The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-24
FOR YOU.
Uarpooniue SwOrffish.

The rare and thrilling sport, ana lucra-
tive business too, along the coast JUST
now is that Of killing swOrdash. SAYS
Norwica Comm correspondent. 10 chase
and harpoon a swordfish was uhth Tess
than half a dozen years age the sport
exclusively Of summer oilers at seashoFe
watering places; but since the world mas
learned TO like the flesh Of these armed
puirates of the ocean, many ioASsbofe
fishermen have found IL profitable TO hunt
them for the New England markets New
York alone either has not tasted TINS
FISH for food or else rejects 1t. ana IL Is
said that not swOrdhsh finds us way 10
metropolitan tables In New England
however. IL is esteemed TO be second IN
merit only to blue fish. and thick, saw
DRY, white, juicy swordhsh steak is rateu
far more highly than halibut STEAK Inc
fish are hunted I'm deep waters, ABOUT
twenty or thity miles southeast OF BLOCK
Island, along the inner edge Of the CUR
streams. To these waters little Meet
OF embellishments smacks and sail
boats bound away from the grty old port
Of StoniLgton, Ia the southern part OF this
country, once or twice a week and return
n few days later, their decks piled with
the long. raklsh bodies Of from hftcen 20
forty swordhsh, each Weighing from -
10 400 pounds. The biggest fellows taken
off the coast sometimes weigh 500. Most
OF the fish are shipped direct 10 BOSTON,
and one daH this week not less than sixty
four fish. weighing from go TO 400 pounds
were sent to that market from New Lon
don alone. Block Island also sends out
n swordhsh fleet, which makes handsome
catches, and Captain Frank Dodge, OF the
island, has successfully used a steam
yacht in hunting them this week. lie
took twenty-seyen big fellows on his
first trip
There Is plenty Of peril as well as hot
excitement I'm taking one Of the giants,
stree, mad with pain and rage. IL often
turns upon the harpOOner, who goes out
from his vessel in a rowb0at 20 deal the
finishing stroke 20 the one that has been
harpooned after It has exhausted itself
In furious rushes about the sea, and not
unfrequently II drives its sharp. slender
sword through the craft and sometimes
impales the boatman. few days ago
a swordhsh smashed a Stoninston rowboat
belonging 70 the Matte and Lena vessel
and barely missed piercing the body OF It's
owner. who leaped swiftly asern. sew
eral Block Island fishermen have felt
tie thrust of a swordfshs weapon in
their limbs, and no longer ago than last
summer a 400 FOUNDER drove his sword
through an islanders fran craft and
pinned him by n thrust through his
hip 10 his boats side. Three years ago
an islander was killed in the rush Of one
Of the fish. The sword was driven up
through the bottom Of the craft and
It pierced the mans abdomen. Never
theless II is fine sport TO hunt the big
fellows. and the city guests at the south
ern Connecticut resorts and at Block
Island are not content until they have
participated i'm a sWordfsh hunt. Sword
fish are ready to attack anything that
swims, even sea fowl afloat: they glide
stealthily upon their prey, their back fin
alone showing above the surface Of the
ocean, and in a battle they use their sword
not to pierce their victim as a rule, but
to deal swingr-. slashing blows, both
above and below water. exactly as troop
er brandishes his sabre They cut 10
pieces a school OF fish or a covey Of birds
I'm few seconds, and often broad patches
Of the ocean are Redeemed with the blood
Of their victims. Like the black bass,
they slaughter more game than they can
hope 10 devour. and after they have COM
pleted a conquest, they fail TO and greedily
gorge themselves with the fruits Of it.
They hunt mcnhaden or mOssbunkers
m1-e pecially.--New York Tribune.