The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-25
An Unusual Advent Of Sword Fish
Off the Cape,
HAS HELPED OUT THE HAMPTON
BOAT MEN.
In this Time of Dogfish Depredations-
How those Fishermen Live-How the
Schooners Live-A Big Contrast.

Crews of Mackerel and Swordfish
Schooners Live-A Big Contrast
This is the time of year when the Hamp-
ton boat fishermen catch very few fish and
make very few trips, because of the dogfish,
which begin to make trouble in June, and
do not go away entirely until the middle of
August. They attack the fish that are
caught on the trawl-hooks and devour them.
and frequently tear away hooks and all.
1t is therefore fortunate indeed for these
fishermen when any unusual fish come to
this locality, and they can make occasional
hauls of great value.
sword fish appeared off the Cape shore
yesterday and Monday, and nearer than
they have been seen for the past five years.
George Horr, of House Island, caught one,
for which he received about SIS. Last Fri
day he caught two and received for them
S48 The price has changed very much
since then.
Herbert Gushing of Long Island, brought
in three yesterday, and got some thirty-odd
dollars. George Gushing got two, and lost
another. His young son was with him,
and while the father was in the bow fixing
the sail, the boy shouted, whats that
thing? Is it a shark?'' They had almost run
into sword fish. Mr.. Gushing threw his
dart. but missed, and the boy couldn't
handle the boat properly, and the fish soon
disappeared. ~
Alexander Newcomb, also got one of the
fish that proved to be worth $14 to him.
The mackerel schooner Henry Morgantfxl
came in yesterday after two weeks cruise.
They got no mackere1, but did get two
swordfish off the Cape and reported seeing
large school of them.
Yesterday little Hampton boat might
have been seen standing down the harbor
with pulpit on the bow. The ocean off the
Cape will probably swarm with the fleet
little fishing boats,ss because of this unusual
advent of sword fish. At least twenty sword
fish have been brought in by about eleven
Hampton boats from off the Cape, an I'M
usual occurrence.
The life of the Hampton boat fisherman
is probably more arduous than that of any
other. For instance, if it is possible to fish
and the man is industrious. he will leave
his home on Long Island at midnight or soon
after, and sail for the fishing grounds,
which are now some twenty-five miles out.
He will set his travis which may perhaps
be mile in length, and at least over half a
mile. That will take long time, and then
he will return to the first end of it. pull up
the fish and sail for Portland, where he
generally arrives about noon. If he has a
good wind home he gets there about five
O'Clock, and If he has two sets of travis and
somebody.else has beensbafting the other one,
in his absence, he can go to bed and start
out again the next midnight. Some do this,
but not many. and they not frequently. A
few years ago when fish were more plenty
and nearer shore. and when, therefore,
shorter travis were used, and the wives and
families of the fishermen could bait the
extra trawl in his absence, he could make
daily trips. But times have changed. An
Industrious fisherman may go two or three
times week and will make, perhaps. $500
in the season; that is, from April to Septem-
bere But few make that amount. Some are
too lazy, and when they get good hauls that
nets, perhaps, 500 or $50, do no more.fshing
till that is gone.
In the winter they go to the banks in the
big schooners, and are Of course very much
exposed to the weather. Also in the summer
season in their open Hampton boats. they
are exposed to all the weather there is and
have little comfort III their small craft.
How different is the life of the crew of a
Work when the quarry is discovered, and
then their work is exciting sport that they
all enjoy.
How different are the removing OF Shiny,
lifeless cod and maddox from the two or
three thousand hooks OF a trawl, to the
grand tussle with net full OF cleaning,
beautiful sea shad or mackerel, or the ex-
citing chase of the swordfish.
And no class OF people live better than
the crews of these schooners. At 4.30
O'Clock, yesterday afternoon on Commercial
wharf, one might have heard the cook of a
large two master ringing the bell for supper.
But why at that hour? because they have
four square meals day and sometimes five.
They have breakfast very early, dinner at
10 a. M, supper at 400 or ana another
meal in the evening and coffee pot is.kept
boiling ali the time, so that drink of coffee
is always ready. A landsman. who was in
vited to dinner on one of the schooners
the other day for the first time, REPORTS the
following bill OF fare Vermicelli soup,
roast beef roast pork. smothered paddock
very nice) string beans, cucumbers, green
peas, new potatoes, tea and coffee and