[47] MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF THE SWORD-FISHES. 335 
ship was struck by a large fish, which made the vessel shake very much. 
Thinking the ship had been merely struck by the tail of some sea-mon- 
ster, he took no further notice of the matter; but, after discharging 
cargo at Runcorn, and coming into the Canada half-tide dock, he found 
oue of the plank ends in the stern split, and on closer examination he 
discovered that a Sword-fish had driven his sword completely through 
the plank, four inches in thickness, leaving the point of the sword nearly 
eight inches through the plank. The fish in its struggle broke the 
sword off level with the outside of the vessel, and by its attack upon the 
ship lost nearly a foot length of the very dangerous weapon with which 
it was armed. There is no doubt that this somewhat singular occur- 
rence took place when the vessel was struck as Captain Harwood de- 
scribes.” 
Forest and Stream of June 24, 1875, recorded the following inei- 
dent: . 
“On Wednesday of last week a Sword-fish attacked the fishing-boat 
of Capt. D. D. Thurlow while he was hauling mackerel-nets off Fire 
Island, thrust its sword clear through the bottom, and stuck fast, while 
the fishermen took several half-hitches around its body and so secured 
it. It was afterwards brought to Fulton Market, and found to weigh 
390 pounds. Its sword measured 3 feet and 7 inches, and its entire 
length was over 11 feet. The stuffed skin will adorn the Central Park 
Museum.” 
The Landmark, of Norfolk, Va., also mentioned a similar occurrence 
in February, 1876: 
“The brig ‘P. M. Tinker’, Captain Bernard, previously mentioned as 
having arrived here from Richmond, leaking, for repairs, has been hauled 
up on the ways at Graves’s ship-yard. On examination it was discov- 
ered that the leak was caused by a Sword-fish, the sword being found 
broken off forward the bands, about sixteen feet abaft the forefoot. 
The fish, in striking the vessel, must have come with great force, as the 
sword penetrated the copper sheathing, a four-inch birch plank, and 
through the timbers about six inches—in all about ten inches. It oc- 
curred on the morning of the 25d of December, when the brig was eigit- 
een days out from Rio, and in the neighborhood of Cape St. Roque. 
She was pumped about 4 o’clock in the morning, and found free of water. 
About 6 o’clock the same morning she was again pumped, when water 
was obtained, and on examination it was found that she had made ten 
inches of water. The men were kept steady at the pumps until her 
arrival at Richmond, and while there, and on her trip here.” 
Mr. Willard Nye sends me this note: 
“‘ A few years ago Captain Dyer, of New Bedford, struck a Sword-fish, 
from a thirty-foot boat, forty miles southwest of Noman’s Land, threw 
overboard the keg, tacked, and stood by to the windward of it. When 
nearly abreast of it the man at the masthead called out, ‘ Why here he 
