frs made the sword. fast then
| took several half bitches around its
body and brought il to Fulton market.
II weighed 100 lbs. and the sword
measured 6 feet ; inches. LIS entire
lsngt WAS IL feet. Thu stuffed skin
adorns the Central Park musuem.
J. II. f..