ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. , 131 
the harpooner. The harpoon-line is coiled upon the bow of the 
vessel, the buoy usually resting upon the bulkhead or close at 
hand. A second harpoon-line, attached to the reserve or second 
harpoon is coiled upon the other side. 
The struccure above described is usually called a “rest,” 
though not infrequently the “pulpit.”’ Captain Benjamin Ashby 
always called it the “ oresembo.”’ I was unable to obtain from 
him any derivation of this remarkable word. He informed me 
that he had always used this name because the thing looked to 
him as if it ought to be called by that name, and that he had 
never heard anyone else call it so except the members of his own 
crew, who had learned the word from him. This is a curious 
illustration of the arbitrary manner in which fishermen are ac- 
customed to coin names for new articles of apparatus. Although 
many archaic and provincial terms whose etymology is plainly 
traceable are in use among our seafaring men, there are numer- 
ous others for whose meaning and origin it would be vain to 
search. 
I have been unable to learn when and by whom this peculiar 
piece of apparatus was devised. 
MANNER OF CAPTURE. 
The swordfish never comes to the surface except in moderate, 
smooth weather. A vessel cruising in search of them proceeds 
to the fishing ground and cruises hither and thither wherever the 
abundance of small fish indicates that they ought to -be found. 
Vessels which are met are hailed, and asked whether any sword- 
fish have been seen, and if tidings are thus obtained, the ship’s 
course is at once laid for the locality where they were last no- 
ticed. A man is always stationed at the masthead, where, with 
the keen eye which practice has given him, he can easily descry 
the tell-tale dorsal fins at a distance of two or three miles. 
When a fish has once been sighted the watch “sings out,” and 
the vessel is steered directly towards it. The skipper takes his 
place in the “pulpit,” holding the pole in both hands by the 
small end, and directing the man at the wheel by voice and ges- 
ture how to steer. There is no difficulty in approaching the fish 
with a large vessel, although, as has already been remarked, 
