Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-12-07
IAE SWORDFlSAA.
4 DANGEROUS Enemy when Encount.
cred In the Open Sea.

eTeQ In S0e VpeA sea-
A full-grown swordfish is q formid.
able enemy to encounter upon the
open sea, and the danger to wooden
ships from these fierce creatures is 90
great that attacks by swordfish are
included by insurance companies
among sea risks.
The power Of the sword when the
fish are infatuated is demonstrated by
well-authenticated cases where they
have pierced the sides of vessels, pro-
jecting their weapon through the cop
per sheathing and several inches Of
planks. In the British museum there
is exhibited a heavy beam of 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 with
out chopping up the plank, and the
latter was taken from the old craft
and preserved in the museum as
curious specimen Of the power Of
these creatures.
In this country there are regular
swordfish hunters, and they 60 about
their work with the same care and
preparation that land hunter would
il about to engage with a lion in his
native Jungle The game is fully as
dangerous to hunt and as uncertain
Of capture.
Without any cause whatever the
swordfish will sometimes turn on q
vessel and attack it with savage feroc.
itv. Old fishermen say that it is seiz-
ed with temporary insanity, and at
tacks whatever appears in its neigh
borhood. The large man-eating sharks
are its worst enemies, but when seized
with a fit of anger the swordtish 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 swordfsh With equal despera-
ton, attempts to deliver a heavy
blow with its weapon in some vital
part Of the shark.
These conflicts terminate variously.
Nnile the sharks have been caught
with parts of the swordfish in their
stomachs, others have been found
floating upon the surface of the sea
pierced through and through with the
weapons of their smaller antagonists.
In some instances the, two have been
found floating together, the swordfish
hopelessly struggling to withdraw the
sword from the body of its dead en-
envy.
Usually, however, the large sharks
come out yictors and devour the
swordfish, but when the latter attain
to twelve or fifteen feet in length, as
t " sometimes dc, they are practical
ly the king of the sea. They never
hesitate to attack whales, and by re-
peatedly stabbing these animals gen.
orally retire from the combat victor
i0us.
Old fishermen hunt them along the
southern Atlantic coast both for their
flesh, which is highly palatable, and
to protect the schools of mackerel and
bluefish from their ravages. They are
very fond Of these choice fish, and
they congregate in numbers where
schools of either mackerel or bluefsh
are feeding They rush among the
small fish and strike right and left
with their swords until they have
killed dozens Of them. Then they pro-
coed to devour them at their leisure,
and later follow up the same school
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 know the
habits and peculiar ways of their vic
Tins, and they take advantage of ev-
cry weakness Of the enemy to prevent
unnecessary danger. The pursuit of
the creatures is exciting because OF
the peril of it, and in this respect il
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 uncer-
tainty of its actions makes it doubly
difficult to capture. The sight of an
approaching boat might anger the
creature so that it would fly at the
craft furiously, or, again, it might
take no notice of it, or flee quickly
from it.
On quiet days when the ocean is
smooth the swordfsh loves to come
to the surface and swim slowly along,
with portion of its body out of the
water. Hunters consequently catch
sirht of the prey when it is some lis
tancr off, and if a light breeze is
blowing the vessel can sail down upon
the fish with ease.
Apparently the creature is very
sleepy and contempIative at times,
for it takes no notice Of the boat until