The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-06-07
SWORD FISHING.
The schooners Are Leaving Now for Sword
Fish-Facts About this Kind of Fishing
A Story Illustrating the Danger of 1t.

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Fish-Facts About this Kind of Fishing
"A Story Illustrating the Danger of It.
The sword fishing schooners are being
overhauled and made ready for the trip
south to Block Island and that vicinity,
after the big, long-snouted fish. Several
have sailed within a week. To go sword
hshlng is in many respects more desirable
than to go after any other kind of fish.
1t is more exciting, and is really enjoya-
BILE sport, and as such appeals strongly
to the younger fishermen. The equip
ment, too, costs less than for any other
fishing. Each memb of the crew of
the schooner provides himself with 100
fathoms OF MANILA warp. This is a
small, strong line that is attached to
the dart. Each man has two of these
darts. They are nall metal spearheads
about four inches long. They are placed
on tie end of an iron rod about four
feet long This is fastened onto the end
of pole, 20 feet long. Such is the lance
or spear, with (which the swordfish is
stabbed from the stand on the end of the
bowsprit. The dart is left in the fish
as it is simply placed in securely in the
end of the rod. The rope is so fastened
in the middle of it that when the strain
comes the dart is turned around and
held crosswise in the flesh. The other
end of the rope is attached to a big
buoy. This is thrown overheard.
A ~
killed with small lance with one of
which each man provides himself. The
rope tie two darts and the lance cost but
four or five dollars. For a trawling trip
the equipment of each man costs about
$50. In the last year or two sword fish
ing has paid from $50 to SIS a month,
about the same or trif1s more than 9TH
er fishermen average, but the great OBJ
lection to sword fishing is it's uncertain
ty. There is limited market for it and
if the supply is large the price is low.
There is surer income from the prosaic
cod and haddock and bake.
A swordfisherman told the PRESS re-
porter the following story yesterday that
illustrates the possible dangers of spear
ing this fish from the end of the bow
spirit. He was out in a schooner with
but one companion. The small cord was
not available and he fastened rope Ean
inch in diameter to the dart. He struck
a big fish a little to the left of the vessel
The big rope caught fast on the right
of the bowsprit. His companion got
excited and instead of letting go the jib
to bring the vessel into the wind to stop
her as usual, he let go the foresail hal
yards. Then he got caught in the run
ming ropes and was helpless. The vessel
continued of forge ahead. The rope on
the dart fastened to the great fish on
one end and the schooner on the other,
was wound about the limbs of the man
on the bowsprit. and he was held as in
vise If his companion hadn't freed him
self from the halliards and if the fish
hadn't been killed instantly by the blow.
the mans legs would have bsen badly
injured. AS it was the skin was con-
siderably torn off. The dart struck right.
between the vertebrae, severing the
spinal cord and causing instant death.
Had the 400 pound fish been struck any
where else and swan away in it's agony,
the mans legs might have been cut off.