When Captain Cook, the famous navigator, sailed round the northern coast of New Zealand, he did not think, perhaps, that in years to come Cape Brett and Piercy Island (which he named after Sir Piercy Brett, one time Lord of the Admiralty) would be acclaimed as the finest deep-sea fishing grounds in the world. Such indeed is the distinction enjoyed by these sea areas to-day. Having, in my article in the last issue of the Magazine, briefly described the scenic attractions and quiet charm of the Bay of islands (named by Thomas Bracken the “Bay of Beauty”) and of Urupukapuka Island (named by Zane Grey the “Camp of the Larks”—these two places being famous for the sport of deep-sea fishing), I shall endeavour to deal more fully here with the art of swordfishing.

It is the ambition of most people who go to the Bay of Islands to land a swordfish with rod and line. In the first place let me ask: What are swordfish? The swordfish (xiphias gladius) is a fish allied to the mackerel, and is distinguished by having its upper jaw elongated into a sword-shaped projection.