The Portland daily press., 1895-07-20

me. We went to Rock Cod Ledge to
catch mackerel, taking harpoon. lance
and line with us. While on the ledge
fishing, we saw fin, supposed 1t to be a
shark, made sail and started for il
When 1 got nearer saw no shark but a
sword fish. He saw us and started away.
1 threw the harpoon and hit him in a
good place, giving him all the line and
holding on to the end. The sail was roll
ed up and taken down, the fish towing
the boat after him. After some time he
got tired, and we began to haul on him
slowly, coiling the line into the tub care
fully as we hauled When we got him in
sight of the boat he started away and we
gave him line clear to the end again.
Then saw his sword, and he was the
most wicked looking fish that ever put
eyes on. In fact was much afraid he
would come through the boat. We did
not haul on him again for nearly an
hour AS he lay motionless on the bot
tom we supposed he was dead, and hauled
him up carefully. When alongside and
the gaff in him, took the lance and
lanced him four or five times to make
sure he was dead. We had all that we
could do to get him into the boat. On
arriving home we took him into Mr.. x.
d. Atwood's fish market to exhibit.
When he was measured he was seven
teen feet in length. This was
THE FIRST SWORD-FISH
I ever saw landed in Portland. He was
on exhibition two days. The market was
crowded most of the time to see the mon
ster. The two days brought us in s1e7
in ten-cent pieces. Then he was skinned
and mounted. At that time there were
not ten pounds Of that kind of meat sold.
as people were not acquainted with it.
L would, when musters were in the city,
get tent of Mr. Fowler the sail-maker.
and putsit' on exhibition with life-size
painting of the fish on the outside of the
tent. I would take from $40 to $50 day.
After keeping it two years sold it for
$25.'
One of the greatest events that
ever happened in Portland harbor was
the blowing up Of the Caleb Cushing.
Capt Willard was an actor in the stir
ring event which he describes as follows
"On the morning Of the 9th of June,
1858 the city was thrown into great COM
motion by the news that the revenue cut
ter Caleb Cushing, had been taken out
of the harbor the night before by Lieu
tenant Reed, of the Confederate Navy
and his crew of twenty one and that she
had been sighted off Green Island by the
Observatory people.
"The story Of the daring seiz ure and
subsequent recapture is familiar to those
acquainted with the history of the OWL
War but may be new to some of my read
ers. Lieut.. c. W. Reed a commissioned
officer. OF the Confederate Navy was COM
mander Of the priyateer Tacony which
had committed many depredations on the
Northern coast and high seas and was al
den with considerable spoil. Learning
that Federal cruisers were after him and
fearing recognition as his vessel had be-
come pretty we'll known Lieut.. Reed after
capturing the schooner Archer of South
port ON the gath of June transferred
everything to her and burned the Tacony.
The Archer was then headed for Port
land for the purpose of cutting out the
Gushing then lying in stream and des-
troying the United States gunboats Pom
toone and Agawam moored at franklin
Wharf as we'll as other shipping that
might be found in the harbor.
'While on the way two Falmouth fisher
men Albert P. Bibber and Elbridge Tit
comb who were hauling their trawl in a
small boat about eight miles to the south.
east Of Damariscove Island were captured
by Reed whose intention was to use them
as pilots; but they refused to so serve and
were put in confinement About sunset
the Archer came to harbor to the east.
ward of Pomeroy's Rock off Fish Point.
At this place the privateer remained
waiting for an opportunity to carry the
audacious design into execution. The
clearness of the night it is believed de-
tered them from accomplishing the
whole of their daring purpose.
"About two O'Clock in the morning q
detachment from the Archer approached
the Cushing with muffied oars and board