THE GLADIATOR OF THE SEA 



oxir happy hunting-ground — ^because it was near 

 shore and oflF the usual fishing course out in the 

 channel — ^we ran into Boschen fighting a fish. 



This is a spectacle not given to many fishermen^ 

 and I saw my opportunity. 



With my glass I watched Boschen fight the sword- 

 fish, and I concluded from the way he pulled that 

 he was fast to the bottom of the ocean. We went 

 on our way then, and that night when I got in I 

 saw his wonderful swordfish, the world's record we 

 all knew he would get some day. Four hundred and 

 sixty-three pounds! And he had the luck to kill 

 this great fish in short time. My friend Doctor 

 Riggin, a scientist, dissected this fish, and found 

 that Boschen's hook had torn into the heart. This 

 strange feature explained the easy capture, and, 

 though it might detract somewhat from Boschen's 

 pride in the achievement, it certainly did not de- 

 tract from the record. 



That night, after coming in from the day's hunt 

 for swordfish, Dan and I decided to get good bait. 

 At five thirty we started for seal rocks. The sun 

 was setting, and the red fog over the west end of 

 the island was weird and beautiful. Long, slow 

 swells were running, and they boomed inshore on 

 the rocks. Seals were barking — a hoarse, raucous 

 croak. I saw a lonely heron silhouetted against the 

 red glow of the western horizon. 



We fished — trolling slowly a few hundred yards 

 oflPshore — ^and soon were fighting barracuda, which 

 we needed so badly for swordfish bait. 



They strike easily, and put up a jerky kind of 

 battle. They are a long, slim fish, yellow and white 



187 



