Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-10-08
MARINE MARXEI.S


from persons OF undoubted credit that in the Indian
seas this species has been found of such a size as
10 measure two iaihoms in breadth across the cen.
trail part, while each arm has measured nine fath
oms in length; and that the natives of the Indian
Isles, when sailing in their canoes always take care
to be provided with hotches, in order to cut off i'm
mediaely the arms of such of those animals as
happen to fling them over the sides of The canoe
lest they should pull 1t under water. The sober
minded Dr. Schwediawer in his account of n,nber
girls, read TO the Royal Society in 1888, makes men
ton of the tentaculum of the sepia octopoda, near
y twenty ieet long, which yet did not seem
to be entire This description certainly countenan.
ces the evidence brought forward by CLAUS Marnus
and other writer's, on this subject: and bears ont
shaw IN pronouncing that "the existence of some
enormously large species of the cutte-fsb in the
Indian and northern seas can hardly be doubted
and though some accounts may have been much
exaggerated, yet there is sufficient cause for belev
ing that such species very Tar surposs all that are
generally observed about theicoast of the Europeon
seas" The tragic narrative which tells the loss of
three OF Capt Denis men, has obtained general
credit; and its recorder, Denys Montfort. further
mentions, that at st. Mao there is an erroio met
ure, deposited in the chapel of ST. Thomas by the
fcrew OF vessel, in remembrance of their won
deriul preservation from a similar attack off the
coast OF Angola" LieiT combat terrible etLe pres.
SAINT danger q les dUot menaces dams &c desasireur
moment" An enormous cuttle-fsh suddenly threw
his arms across the vessel, and was on the point of
dragging 1t to the bottom, when the combined eff
iorts OF the sailors succeeded in cutting off the
tentacula of their dreadful opponent with sw ords
and hatchcts.
We have seen and admired the elaborate mo-
chansm Of some pretty large creatures of this tribe
but they were pigmes in comparison with the a.
bove; though with their tedious bodies gocrle
eyes, stringy arms, and spotted complexion. thew
cannot but prove awkward companions for swim
mers to encounter. Mr. Baker in the Pblosophi
can Transactions for 1885, states that the souid can
"by spreading Its arms abroad like a net so entan-
gle the prey they enclose when they are drawn TO-
gether, as to render it incapable of exertinr IFS
strength for however feeble these branches or
arms may be slngly their power united becomes
surprising" Indeed the close hurginp of its arms
and strong adhesion of its suckers must render the
efforts OF unarmed prey unavang, either for resis-
lance or escape. The horror excited from the en-
! brace OF such monster may be narmcd and
nothing but presence of mind and decisive prompt.
ness can avail the human victim; the only mode of
eXrlcatng himself, provided both arms are not vet
casped, is, by ripping open the body of the animal
with sharp knife, severiug the arms OF his for
midable enemy-the which, in such abhorrent com.
pany and under water is not of easy accomplish
ment. On the shores ofthe Lesser Syrtis we heard
some odd stories of these creatures but knowing
the well founded dread of the divers we considered
that their fears perhaps exaggerated the dimensions
and destructive attributes of the horrid poypi.-
Since that time, however, those parts have been
visited by Sir Granville Temple, who states how
highly dangerous they are to bathers; "an in
stance OF this" he continues occurred two years
since: Sandman captain, bathing at Jerbeh. felt
one OF his feet in the grasp Of one of those anmals
on this, with his other he tried to disenrage him
SELF but this limb was Immediately sezed by an
other Of the monsters arms; he then. with his
hands, endeavored to free himself but these also,
In succession, were firmly grusped by the polypus,
and the poor man was shortly after found drown
cd, wtIrnll his limbs strongly bound together by
the arms and legs of the fish and it is extraordi-
nary, that where this happened, the water was
scarcely four feet in depth" To this sad anec.
dote we will append more fortunate case. which
befel Mr.. BeGle, the well known cetologist on
South Sea Whaling voyage in 1881. lie relates it
thus:
"While upon the BONN Islands, searching for
shells upon the rocks, which had Just been left BY
the receding sea tide, | was much astonished by
seeing at my feet most extraordinary looking an
lmal, crawling towards the surf, which had lust
left IT, had never seen one like it under such
circumstances before; it therefore appeared the
more remarkable. 1t creeping on its eight
legs which, from their soft and flexible nature
bent considerably under the weight of its body. SO
at it was lifted by the effects of its tentacula on
y small distance from the rocks II appeared
much CHARMED at seeing me- and made every effort
IN
endeaVor to capture so ugly q customer whose nm
pearance excited feeling of disgust not unmIxed
with fear. l however endeavored to prevent its
career, by pressing one of its ers with nv foot
| but although made of considerable force for
that purpose, its strength was so great that il sew
eral times quickly liberated its member in spite of
all efforts | could employ in this way on wet slim.
perry locks lnow laid hold of one of the tentacles
with my hands, and held it firmly, so that the limb
appeared as If it would be torn asunder by our u
nlted strength. soon gave it powerful Jerk.
wishing to dsengage it from the rocks to which it
chung SO forcby by its suckers, which it chectua-
| ly resisted but the moment after the apparently
enraged animal lifted its head, with its large eyes
projecting from the middle of its body and letting
60 It's hold upon the rocks, suddenly sprang upon
my arm which | had previously barred to my
shoulder, for the purpose of hrusting it into the
rocks to discover Shells and clung with It's suck
ers to 1t with great power, endeavorng TO get lis
beak, which could now see between the roots of
It's arms, IN position TO bite
"a sensation ofhorror pervaded my whole frame
when found this monstrous animal had fixed it.
sell SO firmly upon my arm, Its cold Shiny grasp
was extremely sckenlng and Immediately called
aloud to the captain, who was also searching for
shells at some distance, to come and release me
from my disgusting assaant; he quickly arrived,
and taking me down to the boat during which time
| was employed in keeping the beak away from
my hand, quickly released me by destroying my
tormenter with the boat knife. when disengaged
it by portions at time, This animal must have
measured across its expanded arms about four
feet, whilst its body was not larger than large
clenched hand. 1t was of that species Of sepa
which is called by the whulers rock-Squid."
| DimnItve as this squid was, in comparison with
those OF which we have been talking, Mr. Beae
would have found it a still uglier customer IN the
water. The anecdote is interesting, and exhibits
lively picture OF q naturalist IN distress.
The OTHER CIVIL WAR IN ILLINOIS The
Springfield Register of the 18th ult. says: