SWORD-FISH, SPEAR-FISH AND CUTIASS-FISH. 251 
as he stands on the bowsprit, and this is almost essential to success, 
although it is possible for an active man to harpoon a fish from this station 
without the aid of the ordinary frame-work. Not only the professional 
Sword-fishermen, but many mackerel schooners and packets are supplied 
in this manner. 
The Sword-fish 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 tiding are 
thus obtained, the ship’s course is at once laid for the locality where they 
were last noticed. 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 gesture how to steer. There is no difficulty in 
approaching the fish with a large vessel, although, as has already been 
remarked, they will not suffer a small boat to come near them. The ves¬ 
sel plows and swashes through the water, plunging its bowsprit into the 
waves, without exciting their fears. Noises frighten them and drive them 
down. Although there would be no difficulty in bringing the end of the 
bowsprit directly over the fish, a skilful harpooner never waits for this. 
When the fish is from 6 to 10 feet in front of the vessel it is struck. The 
harpoon is never thrown, the pole being too long. The strong arm of the 
harpooner punches the dart into the back of the fish, right at the side of 
the high dorsal fin, and the pole is withdrawn and fastened again to its 
place. When the dart has been fastened to the fish the line is allowed to 
run out as far as the fish will carry it, and is then passed in a small boat, 
which is towing at the stern. Two men jump into this, and pulling in 
upon the line until the fish is brought in alongside, it is then killed with 
a whale-lance or a whale-spade, which is stuck into the gills. 
The fish having been killed, it is lifted upon the deck by a purchase- 
tackle of two double blocks rigged in the shrouds. 
The pursuit of the Sword-fish is much more exciting than ordinary 
fishing, for it resembles the hunting of large animals upon the land, and 
