KILLED BY A SWORDFISH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1679, 5 October 1887, Page 3

KILLED BY A SWORDFISH.

In the last " Bulletin " of the United States Fish Commission, W, A. Wikox, m a letter to Professor Baird, relates a curious accident that befell Captain Langsford, as follows :—" The schooner Venus -is a email vessel of about twelve tons, owned and commanded by Franklin D. Langsford, of Lanesvllle (Mass.), with a crew of three men, engaged m tbe general fisheries off (he coast of Maesachuict a. On Monday morolag, Oth August, 1886, Captain Langsford sailed from home m pursuit of swordfish. About 11 am., when abont north cast from Halllbut Point, m Ipswich Bay, a fish was seen. Tbe captain, with one man, taking a dory, Have chase, and soon harpooned the fish, throwing over a buoy with a line attached to the harpoon, after which the fish was left and they returned to the vessel for dinner. About an hour later the captain, ■with one man, again toe k hia dory and went out to secure the fish. Pickiog up the buoy, Captain Langsford took hold of the line, pulling hia bost towards the ■wordfish , which was quite large and not bac'ly wounded. The line wbb taut as the boat slowly n eared tbe fish, whioh the eaptiln interred to lance, and thus kill it. When near the nab, but too far away to reach it with the lance, it quickly turned and iushed at and uncer the boat, throating Ub sword up through the botom of the boat 23in; Ab the fith turned and rushed towards the boat the line was suddenly slackened, cauelng the captain to turn over on his back; and while he was In the act of rising, the Bword came pleroing through the boat and into hia body. At this time another awoidfish was m sight near by, and the captain, excited and anxious to secu r e both, raised himself up, not knowing that he was wounded. Seeing tbe Bword, he seized it, exclaiming ; ' We've got him, any way 1 ' He lay m the bottom of the dory, holding fast to the sword until bis vessel came alongside, while the fish, being under the bost, could not be reached. Soon the qaptaln told ; 'I think lam hurt, and quite badly,' When tbe vessel arrived he went on board, took a few steps, and fell, never rising again. The boat and fish were soon hoisted on board, when the sword was (shopped eff to free the boat, and the fiah waskiltei on the deck of the vessel. The fish weighed 2451 b after ita head and tail were pat off and the vltcera removed, when alive it weighed something ove.r gOOlb. Qaptaln Laugaford survived the Injury about ihree days, dying on Thursday, 12th August, of peritonitis. The certificate ci Dr Garland, written on 15th August, is appended, giving some further particulars; and the sword haa been deposited m tbe United States National Museum*" — " Scientific Americas."