Fighting a Swordfish at Night 13 



shortly bailed out the boat. But it was different 

 here, and I had Joaquin break out two life pre- 

 servers and had them ready to fling at the 

 anglers as I thought they might need them if 

 the sea picked up as it generally did. 



There are various stories current at Avalon 

 about the dangers of the sport (the Smith- 

 sonian has a record of many attacks of sword- 

 fish on boats and ships), and a number of anglers 

 have broken the line, and retreated before the 

 menacing attitude of the fish. But this did not 

 worry Pinchot; what really worried him, was 

 Mexican Joe's eighteen-foot, snorting launch, 

 under my guidance. I was a sort of a wild 

 marine toro, coming at him from all directions 

 out of the darkness; now nearly aboard on the 

 top of a roller, now too much ahead, threaten- 

 ing the line, as the fish was constantly changing 

 its direction several points, and I was always los- 

 ing sight of them. Now I would stop twenty feet 

 from the flying skiff, and in backing off get 

 caught, broadside on to the sea, and nearly be 

 thrown out of the boat as she rolled. Then 

 losing them, I would slam back the lever, and 

 put the launch ahead at full speed, until Joaquin 

 in the bow would scream, " There they are ! " 

 and heading around to port I would stop her, 

 missing them by a few feet. 



It was wild sport, chasing Pinchot that 

 dark night in the San Clemente Channel. 



