THE ROYAL PURPLE GAME OF THE SEA 



thing except tuna or swordfish, and up to this visit 

 to Clemente he had caught many tuna, but only 

 one swordfish, a Xiphias. This is the broadbill, or 

 true, swordfish; and he is even rarer, and certainly 

 larger and fiercer, than the Marlin, or roundbill, 

 swordfish. This time at Clemente, Boschen caught 

 his first Marlin and it weighed over three hundred 

 pounds, leaped clear into the air sixty-three times, 

 and gave a spectacular and magnificent surface fight 

 that simply beggared description. 



It made me wild to catch one, of like weight and 

 ferocity. I spent several more endless days in vain. 

 Then on the twenty-fifth day, way off the east end 

 of Clemente, we sighted a swordfish with a tail 

 almost pink. He had just come to those waters 

 and had not yet gotten sunburnt. We did not have 

 to circle round him! At long distance he saw my 

 bait, and as he went under I saw he had headed 

 for it. I remember that I shook all over. And 

 when I felt him take that bait, thrill on thrill elec- 

 trified me. Steadily the line ran off the reel. Then 

 Captain Dan leaned over and whispered, hoarsely: 



"When you think he's had enough throw on your 

 drag and strike. Then wind quick and strike again. 

 , , , Wind and strike! Keep it up till he shows!" 



Despite my intense excitement, I was calm enough 

 to follow directions. But when I struck I felt no 

 weight at all — ^no strain on the Une. Frantically I 

 wound and jerked — again and again! I never felt 

 him at all. Suddenly my line rose — and then, be- 

 wilderingly near the boat, when I was looking far 

 off, the water split with a roar and out shot a huge, 

 gleaming, white-and-purple fish. He blurred in my 



