The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-08-07
Struggle with
a SWOrd-fiSh

Christopher Norwaugh, one of the
best-known fishermen in the feet that
halls from Block Island, had a terrific
battle with a 500-pound swordfish and
sustained injuries from which It is
thought he cannot recover.
During the struggle the fish rammed
the small boat in which the fisherman
was at work and sent its sword
through the hull and into the fisher.
mans body, causing a punctured
wound of the most serious character.
So severely injured was Norwaugh
that the island doctors thought 1t ad.
visable to send the patient to hospi.
tai for surgical and such other treat.
ment as the case might necessitate.
Norwaugh was one of the fishing
crew of the catboat Lindsey, Captain
Edwin Dodge The craft left Old Har.
bor in company with the feet about
sunrise, and when six miles south of
the wireless station Wallace A. Mitch.
ell, another member of the crew. sight.
ed a swordfish from the masthead.
The fish, the largest and most fero.
cious seen this season, rose at fun
length above the feathering seas to
the height of six feet a number of
times. The craft ran down toward the
fish, and Captain Dodge. in the "pul.
pit" made ready to harpoon the mon
ster.
AS the Lindsey's head pointed up to
the spot where the Ash was last seen,
Captain Dodge proceeded to haul 10
the line. The fish made no violent
demonstration until Il was within a
few yards of the small boat, and then
the struggle began The fish clrcled
The boat a dozen times as fast as Il
could swim, and then Il went out OF
the sea, clearing the small boat The
flsh's tail grazed the fisherman's head.
The monster dived deep and, turning
quickly came up directly under the
stern. The sword struck the bottom of
the boat with terrific force, penetrated
Il, entered the interior Of the fisher
mans left leg and was forced through
the feshy part. The point Of the
sword came out on the exterior of Nor.
waugh's leg at the hip.
The weapon with which the fighting
fish struck the man was over throe
feet long. and the wound Il made was
a tearing wound nearly thirty inches
in length The flesh and muscles of
Norwaugh's leg were torn from the
bone.
Mitchell saw the struggle between
the man and fish, and the crew of the
Lindsey went TO the rescue as soon as
possible. Norwaugh was found To he
terribly torn. and he was bleeding pro
fusely. II was feared he would bleed
TO death. The now was stopped. and
with the injured man aboard. the boat
made for the harbor under both sail
and ten.horse-power auxiliary. with
which the craft Is supplied. Nearly all
the way In the vessel was throwing the
sea over the bows. Everything de
pended upon the early arrival of the
craft in port whore n doctor could
dress the injuries of the fisherman
The Lindsey arrived here shortly after
noon, and Drs. Hustad and Champlln
attended he man.
They advised Norwaugh's removal.
and he was taken TO Providence on the
New Shoreham, and uDOn the arrival
ot the vessel the man was conveyed In
an ambulance to a hospital.
AZ this season the swords OF sword
fish are coated with slime. which Is
said to be deadly poison, and this pois.
Onous matter Is liable to cause blood
poisoning and probably death. Nor
waugh has family living on the
island.
A similar battle with a swordfsh
occurred off No Mans Land, forty
miles east of this place. three years
age The fish struck the fisherman.
killing him instantly. The body fell
into the sea, aud It is supposed sharks
seized II.
The fish that did the damage yester.
day was captured.-Block Island Wire
less Edition of the Providence Journal.