The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-10-21
HOW TO CATCH swoRDFIsH.
Watch for Their Waving DorsaI Fin,
Then Spear Them.

This is the swordfish season. In
all that blue and dancing water Of
the open ocean between Montauk
Point, on the east end OF Long Island,
and Block Island, No Mans Land and
Martha's Vineyard. the swordfish is
at home in the summer months. That
is the grown-up swordfsh; nobody ev-
er saw really little one there. They
show up as visitors to this country
when they reach, say, rs pounds in
weight. 1t is said that the young are
found only in the Mediterranean.
How the mature ones learned the at
fractions of summer at the New Eng
land coast resorts is to be guessed
by those who have active imaginations
and how the fish find their way over
here year after year is equally puz-
cling.
They come and feed on the squid,
young mackerel and other objects of
interest that they encounter. This
fattening diet moves them along to
weight of sometimes as much as 500
pounds. With their swords and their
amazing powers of locomotion they
have no fear of anything, and they
lie on the top of the ocean as serene
as if there were nothing else in crea-
ton. The big black dorsal fin waves
gracefully to and fro in the air as the
fish lies there, and often the tail sticks
out almost as conspicuously. That
is what gives them away. 1t
seems almost incredible that on the
great expanse of the ocean so slight
an object should be noticeable, but it
is by discovering the waving fins that
the fish are found. The boat search
ing for them has lookout who scans
he is looking for. too. 1t indicates
that there must be lot of the fish
about.
After swordfish is sighted the next
thing to do Is to keep him in sight
until the vessel can be brought around
behind him. Usually she is moving
SO fast as to run past at first. Some
times the fish sees her and quietly
sinks himself out of sight, but usual
ly he stands by and the only trick Is
to keep the eye on him. The vessel
comes up behind to avoid disturbing
him, and when the bow Is directly
over his idle and impressive majesty
skilled hand takes UP lance and
drives it down into his back. The arrow
shaped dart at the end dislodges itself
from the shaft, which comes back to
the vessel, and off goes the swordfish
with the dart sticking to him like a
poor relation. He is no longer
sleepy and loafing idler. but f1agni-
fcent fish exerting all his enormous
powers to escape.
A cask is tied to the rope which has
the dart at it's other end, and when
the fish is struck the cask is thrown
overheard. Then away it sails, some
times out of sight and at other times
Swimming the water and making the
foam fly as it dashes along. In the
course of time the fish tires himself
so that a sailor puts out in a dory and
picks up the cask. Then he hauls
slowly on the rope and gently brings
his catch to the top. If the fish is
ugly, there is opportunity for a lot of
trouble But if he comes in peace
ably he soon gets cut in the throat
from a sharp knife and goes out of
business summarily. Then the weigh
ty body is hoisted aboard and the
prize is secured. New York has ho
fancy for swordfish steak, which is
mighty good eating, but Boston is
ready buyer. and the wholesale price
ranges from or to Is or 20 cents
a pound, according to the supply
Hartford Courant.