Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-08-30

"Slack the main sheetl Keen 10,
off, screamed the skipper, as he drew
the stick from the dart, and shot away
from the pulpit
The huge fish seemed loggy. The linz
sped slowly from the tub, and the rraa.
red float was leisurcly heaved overheard
Soon the floating keg showed sign, If
life. The breeze had grown stronger
and the key was spinning along the wave,
an eighth Of a mile away like a wounded
duck.
THAT fish is going like the deuce"
said the steward.
Stand by to take in the key 70.
piled the skipper, as he put the helm
hard.a-lee.
The steward seized huge gaff hook %
the little schooner came about. She Wa,
put upon new course and gave chase To-
the kcg. 1t was stern chase, but short
one The key was hooked, and drawn
abroad The slack was taken in, and
pressure was put upon the fish. He made
slight resistance. The skipper dashed
the tiller, and came 10 the assistance OF
the steward. Hand over hand they pulled
in the monster. As he neared the vessel
the skipper shouted: ''Get the lance.
and stand by to give it to him"
The steward seized the lance and made
ready to plunge it into the fish as he broke
water. The steward was standing near
the foremost.
''Get aft, get aft!' roared the skipper,
$50 that you can give it to him good.
Aft went the steward. He stood with
raised lance. The huge fish nearcd the
boat. His great eye was upturned. He
seemed to sense the gravity Of the Si,ua.
ton in an instant. As the steward was
about to hurl the lance, the immense tail
dashed the water and filled his eyes with
brine. In a jiffy the monster was of
again. The skipper gave line slowly un.
til at least two hundred feet were taken
out. The fish went to the bottom and
tried to sulk. The pressure, however,
was too great.
All this time the schooner was slowly
holding her course with a dashed tillcr
Both men went at the fish with renewed
earnestness. They worked him from
the bottom inch by inch, holding what
they secured by pressure on the gunwale.
Finally the monster gave way. He came
toward the surface, appearing on each
side of the ship, and darting under the
dory trailing astern. Then he made
break for the bow, and for some minutes
kept neck and neck with the bOwsprit
He next stationed himself under the keel,
and kept Roadway with the ship. Again
he cssayed to reach the bottom. The
strain was too much. He took out not
more than fifty feet of line and rested.
His fighting spirit was gone.
''Now, rush him, rush him up!' cried
the skipper.
Hand over hand the fish was once more
drawn to the surface. AS the living blue
log rolled into sight beneath the waves
the skipper seized the lance and made re-
peated thrusts into its brain This
stunned the monster and made it sick.
1t vOmited a bushel or more of small fish
and rolled stomach upward. In a flash
the lance sped into its vitals. The water
was dyed with blood. Around the cnor-
nous tail went the blight of a rope, and
by the aid of a tackle block the game
was drawn on deck, its huge head rest
ing upon the bow bulwark. There was
a slight Spasm and the fish was dead. 1t
was over sixteen feet long and weighed
over 400 pounds. Its sword was nearly
four feet long and over four inches wide.
AS the great fish died it took on all the
colors of the rainbow. It's back, head
and sword were at first Of a beautiful
bronze, and its under side pcarly silver
in color. A dying dolphin alone could
have shown more lovely tints. The eyes
were exquisite. They were the size Of
ice cream plates. The pupils Were as
large as half dollars and as translucent
as moonstones. The tail was spread out
like the wings Of an eagle.
The huge fish was rolled forward and
covered with a tarpaulin. The decks
were washed, the sails set anew, and the
schooner Mystery sailed homeward, while
the red lights of setting sun ilIumincd
the ocean.