New-York tribune., 1905-06-04

The fishermen of Southern New-Englahd are
now sharpening their harpoons and getting
things in readiness for the swordhsh. me iisu
generally appear in the neighborhood OF SANDY
Hook early in June and continue along the coast
as far east Martha's Vineyard and NahtucAee Na
Shoals some having been caught as tar north as
Cape Sable, until about the middle OF Septeth-
Der, when the first cold wind causes them to dls-
appear, not to be seen again until the next year.
They also found occasionally off the South
Atlantic coast and as far south as the island OF
jamaica also on the Pacific coast at santa
Barbara Islands.
The swordfsh follows the schools OF men
haden mackerel bonito and blueflsh upon whlcii
they feed. In feeding they rise beneatn '!e
school, striking to the right and left win tiiei
swords until they have killed a number Wiiio"
they then proceed to devour at tnelr lelsul <
They are not gregarious, and it is the aiiiioS'
universal testimony of the fishermen thac t"o
are never seen swimming close togethet' oS-''9
generally thirty to forty feet apart
Young swordfsh are never seen on TINS coast
although thew are abundant in the Mediter-
ranean Sea A specimen weighing less tlai'
seventy-five pounds is rarely ever taken oy lis-l
ernen here. An adult swordfsh Will aVelase
about three hundred pounds when allNe' Ni iuoi
larger ones are not uncommon one "sAS 'ai>0
off Portland Me- in 1875 which was elsHI
feet long and weighed about SIN Nu'iO, -
mounds Another exhibited in TINS ci'S -"
wears ago, measured sixteen feet In length Otle
was killed on the shoals back of EdgartoWh'
Mass. which, when salted welgheo O'' p00'lN'1'
It's live weight must have been as much as seven
hundred and fifty eight hundred pou''0' 10
sword measured nearly six feet
A considerable fleet of sloops and schooneFS Vi
1ass than fftv tons engages in this fshefy ed0ii
wear the crew being composed generalN Vi
three men besides the cook and boy oh '"1
end of the bowsprit of the vessel IS ouil. .
framework of iron rods called pulpit ~
oontrivance is semicircular, and stahoS aoo''
three feet high. Across the ehds dio
and a board, much in appearance ike tho' 49,
in children's swings depends from the '0P -
The ironwork In this pulpit the hai ipooA'1,
sits securely lashed, so as not TO DC P+'N
overheard when the boat is jumping IN sea-
NOV, The harpoon has a pole OF hlchoiS VI
otbar hardwood about fifteen or sixteen lee'
long. the bark being usually lett on 80 "' ~
give a ffrmer grip. At the end OF the Poie 10 an
ton rod or shank about two feet long 1t Is
Fastened to the pole by means of conlcal VI
elongated cuplike expansion at one emu "liOA
fits over the sharpened end Of the poie' u "niON
it is secured by screws or spikes A hsH' iili0
10 attached to the head of the pole. Cpoi 'iie
end of the shank fits somewhat securely 'ii
head of the harpoon, known to the hsherllieii
as .'swordflsh iron," lilly IRON or indian oar'
It consists of a two pointed piece oil metal nav
ing in the centre. at one side, ring oI ~
whose axis is parallel with the long u,aliies go ~
the implement In this is inserted lIe @
the pole shank, and to it, or near H. -
tacbed the harpoon line. "he" '"0
once been thrust point first through soii.7 '0-N
substance such as the side of a fish, ana Is re-
do hV the WlthdTaWal OIL
tba ,ole from the socket it is free, and at once
turns its long axis at right angles to the dlrec-
tion in which the harpoon lire is pulling ana
tbus is absolutely prevented from withdrawal
AS a buoy is tied to the line attached TO the
HARMON iron. the movements of the fish after