San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-12-14
the "Devil" or Cuttle-FYsh.
From the Youths Companion.

If terrible fight between man anu
devil fish attracted the attention OF the
reading world. Many of his readers
doubted the existence OF this marine
monster. while Others asked, What is
the amount of fact which the poet'noV'
elist has mixed with his description?
They were right; for so many traai-
tionol rumors and mysterious whisper
inrs of these monsters Of the deep have
come down to us from past ages that
even scientists have been unable to
senarate romance from reality. But
time and recent Investigations have
shown how they do "live, and move,
and have their being" and successful
captures have ut last been made IN the
New World. ...... --.....
The first authentic statement was re-
ceiyed in 1873, by the late Prof. Agas-
siz, from fisherman off the eastern
end of Great Bell Island, in Concep'
ton Bay. Hid stated that he saw an
object on the surface Of the water which
looked like sail, but which, on closer
inspection, proved to be endowed with
life. ..-.....
He pushed his boat along side and
struck it with an oar. This aroused
the creatures fury, and it struck at the
bottom of the boat with its beak.
Immediately after, it threw its. mon
strous tentacles over the boat, and
would have dragged it to the bottom
had not the fisherman, with unusual
presence of mind, severed them with
his axe.
When the creature found itself mutt
lated, it moved off backwards, after the
manner of squids, darkening the water
over large space with inky emissions
1t was represented to have been about
sixty feet long, with an average diane
ter of five feet and ten feet breadth OF
tail. It's beak was described as being
the size of six gallon keg."
This account created much interest
and many new investigations were made.
Others were heard of about Labrador
and Nova Scotia. and fishermen had cut
them up in several instances to bait
travis.
Good authorities state that they are
eaten by sperm whales. Capt. Roy re-
lates that he has taken large pieces OF
them from whales stomachs. ,.
In European waters, records OF thell
appearance date back to the middle OF
the sixteenth century, and many con-
hicting stories have been told. But the
great problem was solved last fall, in
post-mortem examination at the New
York. Aquarium, of the largest cutie
fish ever captured in perfect condition
This specimen was washed ashore al
Catalina, on the southern shore of Trim
ity Bay, NE. A heavy sea was run
ming. and the monster, in skirting the
shore, was probably thrown upon tho
rocks. A report said;
ct made desperate efforts to escape
lashing its arms wildly about in the wa
ter. 1t was only when it became ex
hausted that men ventured near; ant
as the tide ebbed out, the mass of slim.
arms lost their power, and the wonder
struck and terrified people drew around
ut was not yet dead, and its immens'
eyes burned with baleful light whel
it was aroused. Its dying throes wer
terrible. Waves of agony seemed tt
pass over the sickening mass. Th
huge arms coiled and twisted into knot
in their spasmodic workings, and woul'
hurl themselves into the air and squiril
like yeritable Medusa locks. Its glar
ing ewes burned with a fierce fire, ant
moved around as if to turn to ston
some wretched victim of its fury. r
ats power WIS gone, however, and Ii
a few moments the creature that hat
been all that was typical of power ant
strength became a soft, yielding mas
of flesh
1t was bought by the New York Aqua
rum, packed in brine, and shipped t
New York, and was placed in alcoho
in a large glass tank. 1t is of a dull
white color, with body ten feet long
o,d;no in a tail three feet wide. 1t