Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-03-03
CHASING SWORD FISH
AN EXCITING AND DANGEROUS
OCCUPATION.

uuHtlHS tHe FISH OH tHe NeW Eng
land Coast - Its Strength and
Agility - A Terror to Other
Fish.
A sword fish, when swimming near the
surface, usually allows its dorsal fin and
portion of its tail to project out of
water. 1t is this habit which enables the
fishermen to tell when the game is pres
ent. The creature moves slowly under
ordinary conditions, and the fishing
schooner, with light breeze, finds no
difficulty in overtakingit. When alarmed,
however, it exhibits enormous strength
and agility. Sometimes it is seen to leap
entirely out of water. Its long, 1.-THE,
muscular body, with fins snugly fitting
into grooves, is admirably adapted for
the most rapid movement through the
water. Prof. Richard Owen, testifying
in an English court respecting its power,
said
"The sword fish at full speed strikes
with the accumulated force of fifteen
hammers swung with both hands. Its
velocity is equal to that of q swivel shot
and the shock is as dangerous in its
| effects as that of heavy artillery pro-
jectile."
The sword fish never comes to the sur
face except in moderate weather, accord
ing to DR.. G. Brown Goode. A vessel
pursuing them has always a man stationed
at the mast head, where, with the keen
eye which practice has given him. he can
easily descry the tell-tale, back fins at u
distance of two or three miles. When
the prey is sighted the watch gives q
shout and the craft is steered in the di-
rection indicated. The skipper takes his
place in sort of pulpit" so-called, at
the end of the bowsprit, armed with a
harpoon which has detachable head. He
holds the pole which forms the handle of
the weapon with both hands, directing
the man at the wheel by voice and gesture
how to steer. There is no difficulty in
approaching the intended victims with a
vessel of some size, although, curiously
enough, they will not suffer small boat
| to come near them.
Although there would be no difficulty
in bringing the end of the bowsprit
directly over the fish, q skillful harpooner
never waits for this. When the prey is
from to 10 feet in front of the vessel it
is struck. The harpoon is never thrown,
the pole being long enough to enable the
expert to punch the dart into the back of
the animal close to the back fin. When
the dart has thus been fastened to the
fish the line attached it is allowed to run
out, the pole being retained in the hand
As soon as the rope has run as far Us the
stricken creature will carry it the line is
passed into small boat which is towing
at the stern. Two men jump into the
boat and pull upon the line until the fish
is brought alongside, when it is killed
with whale lance stuck into the gills.
Then it is lifted upon the deck of the
vessel with tackle.
There are any number of stories re-
presenting the ferocity of the sword fish.
In several we'll authenticated cases they
are said to have pierced the sides of YES
sells, projecting their weapons through
copper sheathing and several inches OF
planks. Cases are on record OF the lind
ing of such swords broken off in the side:
of craft which had been pierced. What
the fishes which were thus deprived OF
their instruments of offense managed tc
do without them can only be imagined
There does not seem to be any reason
for taking it for granted that they could
grow others. Attacks by sword fish are
included by insurance companies among
sea risks.
Such large and formidable animal as
the sword fish can fear but few antago
nsts. Others of its own kind, horse
mackerel and sharks are its only peers
Doubtless the last are its worst foes. Ii
1864 there was exhibited to the Bostor
Society of Natural History the jaws of Q
shark in whose stomach nearly the whole
of large sword fish was found. 1t wa
a tiger shark, the most ferocious of 1T
kind, and ten or twelve wounds in it
flesh gave some notion of the conhic
which must have occurred. In 1878
small mackerel shark was captured il
Gloucester harbor, and in its nostril wa
found the sword, about two inches long
of Young sword fish When this wa
pulled out the blood flowed freely, indi
eating that the wound was recent. Ire
mendous combats have often been wit
messed between sharks and sword fish.
Sword fish are terror to schools o
mackerel blue fish and comparatively
small fry. They rise among the prey
striking to right and left with thei
swords until they have killed number
which they thereupon proceed to devour
Sometimes they appear actually t
throw the fish in the air, cutting them il
two as they fall.
Although hunting the sword fish is re
garded as profitable pursuit on tn
New England const, employing man
! vessels, it is not likely to bring about an
serious elimination of the game. On
reason is because their habits are sol
. tary. 1t is said that two are never see
: swimming close together. Although
number are apt to be found in the sam
) neighborhood, wherever the food the
, seek is plentiful, they never run i
! schools Considerable quantities G
= sword fish are annually salted in barre
, at New England ports. Being regarde
y delicacy they are in great demand i
Z certain sections, particularly in the Cor
8 necticut valley, where a barrel full ma
be found in almost every grocery store
, The fishermen have theory to the effet
that the sword fish can see nothing direC
:, tly in front of him, owing to the pecr
liar way in which his eyes are PLACED
> and it is stated that these animals or
sometimes approached and killed b
, hunters in skillfully managed skiffs.-
? Washington Star.