Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-10-01
DEVOURED BY A CUTTLE-FISH
Terrible Discovery on the Bottom of
the Sea.
From the New York Mercury.


From the New York Mercury.
A Plymouth (Eng.) correspondent
writes: a most remarkable occur
renee connected with the wreck OF
the steamship Schiller has just com.
to light. 1t is remarkable not onl,
for the manner in which it became
known, but also because it leads to
the strange discovery concerning the
existence of carnivOrOus monsters in
habiting the bottom of the sea. Nat.
uralists must read this account, upon
its publication in the Mercury, with
interest, inasmuch rs it will explain
why so few of the bodies of human
beings drowned in foundered ships
ever come to the surface. While
portions of wrecked vessels are often
found floating in md ocean, not one
in thousand persons lost is ever dis
covered; yet natural causes, such as
the development of gases by internal
decomposition, should bring the
corpses to the surface in floating
condition. If the world is to believe
what two of the divers who went
down to the bottom last week to cx-
anime the wreck of the Schiller on
the Rcterrier Ledgcs, tell Of what
they saw, and which experience a
third young man, who was with them
confirmed with his life, the eXplana-
ton is now made that there are mon
stcrs Of the deep who live on human
flesh. The story is brief one Mr..
Franz Hauser, whose body was bur
led few days ago at Penzance, on
Lands End, was native of Luxem-
burg. His mother and two sisters
were OH the Schiller, intending to
visit their old home while he remain
ed in Iowa. Upon the news of the
wreck Of the vessel he became so
deeply affected that he tell into IA
ging fever. When he became con-
valescent, he made inquiries whether
the bodies of his relatives had been
found. He obtained no satisfactory
information iii the States, and at last
resolved to make n personal effort on
the spot. He came across the ocean,
and at once went to Penzance, where
at last he gained the certainty that
none of the three corpses had been
recovered. Thereupon he employed
two experienced divers, purchased a
complete diving armor, and submit
ted to a course Of training under the
two men he had employed. AS soon
rs he was able to move about under
water, and became accustomed 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 desccnts were
without success; though the remains
of the vessel were seen, vet no body
could be observed. But one dav, us
the three men were moving silently
about among the sharppointed crags
and reefs, and being considerable
distance away from the wreck itself,
Franz Hauser was startled by the
sight of what appeared as the head of
a female form. 1t seemed 10 hang
from the top of a reef ten feet high.
lie directed the attention of the 9th
ers by pointing towards it. Slowly
the three stepped forward in the di-
rcction Of the reef. Nearing the
spot apitiful and heart-rending scene
presented itself. What was suppos-
ed to be a female head was such in
reality, yet little of the body to which
it belonged could be seen. The
corpse was firmly held in the clutches
Of 4 gigantic cuttle-tish, which, with
its enormous arms and extended suck
erS, clung to it and to the sides of the
rock like 4 wild beast feasting on its
prey. The sight, say the two surviv-
ing divers, was shocking, yet awe-in-
spring. They describe the cutie
fish rs having Il circular central body
that could not be less than four feet
in diameter, of Il greenish black hue,
with alternating bright and dark
spots and Il Shiny surface. 1t was
rounded like dome, and it seemed
as if portion Of the human body
had been absorbed into it by the ire
mendous power Of suction this ami
nal Is believed to possess. Its arms
the divers counted cight-werc ap-
parently Of immense strength, being
over twelve feet long, and judged to
be lot less than foot in diameter
where they joined the body. Some
Of these arms clung to the untortu-
nate victim, others held fast to the
protuberances of the rock, and sever
al were swinging through the water
like the trunk Of an elephant, but
twice its size
Such was the view the three divers
had as they approached this reef, and
Franz IlauSer made Il sudden spring
forward towards it; but he was held
back. His associates knew that by
going any nearer they would expose
themselves to an attack from the
monster, for which they were unprc-
pared. They gave the 81 gal to the
boat, and all three were Immediately
hoisted up. Having the covering re-
moved from his head, Franz Hauser
declared that he recognized in the
female face one Of his sisters, and he
was determined to descend again to
rescue her body from being devoured
by the submarine monster. His wish
was not gratiiicd, however, he being
too nervous and his strength too
much exhausted, and it was agreed
to make an attempt the next day or
the day after. But on the morning
young Hauser was delirious, and he
fingered III Il paroNysmal condition
for some days, till death closed his
eyes. The two survivors of this ex-
petition under the sea have made
sworn statements OF the truth of these
facts, and it is believed that some
presentation has been sent to the
British authorities of the Admiralty
for u complete and thorough scientit-
ic search of the entire vicinity of the
Reterrier Ledges, to ascertain wheth-
er these tremendous creatures do
feed Oh human victims OF ship
wrecks.
Female Treasury Clerks.
Washington Star