Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-12-17
A Real Devil Fish.

| Rev. Mr. Harvey tells the story O
the devil fish seen off the coast of New
foundland. lie says two of our fisher.
men were out in small boat in Con.
ceptlon Bay. Suddenly they discov.
cred dark, shapeless mass floating
on the surface Of the water q short
distance from them. On approaching
u the men concluded it was huge
bale of goods, perhaps part of the car
go OF some wrecked vessel, and that
they had found valuable prize. One
of them struck the object with his
boat-hook, when suddenly tho dark
heap became animated, opened out
like hinge umbrella without handle,
and the horror stricken fishermen be.
held face full of intelligence but also
OF ferocity, and pair Of ghastly green
eyes g!aring at thcm, its huge, parrot
like bcak seeming TO open with saw
age and malignant purpose. The men
were pctrifed with terror, and for a
moment so fascinated with the horri-
ble sight that they werc powerless =
The eyes of the monster were peculi.
arly large and prominent, bright, and
apparently cleaning with rage. Be-
fore the fishermen could make any
effort 10 escape, the creature, now but
a few feet from the boat, appeared TO
open out, and suddenly there shot out
from around its face several long arms
of corpse-like fesbiness, graphing for
the boat and seeking to envclop il in
their liyid folds. Had these 1.-THE Shiny
arms, with their death-like, adho-
sivo, powers, once fastened themselves
on the boat or the men, nothing could
have saved them from destruction, for
when tho suckers with which they are
furnished have taken hold nothing can
tear them away. They would have
been brought in moment within
reach of the powerful beak which was
ready to dart upon them.
Only one Of tho longer tentaeula
reached the boat, and, owing to its
length, went completely over and be-
yond it. Quick as lightning one of
tho men seized his tomahawk, and at
one blow severed the corpse like arm
which was flung over the boat TO drag
il to destruction. Tho grcen-eyed
monster uttered 0 cry of pain, but dis
appeared beneath the waters, and the
fishermen, who had thus escaped from
q horrible death, found themselves in
possession of tho amputatcd arm-an
unprecedented trophy, for j bclicyo
no parallel occurrence is on record.
The portion of the kraken's arm
amputated by this rude surgical oper-
alton has been forwarded TO st. Johns.
l have just returned from careful cx-
amipation of it. ltmeasures nineteen
feet in length, and is tough and fibrous,
but not thicker than q mans wrist. -
The fisherman who acted as surgeon
declares that there must have been at
least six feet of tho arm left behind
attached TO the monsters body. In.
deed, am inclined to think from the
description that the dovil-fish must
have still ten feet Of his arm remain.
ing, making It's entire length twenty.
nino feot. lie could we'll spare few
feet, though bo will probably feel
awkard for time in graphing for his
prey, owing to the want of his fore
arm. Perhaps, like the lobster, bo can
grow new limb. But tho question
remains, What size is the body of tho
am unable to answer this
question With any approach to accur-
lcy but | am heartless enough TO
hopc that tho devil fish may die soon
3f tho wound inflicted by tho toma.
hawk, and that tho body may float
lsborc in Conception Bay. The ac-
,ount of tho fishermen in regard to
,bc size OF the fish is hardly reliable,
's they were sorcly frightened, but
hey describe it as forty feet in length.
This J consider is an cxaggcration, as
hc body of the cuttlc-dsh is small in
to the length Of it's tentaclcs.
The nmputated arm is livid in color,
pointed at the extremity, whore IL Is
severed with rows OF suckers, which
re car;ilaginous, horny, and about
hc sizc OF q quarter dollar. II
1t seoms TO me that tho arm OF this |
gigantic cutie which We now possess
s one Of the two long tentacula which ,
n certain species extend in tho midst
# the shorter arms, and which, like '
hom, arc furnished with disks or !
uckcrs. There are oight antcnpm in
II, two of them being much longer ,
han the others. BY means OF these
! can either anchor itself to the rock !
r grasp it's proy almost as quick as
ghtning at the distance of at least {
hrty feet. IL is evident that this is
far moro gigantic monster than oven
whifb Victor uugn daacr;hao =