. It was the swordfish, and he took the bait
on the run. That was a moment for a fisherman! I found it almost
impossible to let him have enough line. All that I remember about the
hooking of him was a tremendous shock. His first dash was irresistibly
powerful, and I had a sensation of the absurdity of trying to stop a
fish like that. Then the line began to rise on the surface and to
lengthen in my sight, and I tried to control my rapture and fear enough
to be able to see him clearly when he leaped. The water split, and up he
shot--a huge, glittering, savage, beautiful creature, all purple and
opal in the sunlight. He did not get all the way out of the water, but
when he dropped back he made the water roar.

Then, tearing off line, he was out of the water in similar leaps--seven
times more. Captain Dan had his work cut out for him as well as I had
mine. It was utterly impossible to keep a tight line, and when I felt
the slacking of weight I grew numb and sick--thinking he was gone. But
he suddenly straightened the line with a jerk that lifted me, and he
started inshore. He had about four hundred feet of line out, and more
slipping out as if the drag was not there. Captain Dan headed the boat
after him at full speed. Then followed a most thrilling race. It was
over very quickly, but it seemed an age. When he stopped and went down
he had pulled thirteen hundred feet off my reel while we were chasing
him at full speed. While he sounded I got back half of this line. I wish
I could give some impression of the extraordinary strength and speed of
this royal purple fish of the sea. He came up again, in two more leaps,
one of which showed me his breadth of back, and then again was performed
for me the feature of which I had heard so much and which has made the
swordfish the most famous of all fish--he rose two-thirds out of the
water, I suppose by reason of the enormous power of his tail, though it
seemed like magic, and then he began to walk across the sea in a great
circle of white foam, wagging his massive head, sword flying, jaws wide,
dorsal fin savagely erect, like a lion's mane. He was magnificent. I
have never seen fury so expressed or such an unquenchable spirit. Then
he dropped back with a sudden splash, and went down and down and down.

All swordfish fight differently, and this one adopted tuna tactics. He
sounded and began to plug away and bang the leader with his tail. He
would take off three hundred feet of line, an