Evening star., 1901-08-10
Novel and Exciting Battle OF the
Floridal Resf.
WAS ANYTHING Bur eHILD'S PLAY
A Big Fellow Hnat5Was Taken
With ROD and Line.
FURNISHED RARE SPORT

Written for The Evening Star by Prof Charles
F. Holder.
In drifting along the outer Florida reef
where it reaches toward Yucatan, polling
the dinghy with the grains or spear re-
versed, looking for game, the eye is con-
stantly regaled with new, strange and beau
tiful animals. The reef is garden be-
meath the sea. Here are groves Of coral
In almost infinite variety, among which
poise fishes of marvellous hue-the angel
fishes in red. gold, black and yellow; par
rot fishes in blue red and varied tints;
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. crazy quilts Of color,
while where the sea breaks upon the dead
coral rock and the water deepens are
groves of sea palms and fans in yellow,
brown, purple, lavender and red, forming
a panorama in which the unexpected is al
ways appearing or happening. The great
reef affords an interesting hunting ground
for the lover Of game out of the ordinary,
with the spear or line. Here basks the
black shark, its dark form plainly outlined
on the white lagoon bottom. Like ghost
the great whip ray flies along with bird
like measure, while In the deep channel, or
on its edge, turks the heavy Mexican bar
racoura-
In hunting for the black shark at the
head Of a long narrow lagoon on this reef
I had several times caught a glimpse Of q
huge fish which was so wary that It in
variably escaped without enabling us to
make it out Paublo thought it was q
large shark, while Chief was equally sure
that 1t was q sawfish. The, fish was often
lagoon, but would shoot away, making q
wide turn, passing us near the edge Of
the fringing reef, often with its back out
of water.
One morning I sent two boats up tho
lagoon and had my man scull me slowly
on the outside, so that we advanced in a
line abou. 200 feet apart. When quarter
of mile from Bush Key, which stood at
the head Of the lagoon, Chief, who was in
the center, waved his hand and pointed his
grains ahead, indicating that he had sight
ed the unknown. My man Immediately
stopped scullfng and We foated perfectly
moments we saw the ripple of large fish
coming down, headed directly for us. 1t
was swimming at rapid rate, evidently
looking for little channel, called the
water AS it came on I could see that it
was a giant; its broad back and long snout
stood out. and I assumed that it was
sWordfsh but moment later recognized
the saw and realized that the great crea-
ture was a giant sawfish.l
Hauled by, sawhsh.
The fish did not sees the boat until within
ten or twelve feet Of herr when 1t turned
quickly, and I succeeded in putting my
was unexpected, as the hsh rose, lifting it's
long snout clear of the water, and struck
a savage blow~at tho supposed enemy to
one side. then dashed away with great ve-
locity. carrying big wave ahead The 200
foot line was exhausted in a few Sec
onds, and when it came taut the dinghy
swung around with such force that we
most going overheard, In its wild rush the
fish missed the narrow channel which led
through the reef and swain directly down
the line of breakers, beyond which, two
miles distant, was the open gulf
The pace was terrific. We crouched in
the stern to keep the light boat from
sWamping, and even then she was almost
DOW under. After a race of perhaps a mile
we put out the oars and attempted to tire
the fish, but this had little or no effect, SO
we manned the grain rope and began the
tedious work of hauling up to the fish,
Ihe nrst move on our part spurred the fish
on to greater exertions and a powerful
swing to the right carried the bow under
bringing In a volume of water-unnecessary
ballast, as 1t proved. We kept astern as
far as possible. hauling the rope through
an eye Dolt In the bow, in this way gaining
fifty feet on the fish, which now, especially
when the oars. were backed, began to show
some evidence Of weakening. 1t gradually
slowed down. and thinking that we had It
we hauled the boat to within ten feet of
the fish, when 1t whirled violently, almost
capsizing the boat, and dashed on the back
track, bearing more to the left taking all
the line gained. In ten minutes 1t became
rose to within three feet of the surface
and then grounded. It soon shook itself
free and rolled over into small channel,
Into which 1t sounded, rising on the other
side and going at race-horse speed.
A Battle Royal.
Coming into shoal water again we took
the line and hauled. foot by foot. fighting
for every inch until the dinghy was directly
over the fish. The water was not over
three feet In depth and shoaling all the
time. and fearing that the fish would turn
again and capsize us sent the long, sharp
lance into 1t. It turned the fish like an
electric shock, and the wrench was SO sud-
den that the line fouled and the boat was
tipped over, filling at once, while I was
thrown into the water, which, however,
was but waist Deep The fish made a des-
Perate struggle to carry off the boat, but
hlled with water 1t was too much OF
load, whereupOn it doubled up, its long saw
and tall almost meeting, striking heavy
blows. The first came so near Paublo, who
was clinging to the boat. that it nearly de-
capftated him, and the frightened negro, in
trying to avoid the slashing cut, toppled
over backward into the water. I hauled
him away from the fish. which at the next
rebound struck the boat. sending its sharp
ivory-like teeth into the wood. breaking on
some.
Owing to the shallow water the fish was
now half exposed when 1t bent upward,
and as 1t Strengthened out Paublo threw
rope over the saw and hauled it down to
the gunwale, holding 1t firmly until the
lance gave the fish Its quietus and it drift
ed alongside. dead. The captive was then
towed slowly to neighboring key by tho
men, who Waded with the ropes over their
shoulders, where 1t was hauled upon the
sand and its huge size exposed.
Was q Big Fellow.
The fish was over twelve feet in length,
broad in proportion especially the mid
body, and from the head extended the
sword, almost like that .ot the swordfish,
though blunt and armed with twenty-five
pairs OF sharp and powerful spines. which
gave the snout the appearance Of double
saw and made 1t q weapon second only to
the sword OF the swordfish in its power OF
damage. Ta-TI3
The sawfish belongs to the order Of tho
rays, though In general makeup 1t resem-
bles shark or swordflsh.a The saw is its
weapon for obtaining food Rushing into
q schoo! OF mullets or other fishes. the saw
fish strikes from right to left with savage
blows, impaling some, cutting down others,
until the water is filed with silvery bodies
which the sawf1sh proceeds to collect.
Ther0 are dVo distinct kinds 0f these sin.