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108 Swordfishingthe best, would have tempted men who the wheel, for I know the ways. It's awere far less hungry than we. Fishermenhard job, too."live well. Moreover, as the cook I knew that only too well. Of all posi­said, food is important in the day that tions, not excepting that of the harpooner,is dully spent. And to him, as to all exceptmyself, swordfishing was sheer monotony.the helmsman's task is the most arduous.It is bad enough with a quadrant wheeland a small catboat or sloop. With aWith cigars and corn-cobs we went on screw-wheel and a heavy vessel propelleddeck, and relieved the lookout and helmsman.by sail and power, with shouts of "port!"I took the wheel and the crew and "starboard!" coming from aloft likeclimbed back aloft. Near the horizon firecrackers, the man at the wheel has towas the dark line of an approaching exert strength, quickness, and skill, withbreeze. I watched it, wondering how no thanks if he succeeds, but bitter recriminationslong it would take for the cool air toif the fish escapes.reach the vessel. Suddenly I started and The cook turned to go below, but, asswung the wheel to port as a cry from the hot air rolled up from the hatchway,aloft reached me. A mile away, in the he remained for an instant to enjoy themidst of the darkened water where thebreeze was advancing, a cloud of spraysuddenly appeared, and a mighty, glitteringbody hurled itself into the air.The men aloft abandoned their carelessnew breeze before making the plunge."Hard a starboard!" came from aloft.The cook bounded aft. ."Close thathatch so's I can hear," he shouted, throwinghis whole strength on the wheel.attitudes. Standing on the cross-"They've raised one!"tree the skipper pointed to the spot. The The sloop turned sharply and the boomcook, summoned from his batch of dough swung over her deck. Like a spider on aby the sudden lurch of the vessel, came ondeck for a breath of air, slapping the flourstrand of web, the skipper detached himselffrom the masthead and came slidingfrom his hands. Smoke poured from the down the forestay into the pulpit. Thestovepipe, and his red, jolly face wasbeaded with sweat."It's kind of dry pickings," he observedpulpit, by the way, is the place where theharpooner stands when he directs theblow that may mean forty or fifty dollarsdolefully, seating himself on the wheelbox.to his vessel. An iron support comes up"It's late in the season. June and to his thighs. With his heavy weaponJuly are generally the best times. I'll poised, he waits until the bowsprit swingsbet you a good cigar that we don't make over the fish. Leaning outward he looksenough to pay our gasolene bill.""A fish just breached," I said encouragingly.like a preacher exhorting his flock, buthis language is apt to be different." We're close to the spot now." " Port!" came from aloft, and the writ­"That's a bad sign," said the cook. er sprang to the bows. Georgie, the impromptucabin-boy, was ahead of him." When they breach they're getting readyto clear out, no one knows where. And The skipper was ready to strike, his harpoonit shows they are lying deep. Like as notwas poised a foot above the water.when we pass over that fellow he'll be ten Down shot his arm, and the camerafathoms beneath us. I'd rather see no clicked as the harpoon, with a gratingfins at all than to see breachers." noise, tore its way through flesh and bone.And it seemed that he was right. We "Hard over! Do you want to foulcrossed our wake and doubled backward, the line?" the skipper screamed.swung widely to starboard and port, The cook leaned on the wheel and thewidened our circles from a two-hundredyardvessel responded. Seizing the keg ondiameter to one of over a mile, and which the harpoon rope was wound, hescoured the sea with our eyes to no purposetossed it into the sea. In the meanwhilewhatever." Well, I guess I'll go back to my baking,"the shank and pole of the harpoon werejerked from the fish's body, leaving thesaid the cook. "Call me if any-barb embedded in the wound. Astern,thing's up. I'm in charge of the deck the keg, which was attached to the barbwhen they've got a fish in sight. I take by a rope, commenced to spin and threw