Telegram-herald., 1891-09-07
BATTLING WITH A swoRofisn
Adventure ef Three M.a Ostsids the
0oiasa Cate

A huge swordfieh and three fisher
men had a terrible encounter outside
the Golden Gates. opposite Point
Reyes. early yesterday morning. dur
ing which Franc Pine. one of the fish
perInen. was severely wounded The
crew consisted of Franc Pine. .Pietro
Mottini and Joseph Courpinani. which
latter gives the following description
of the encounter and the manner in
which Pine received his wounds
I'VE left North Beach at B a. m.
and pulled our boat around to the
Point Beyes fishing grounds and were
engaged I'm hauling the nets about 500
yards from the shore. There was a
swell although the sea was not what
might be called rough.
suddenly there appeared about 25
yards from the port bow the huge
black dorsal fin of swordfish. II
remained in sight between the crest
of two waves only an instant. reap
penring again, coming directly toward
the boat. l warned my companion
and. arming myself with a large boat
hook, awaited the onslaught. The
black fin next appeared near the bow
of the boat, where / was standing,
and. aiming a blow at the fish.I sank
the point OF the hook TO the hilt In
its back.
1.-The monster lashed about with
its tail. churning the water in It's
agony into y 20 - - head and long
sword appearing above a wave. while
its large. round eyes were ablaze with
fury. 1t made a ferocious dash at
the boat nearly upsetting it. Mean
while Mottini had secured IN old har-
poon and. standing amidship. awaited
another attack. We had not long TO
wait. Suddenly the boat was struck
fairly on the bow and was raised out
of the water, sliding down the fish's
back as the shining monster rose like
n shot from the water, nearly upset
ting us.
For fully five minutes the fish cir
cled about the boat. which Pinto was
trying his utmost to pull into shore.
The fish gathered itself for another at
tack. and as II passed the side of the
boat Mottini sank his harpoon fully
six in hes into its back. The l h swan
a short distance of aud sank beneath
the surface, its course being marked
by n streak OF blood as il flowed from
the two wounds.
"While we were waiting for another
opportunity to jab the monster Mot
TIM noticed his head appear above
tho water on the port side OF the boat.
This time it dived again and struck
the boat a terrific blow just at the
water line, its long tusk or sword pen
etrating the planks as though they
were paper. Pinto was heard TO
scream as though he had been shot.
turned to learn the cause OF his cries,
when l noticed that the sword had
passed through the fleshy part oi
Pinto's leg, tearing the flesh and
crunthing the wood OF the boat as ii
passed out.
Water began rushing into the boat
through the hole. and the horror oi
sinking was added to the dangers
from the monsters. ! stuffed some old
sacks into the hole as quickly as pos
sible and handaged Pinto's leg. which
Was bleeding profusely. Mottini took
the oars and pulls with all his might
and main until we reached shallow
water, when we pulled to the Black
Point cove, where we removed our
wounded companion to his hut and
summoned medical aid''
Pinto's wound is dangerous; the ar
teries are severed and 1t will be almost
miricle If his leg Is saved.-San Fran
cisco Chronicle.