Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-28
is A FEROCIOUS FIGHTER
a Full-Grown Swordfsh is Formidable
Monster to Encounter.
Wooden Vessels Are Completely at
Their Mercy-Alwnys Alert and
Very Difficult to Capture.


fierce creatures is so great that attacks
by swordfsh are included by insurance
companies among sea risks.
The power of the sword when the fish
are Infatuated Is demonstrated by we'll
authenticated cases where they have
pierced the sides of vessels, projecting
their weapon through the copper sheathing
and several inches of planks. In the Brit
ish museum there Is exhibited heavy
beam of a vessel pierced by the sword OF
one of these creatures. The swordfish
struck the ship when at sea with such
force that the sword could not be removed
without chOpping up the plank, ana ths
latter was taken from the old craft ana
preserved in the museum as curious speci-
men of the power of these creatures.
In this country there are regular sword
fish hunters, and they go about their work
with the same care and preparation that
land hunter would If about to engage with
a lion in his native jungle. The game Is
fully as dangerous to hunt and as uncer-
tain of capture
Without any cause whatever the sword
fish will sometimes turn on vessel and
attack it with savage ferocity. Old fisher
men say that 1t is seized with temporary
insanity, and attacks whatever appears IN
it's neighborhood. The large man-eatinS
sharks are its worst enemies, but When
seized with a fit of anger the swordfish
does not hesitate to attack the largest
shark.
Some terrible battles have taken place
between these savage monsters of the deep.
The shark endeavors to seize Its adversary
in its huge jaws, and the swordilsn, With
equal desperation, attempts to deliver
heavy blow with it's weapon in some vital
part of the shark.
These conflicts terminate var1ously.
While the sharks have been caught WIN
parts of the swordfish in their stomacns,
others have been found floating upon the
surface of the sea pierced through ana
through with the weapons OF their smaller
antagonists. In some instances the Two
have been found floating together me
swordfish hopelessly struggling to withdraw
the sword from the body Of its dead enemy.
King of the Sea.
Usually, however, the large sharks come
out victors and devour the swordfish, but
when the latter attain to twelve or fifteen
feet in length, as they sometimes do, they
are practically the king of the sea. They
never hesitate to attack whales, and by re-
peatedly stabbing these animals generally
retire from the combat victorious.
Old fishermen hunt them along the south
ern Atlantic coast both for their flesh.
which is highly palatable, and to protect
the schools of mackerel and bluetish from
their ravages. They are very fond of these
choice fish, and they congregate in num-
bers where schools of either mackerel
bluefish feeding. They rush among the
small fish and strike right and left with
their swords until they have killed dozens
of them. Then they proceed to devour them
at their leisure, and later follow up the
same schools for another meal. Sometimes
they strike the large bluefish with such
force that they throw them up into the air.
cutting them in two with one fell stroke.
The swordfsh hunters known the habits
and peculiar ways of their victims, and
they take advantage of every weakness OF
the enemy to prevent unnecessary danger.
cause of the peril of it, and in this respect
1t partakes more of the nature of a chase
on land for large game.
The fish is very alert and always quick
in its motions, and the uncertainty of it's
actions makes 1t dOubly difficult to capture
The sight of an approaching boat might
anger the creature so that ii would fly at
the craft furiouSly, or, again, 1t might take
no notice of it, or flee quickly from it.
On quiet days when the ocean is smooth
the sWordilsh loves to come to the surface
and swim slowly along, with portion of
its body out of the water. Hunters conse-
quently catch sight OF the prey when 1t IS
some distance off, and If light breeze is
blowing the vessel can sail down upon the
fish with ease.
Apparently the creature is very sleepy
and contemplative at times, for 1t takes no
notice of the boat until it touches Its body.
The hunter takes his position in the front
OF the schooner, with small harpoon in
his hand, and waits for his chance The
of the slowly moving fish. The harpoon is
not thrown exactly, but Is pushed forward
with sudden jerk of the long handle, SO
tnat the head strikes the animal close to
the back fin The pole Is withdrawn by the
harpooner, but the head remains in the fish
Immediately the latter darts forward,
terrified at the blow, and the long line is
run OUT as fast as possible. The sailors,
meanwhile, have transferred the other end
into small boat and in this thew hurried-
~ place themselves.
Is No Coward.
If the swordfsh simply swims straight
ahead. pulling the boat behind him, there
is little risk of danger. for In a very short
time he becomes exhausted and dies. Then
the creature is drawn up alongside the
schooner, and hauled on deck by a tackle,
But a large swordfish Is no coward
and even when its death blow has been
received it will not always weaken and
run away 1t very frequently turns an
gruy and savagely upon It's enemy, and
offers battle until the last breath.
Sometimes it attacks the schooner and
again the small boat. In either instance,
the onslaught is dangerous With a blow
that is tremendous it will strike the vessel
often sending her back to the harbor leaky
and haIf full of water If it attacks the
small boat, it not only drives a hole clean
through 1t, but sometimes 1t impales one
OF the hunters upon its sword. The boat
DSBiHS " SILK Immediately, ana the men
nave to scramble in the water for life
When the sword1sh strikes the small
boat 1t sends its weapon through the wood
work, and If the hunters are quick enough
they break 1t off with blow from the oar
In this way the fish is made helpless and
can easily be handled.
When deprived of It's only weapon the
creature can be conquered by swimmer
In the water. Its savage nature also seems
suddenly to die away when the sword is
Off or broken. 1t is doubtful If the sword
ever grows again, and the creature when it
escapes must spend a forlorn and helpless
lie ever afterward. 1t becomes a victim
to the mackerel and tiger sharks, who look
upon the swordfish as the most delicate sea
food.
The fish has long, 1.-the, muscular BODY.
with fins snugly fitting into grooves. and
Is perfectly adapted in every way for the
most rapid movements in the water Its
velocity when swimming at full speed is
said to be equal to that of a swivel shot.
and the shock Is as dangerous in its effects
as that of heavy artillery projectile
With its tremendous speed It can outrun
the swiftest shark, although the latter are
fast swimmers, and in battling with these
creatures it maneuvers all around them tn
the great bewilderment of the latter Usu-
ally 1t will strike the shark a dozen times
In as many different places before 1t is
destroyed by its heavier enemy