Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-23
NAUTICAL BATTLE ROYAL.
Swordfish and Shark Attack a Whale
-Champion Fish Story.

Swordfish and Shark Attack a Whale
Champion Fish Story.
One of the rarest as well as one Of
the most thrilling s~pectacles ever be.
held by a human being was witnessed
off the coast of Alaska by DR.. and
Mrs. L.. Webster Fox. of Philadelphia,
who have Just returned from the
Klondike. In a sea dashed by many
big fish they saw a thrasher shark
and a swordfish attack a whale, and
in a long and terrific battle slowly
hack the great cetacean to death.
Not only DIR. and Mrs. Fox, but an
entire shipload of passengers were
spectators at this combat. So furious
was the attack and SO agile, despite
their size, the warning fishes, that to
the witness it first appeared to be a
battle between prehistoric monsters.
Or. Fox's Story of the Fight.
The fight took place on a Saturday
afternoon, August 20. shortly before
we entered Juneau" said DR.. Fox.
We were on the steamer Cottage
City, Captain Wallace, travelling north.
ward through that wonderful inland
sea which stretches 1000 miles from
Vancouver to Skaguay.
AT 2 o'clock we were leaving Ad-
miralty island. The sheltered sound
grounds for countless whales, and on
this memorable afternoon we had
been running through a school scat
tered on either hand, blowing and div
ing and sleeping on the surface.
Someone on board shouted that a
thrasher was attacking a whale. The
ships speed was slackcned, and as
the eager passengers crowded to the
rail II gave a list to port. Man has
never witnessed a more fearful con-
fict than that which occurred the
next half hour.
leaped Like a Brook Trout.
The thrasher Is a most peculiar
fish. While it is in shape the counter
part of a shark, its main weapon of
o%ifense. instead of its mouth, is its
tail, the tips Of which are as hard
as bone.
Before the startled whale could
get into motion the long. black, fail
like tail we had seen poise and strike
repeated blows three or four times in
quick succession. The report of ey-
cry blow came to us across the wa
ter as though a man had slapped his
thigh with his palm in our midst.
Then the whale dove, and II was
plainly his intention to sweep the
enemy from his hold by a rush. But
neither fish remained under water
long. With a leap like that of a mon
ster brook trout the whale cleared the
surface, and for an instant formed a
huge arch. He was free of the water
from his head to the tip of his tail. AS
he dropped in again he began TO
squirm and struggle and churn with
his tail, until the sea seemed TO boil
for the space of an acre or more.
Swordfish Joins in Fight.
Notwithstanding that up to this
time we had noticed only the whale
and the thrasher shark, 1t quickly be-
came apparent that a third combat.
ant was in the field. This combatant
we soon learned was a swordfish, the
thrasher's inevitable hunting compan'
ion.
The s~wordfsh grows TO q length oil
twelve and fourteen feet, with a
sword three or four feet long, but
small as he is in comparison to the
whale, he is capable Of doing terrible
execution with his weapon. 1t Is an
established fact that a large sword
fish can ran through eight inches OF
oak.
when the combat had continued
for fifteen minutes the shark accom-
plished what appeared to be his OBJ,