The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-01

oIg -uuHcO fellows IN the mdIASiS oA
Boston. Portland. Providence and New
London. The flesh brings from twenty
cents pound in June to ten and
twelve cents through July and August,
when it is most plentiful. Not less
than one hundred and fifty vessels are
engaged in swordfishing each season
along the New England coast between
the province of New Brunswick and
Long Island
With the summer guests these trips
are the most wildly exciting sport 10
which they have ever lent hand.
They find much to wonder at in the
strong, clumsy fittings of the little
sloop in which they embark. The long
bowsprit, with the basket-like iron
''pulp pitt where the spearman stands.
the heavy lines and bright painted
buoys, are all new to them The har-
poonsman takes his place in the pull
pit" and, shading his eyes with one
hand. peers far ahead into the heaviny
green waves. Long before the city
man has been able to see anything bnt
the tossing water and sail-dotted hori-
zon the watcher las hallooed to the
man at the tiller, and the. small Graf.
turns and darts off on a new course.
The long rope has been shaken loose,
and the red and white buoy made fast
to the farther end, and now all are in
tent on the eager figure on the bow
spirit. Then the stranger sees the thin,
snaky tracks that the swordfsh leave
behind. and next he catches a glimpse
OF three of the big gray fms circling
across the bow. Tom, that is the bows
mans name, with the shining lance
poised, bends far forward. There is a
fash of silvery light. and then a wild
furry of foam and bubbles where the
sworGfsh, cut to its vitals. has plunged
down Quickly the ten-fathom line is
run out and overheard plunges the gay
colored buoy. While the novice eyes 1t
bobbing and dancing along the surface,
he is surprised they do not start in pur-
suit. They'll mighty soon tucker him
out" says the captain, AN thar's suth-
in else fur US ter be a-doiE'.'
The hesitatfng stranger is invited to
try his hand at happening after a
couple of fish have been taken, and
with fear, and yet longing to try it,
he accepts. Clambering out along the
bowsprit, he braces himself in the ''pul-
pit" and grasps the heavy lance No
buck fever ever disconcerts hunter
any more than the sight of the sharp
fin approaching co2fuses him He
hears family the cries of the capn and
Tom to wait till yer see the teeth on
the sword-' and '.hev plenty er slack
line ter throw He sees as An dream
the waves and the foam, the big fish
self and throws. All the strength of
his right arm he puts in the stroke,
snd as he draws back the wooden shaft,
he sees the seething circle where his
prey sank down and hears Toms hearty
"Good, sir; mighty well put"
Danger enough, too, there is in this
sport, for times unnumbered have en-
fishing craft. With the land twenty or
thirty miles below the horizon. and no
boats near, the thought of being
preached by sword is no happy fancy.
From two or ten fish in a single day
the vessels capture, and oftentimes,
cruising on the shoals where a big
school of them are feeding. sees all
around him the bright-painted buoys,
green and white, blue and yellow,
black and white, and red and gray, all
colors and all devices, each belonging
to some different schooner. Long be-
fore dark the work of harvesting the
dead begins. The keen eyes Of the old
hands at the business can tell several
hundred yards away their own buoys.
They also know many of the others.
''Thar's Their Molly, of New Bedford"
Or Here's the John Belts, of Martha's
Vineyard, they will call as they pass
the familiar colors.
OWhen on long cruise the vessels al
ways stand by and finish off each fish
Is soon as he weakens, and drag him
lboard for fear of having 70 go out of
heir course or return TO pick him up
T left to die. The fish weigh from two
hundred to four hundred pounds,
houQh it is rare to take one OF over
hree hundred. The huge game, after
)eing hauled aboard, is packed below
ieck in ice. Occasionally sloop viii
.ome in with twenty or more, and this
S considered great luck, and Of course
means good money to the fisherman.
The weather is often very rough SO far
outside, and the swordhsherman must
,e prepared to weather the worst storms
N the coast. II any one thinks he has
the most thrilling moments
II enjoyed the greatest fun in landing
APRON in Florida, or salmon in Canada,
et him on any windy day, when the
wells are running high on the shoals
nd the seagulls flying low, cling to |
ne spray-dFipping bowsprit Of little /
mack and harPoon q Block island /
yordtsD