THE ROYAL PURPLE GAME OF THE SEA 



and great opal eyes with dark spots in the center. 

 The colors came out most vividly and exquisitely, 

 the purple blazing, just as the swordfish trembled 

 his last and died. He was nine feet two inches long 

 and weighed one hundred and eighteen pounds. 



I caught one the next day, one hundred and forty- 

 four pounds. Fought another the next day and he 

 threw the hook after a half-hour. Caught two the 

 following day — one hundred and twenty, and one 

 hundred and sixty-six pounds. And then, Captain 

 Dan foreshadowing my remarkable finish, exclaimed: 



"I'm lookin' for busted records now!" 



One day about noon the sea was calm except up 

 toward the west end, where a wind was whipping 

 the water white. Clemente Island towered with its 

 steep slopes of wild oats and its blue canons full of 

 haze. 



Captain Dan said he had seen a big swordfish 

 jump off to the west, and we put on full speed. He 

 must have been a mile out and just where the breeze 

 ruflJed the water. As good luck would have it, we 

 came upon the fish on the surface. I consider this 

 a fine piece of judgment for Captain Dan, to locate 

 him at that distance. He was a monster and fresh 

 run from the outside sea. That is to say, his great 

 fin and tail were violet, almost pink in color. They 

 had not had time to get sunburnt, as those of fish 

 earlier arrived at Clemente. 



We made a wide circle round him, to draw the 

 flying-fish bait near him. But before we could get 

 it near he went down. The same old story, I thought, 



37 



