An Ocean Swashbuckler 



was something totally new in the angler's experience, 

 and he instinctively rose to his feet to see the game, 

 when a sharp, long-pointed object became visible 

 the weapon of the swordfish. Apparently it was 

 coming toward the boat, so the angler hesitated and 

 was in favor of breaking the line, but the boatman, 

 possibly seeing new laurels in the venture, urged him 

 to play the fish, which now turned and bore away 

 with a speed that made the reel sing and the line 

 whistle and hiss through the water. 



' You have him, sir ! " whispered the boatman. 



" He has me," was the retort of the angler, who 

 was pressing down on the thumb brake as hard as 

 his conscience would permit; and this was the truth. 

 Large tunas had been turned within six hundred feet 

 with the same tackle ; but the swordfish, so far as could 

 be learned, was not swerved a foot from its course. 

 It charged directly away from the boat at a mar- 

 velous speed, and in less time than it requires to think 

 it, the line became exhausted, snapped, and the first 

 swordfish hooked in these waters was away. 



This was the simple episode which aroused interest 

 in the possibilities of this sport. It is evidently a 

 question of line, and it is the opinion of some anglers 

 that with a full thousand feet the big fish might be 

 rounded up; and if once turned, the man at the reel 

 could control the situation. That there would be an 

 element of danger in this fishing goes without say- 

 ing, and is well illustrated by the experience of an 



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