Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-16
"THERE SHE EINs,,,
Inc interesting Story of Swordfishing
on Georges Bank.

Hard a-port. There she fms" 1t
was lusty shout from the lookout.
aloft. andihe schooner promptly woii \
up Jed and Tom and Manuel. who has!
been lazily trimming swordfish blades.
sitting in the shadow Of the .'mainsl',
leaped to the rail and searched the
horizon for fins. Luke came tumbl!ng
out OF the 'focsle' accompanied by The
cook. and Silas took the other side If
the wheel and helped the skipper bring
the vessel around with that beautiful
curve IN the blue water that shows
how well she minds her helium.'
"Whereaway is she now. Bill?" sung
out the skipper as the Hannah ManlHy
came around into the wind. thumped
her jumbo block a few times. swung
over the booms. and stood off on the
other tack with a brisk breeze
Port er pint. putty nigh dead
ahead. Can't ye see 'cr yit, with er
fins a-stckin' out clear up to en-
back"
over went the wheel spoke or two.
and the striker in the ''puIpit' on The
far end of the bowsprit gave a glecfuI
grunt as he caught sight of the two
tclltale dorsal fins showing up across
the wash of a wave. The long
handled harpoon was swung from it's
resting place and poised obiquely
ready for a throw. Jed looked at the
line ana barrel attached to the steel
dart in the head Of the harpoon and
saw everything ready to east over
Tom and Manuel glanced at the dorirG
and stood ready to hoist ana lower
a ,vay if a c,rflxa ,r,ra made
There she is yelled the skipper.
and then they all saw the quarry.
comfortably summing itself on the sur
face Of the water. rising and falling
with the swell. unnindful of the dead
~ purpose of the approaching enemy.
Down hellum'' said the striker
quietly. but with suppressed excite
mcnt for it was now two days since
there had been any sport. and every
man of the crew. full of the VitaliZiuS
influence of keen ocean air and u
fresh beef diet. was spelling for a
fight. anxious for work. aching TO re:
into the game and DO something.
An right. steady now" said lie
striker. and the great purple mass Of
the fish was almost under the bow
wien ne raised the long harp"on fire."
from its rest. and poised ii moment
ready to cast. 1t was an anxious sec
ond or two. for there is always danger
that the prey may take fright and t:rt
away if the strike is delayed. But il
is unWisc To cast before the schooner is
near enough for sure throw. SO the
striker must keep his nerve and wait
until Just the right moment. IL was
here ut last. The missile flew through
the air nearly straight down. and
with a leap and Il splash the victim
dove ana ran. but could not shake off
the steel Dart or its pursuing line
over went the coil Of rope and the
barrel at the end Of it. followed in n
few seconds by the top dory in the
nest" with Tom and Manuel in IT,
Then the schooner came around. the
striker fitted another dart upon II s
HARMON. the lookout renewed his
vigilance and the man in the dory
picked IN the barrel and proceeded
loirurcly to haul i'm the slack line u
tind where the swordfsh was lurking.
From tho deck the others watched
them. After pulling in and coilin% nr
fifteen on twenty fathoms il suddenly
tightcned Tom took a quick twist
around his hand and braced back with
one big foot forward To bear the
strain. The dory was moving M INTO
the wind slowly ut first but with m
crraeing speed. ana as the schooner
luirrd To keep within hail Manuel was
seen to be making and lighting
cigarette with Portuguese skill in his
Zig red fingers ANA the submarine
motor was still plunging ahead like
steam engine ont into til" Atlantic
in the direction of the coast of SPAN.
After Il few minutes the speed grew
less. ana Tom could detect a lessemn.-
strain uron the line Manuel took the
oars. and when the slacknesS was
clear began to pull back away from IL"
fish Hes a regular ole fighter. and
he's acoin' to charge um, said TIE
skipper. watching from the main rig
pinc. where he had climbed for pot
ter view of the battle: and the pred'r-
ton was correct. Tom was hauling IN
thc slack rope hand over mana. Mahurl
was pulling steadily with the WIND. ms
oars flashing in the sun like sllNtr'
when suddenly the watchers on dtth
saw Tom step back in the boat ahu
rive n signal of warning 10 Nihh''i'
who also rose to his feet Ihch i''
hoot received a shock and Tom. WIN
his lance. made desperate lahs oN'r
thn side. The ole rascal has speafed
nm" said Luke. and then. as Tom pc
gan tn pay out the line. but he dldh '
bit nm fair. and now he's runnin away
agin.'
Again the boat was towed 4 furlong
az two once more the line Stacks. an"
tho vnaried fish is hauled up near the
boat where his captorS can see :'S
cleaning sides. one more spaSmoo'''
ctrurpIing rush. and he was ar iWh
clos. alongside. the deadly lance ana vs.
work in his vitals. and a rope ABOUT
his taiI dashed him ingloriouSly To ne
storm Of the boat still alive and VainiV
throwing his broad tail about, but ex-
hausted and helpless.
Tame enough was the remainder al
the task. Alongside the schooner 'he
four hundrcd-pound Nictlm W.
hois;od to the deck by tackle hooked
TO the lashings about his tail the
sword was chopped off before he mad
time to injure anyone in his struggles.
and all hands eagerly watched the
ofiinc for more 'fnnin. as th'
schooner cut through the ripping
brine. before a freshening breeze,
heeled well over and taking an orca-
sional dash of spray over the low,
l. ,J,Ntt y