The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-16
sWoRDFIsH ARE FIGHTERS.
1t Is a Great Battle When Two of
Them Come Together.
From the San FRANCISCO Chronicle.

From the San Francisco Chronicle
A short time ago the attention of the
passengers on a steamer off the Southern
California coast was attracted by what
was evidently fight between two sea
monsters. What appeared to be a noun
tain of foam first caught their attention; ;
then an enormous tail was seen tossed
into the air. Then the monster preached
and rolled over and over beating the
water into foam with resounding blows
that could be heard mile or more with
the wind. Nothing but the great black
mass could be seen, and for twenty minu-
ties the strange sight continued, to the
wonderment of the vOyagers.
If the steamer could have approached
they would have witnessed a most I'M
equal struggle between a large whale and
foe of insignificant size. Beneath the
water several swOrdfsh, or possibly one,
were literally prodding the large animal
to its death, running their sharp swords
into its unwieldy form until the creature
was in perfect fury, and could only fling
its huge tail about In lmpotent rage. Such
incidents are by no means rare at sea, and
the presence of the swordtish as the cause
of the trouble is often disputed. but in
nine cases out of ten it is the offender
Enraged for some reason at the presence
Z.
sending its sharp sword into it, and in
some instances producing its death. The
unrelenting and ferocious nature of the
swordhsh is not generally known, but the
latter may be set down as among the most
dreaded of all fishes, considering the
damage it does and the havoc it PLAYS
among other fishes. II may be said that
the fish Is utterly without fear and will,
like a Cape buffalo or a rhiuoceros, charge
ANYTHING that nffpDHC tho in nj
often doing an amount of execution hardly
to be believed did not the evidence exist.
The COmbats with its own kind are
most interesting, and may be compared to
two expert swordsmeD who have rushed
to the contest, not with foils but with
rapiers, and fence for blood. Such con-
test was observed in California waters
not long ago. Some fishermen noticed two
big fish leaping out of the water
and dashing along at the surface.
Soon they saw that they were
swordfish. The season was when the
fish are supposed to be pairing, and the
males are unusually ferocious. They had
made several rushes, and when observed
were at close quarters, striking each
other powerful side blows like cavalry
men. This was unsatisfactory, and fin
ally they separated and darUed at each
other like arrows, the water Kissing
as their sharp dorsal fins cut
through it. They evidently struck
| head on, one missing, while the
sword of the other struck just below the
eye and plowed a deep furrow in the fish
partly disabling it, so that it turned and
| attempted to escape But its adversary
now thoroughly aroused, also turned, and
with a rush drove its sword completely
through its body, and, despite its strug-
giles, held it fast, only wrenching its
weapon loose when its enemy stopped
swimming. This one lunge had finished
| the battle, and the victor left the field
The vanquished, floating on the surface,
was picked up by the fishermen. The
writer later observed the wounds, which
gave ample evidence of the ferocity of the
attack. The force with which a sword
tsh strikes has been VariOuSIy estimated ,
| but that IL is equal TO that which drives
24-pound shot from a howitzer can be
believed from viewing the results.
In the waters of California at least
three kinds of sword fishes can be seen
Aiphius gladius. Tetrapturus albidus, and
Histophorus gladius. The two former
have been observed by the writer The
| fish engaged in the battle described were
OF the kind first named. 1t is the ordi-
nary sword fish found on both sides of the
Atlantic, in appearance trim and ship
shape-a Verltaole pIlvateer 1t is a Di-
ratical cousin of the mackerel. The
on ming ASASAA = 10 VIC ohOEus WHICH Is a
continuation of the upper Jaw into sharp
bone sword. The jaws are toothless, the
lower one being hard or horney. The
eyes are large and prominent the tail
sickle-shaped and powerful and the whole
appearance of the tish denotes speed and
activity. II attains a length of from five
to nine feet, and when working at full
speed, can pierce any ship OF wooden hull
sheathed with copper. Many remarkable
instances OF this are known. and there is
hardly week in the year but something
Of the kind is recorded by shipping
agents.
one of the most remarkable cases on
record is that of the ship DreadnauRht.
One day, at sea, the crew felt a sudden
shock, and soon after that the ship spranp
leak and was obliged to put into port,
IL was found, when she dry-docked. that
a large swordtsh had struck her.
one of the finest specimens of the Tet-
rapturus albidus ever seen in California
waters was found recently by the writer
IN a little bay on one of the islands off
shore. III was magnificent specimen
about six feet in length, the body mas
sive and powerful, and remarkable for its
shape. II did not taper to the tail. as
many Of its tribe do, but continued large
all the way TO the tail which was now
erful organ. 1t had a long dorsal fin al
most the entire length Of the back. and
its sword was short Evidently ID had