The Duel 



and either starved to death or became the prey of 

 predatory sharks. 



It is an interesting question to decide whether a 

 hooked swordfish is really trying to ram a boat when 

 it makes its sensational and menacing rushes on the 

 line. Anglers who have cut away from such fish in 

 Santa Catalina waters are confident that they are ; and 

 the number of small boats which have been struck by 

 the ordinary Eastern swordfish suggests that they are 

 a dangerous game, while the following incident, 

 reported by the Havana Post, points to the conclusion 

 that the tall-finned Cuban species at least, is game to 

 be handled with care. The Post states that at the 

 time of writing one Eugenio Martinez, of Casa 

 Blanca, a fisherman, " lies in the hospital at the town 

 of Cajimae for treatment from a wound received 

 from a swordfish. He was about three miles off the 

 Morro when he had a strike and hooked the sword- 

 fish, which towed the boat repeatedly for some time, 

 then suddenly stopped, turned, rushed at the boat and 

 jumped through the air, striking Martinez in the leg 

 and piercing it. The rush of the fish threw Martinez 

 overboard, but he never lost control of himself and 

 managed to again get on board." 



The most valuable swordfish fishing in the world 

 is that found in the vicinity of Block Island, Massa- 

 chusetts, where the huge Xiphias is followed by 

 swordfishermen rigged for the purpose with a " pul- 

 pit " on the bow. The fishermen pack the fish in salt 



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