The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-09-29
~ These lines were written by venerable lady
Sixty-iye wears Of age.
[From the New York Mercury


TERRIBLE DISCOVERY ON TIE BOTTOM or TIE
sEA-A VICTIM OF TIE SCHILLER DISASTER
FOUND IN THE CLUTCHES OF A SUB MARIsE
MoNsTER-A BROTHER IN SEARCH OF A Sis.
TER HEART.RENDISG SCENE UNDER THE
OCEAN.
A Plymouth (Eng.) correspondent writes:
A most remarkable occurrence connected
with the wreck of the steamship Schiller has
lust come to light. It. is remarkable not only
for the manner in which it became known.
but also because it leads to the strange dis
covery concerning The existence Of carnive-
rous monsters inhabling the bottom Of the
sea. Naturalists must read this account
upon its publication in the Mercury with in.
terest, innsmuch as it will explain why so few
Of the bodies of human beings drowned in
fouudered ships ever come to the surface.
While portions OF wrecked vessels are
often found floating even in mid ocean, not
one in a thousand persons lost Is ever dls-
covered: vet natural causes, such us the
development Of gases by internal decom-
position, should bring the corpses 10 the sur
face in floating condition. II the world Is
to believe what two Of the divers who went
down to the bottom last week to examine the
wreck of the Schiller on the Rcterrier Lodges
tell of what they saw, and which experience
q
firmed with his life, the explanation is now
made that there are monsters OF the deep
who live on human flesh. The story is Il
brief one.
Mr.. Franz Hauser, whose body was buried
a few days ago at Penzance, near Lands
End. was native of Luxembourg. His
mother and two sisters were on the Schiller.
intending visit to their home, while he re-
manned 10 Iowa. Upon the news of the
wreck of the vessel he became so deeply af-
fected that he fell into raging fever. When
he became convaescent be made Inquiries
whether the bodies of his relations had been
found. He obtained no satisfactory ill.,
formation in the States, and at last re-
solved TO make a personal effort on the
spot. He came across the ocean and at
once went to PenZanCe, where ut last he
gained the certainty that neither of the
three corpses had been recovered. There
upon he employed two experienced divers,
purchased complete diving armor, and
submitted to course Of training under the
two men he had employed. AS soon as
able to move about under the water aud &C.
customed to the heavy suit, he determined
to descend into the sea where the Schiller had
gone down and search for his mother and
sisters. Several descents were made without
SllCc6SS-tUe lCluatUS vi tue SesSei were seen,
vet no body could be observed. But ore
day as the three men were silently moving
about among the Sharp.poined crags and
reefs, and being considerable distance
away from the wreck itself, Fra.,z Hauser
was startled by the sight Of what appeared
as the head of female form. 1t seemed to
hang from the top Of reef some ten feet
high. He directed the attention of the others
by pointing towards it. Slowly the three
stepped forward in the direction Of the rect.
Nearing the spot pitiful and heart-rending
scene presented itself. What was supposed
to be female head was such in reality.
yet little of the body 10 which it belonged
could be seen. The corpse was firmly held
in the clutches of gigantic cuttle.tiSh, Which,
with Its enormous arms and extended suck
ers, chung to it and to the sides Of the rock
like wild beast feasting on its prey. The
sight, say the Two surviving divers, wss
shocking, yet awe.inspiriug. They describe
the cuttle-iSh as having circular central
body that could not be less than four
feet in diameter, of greeDish black hue,
with alternating bright and dark spots,
and Shiny surface. 1t was rounded like a |
dome, and 1t seemed rs if a portion OF the |
human body mad been absorbed into it uy
the tremendous power Of suction this mon.
ster is believed to possess. Its arms-the
divers counted eisht-were apparently OF
immense strength, being over twelve feet
oDg, and judged to be not less than foot
q diameter where they joined the body.
some Of these arms chung to the unfortunate
'lctlm, others held fast to the protuberances
u the rock, and several were springiDg
through the water like the trunk Of an ele-
ohant, but twice its size.
Such was the view the three divers had as
hey approached this reef, and Frarz Hauser
made q sudden spring forward towards it, $
ut be was held back. His associates knew 4
nat by going any nearer they would expose 9
themselves TO attack from the monster, for !.
ihich they were nnprepsred. They gave the !:
goal TO the boat and all three were immedi.
tely hoisted up. Having the covering re- ,
iosed from his head, Franz Hauser declared !