The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-06-07

I ing, as it bUbbed up into sight within an
eighth OF 4 mile from our course
The mate had been slipping on his
trousers aud shirt during this brief inter
val, in which he had been followed by some
OF the men. Hulk, or island, l am after
1t to see what's what. Who'll bear hand,
my hearties ?''
"A dozen volunteered, myself among the
number, and in a few minutes the ship
launch was being pulled away towards the
singular object which now had drifted or
| been moved away to the leeward of the
snip perhaps half mile. As we came
nearer we could see about ten feet of pro-
Jections of dark granite like cellular sub.
stance. covered with shells and seaweed
rising along the surface of the ocean. and
| tapering along the ridge fore and-aft to the
length of half mile"
Tom and | gave an involuntary whistle
"a politeness which Charley did not no
tlce for he continued
''lu few pulls we came up to it, and
johnson, the mate, was the first to Jump
from the boat upon the granite-lik pro
lection. We all agreed it was an island
and perhaps of some porous coralic sub
stance, which, being detached from some
| mysterious depth, had hoated to the sur
lace. Leaving one man in charge of the
! boat, NE were wandering about, kicking
here aud knocking there for bits of shells
to pocket as trophies of the wonderful and
| unknown sight, when one of the men ex
claimed-"Why, the ship is fearfully dis
tant -
1--WE looked around. and, sure enough.
she was miles and miiss away. Almost at
the same instant johnson circulated
| GOod heavens, boys its going down ~
81 felt in common with the rest, a rapid
| sinking, and was shortly ankle deep in
water, and, in quicker time than [ can
tell, was laundering in the ocean. We
were swimming about, somewhat reassured
by the near approach of the launch, and,
indeed, began to joke about the submerg-
ing island. Said johnson, making vigor
GUS strokes, 'lt's taking sudden leave of
- when the word was stopped in his
mOuth-his face whitened in pain and ter
ror, and terrible shrek arose from the
poor fellow as he began to rise from The
water, im paled on the end of a gigantic
claw about the thickness of a schOOner's
mast, and was shortly raised twenty feet
above our heads, all the while shrieking
most terribly. By this time we had re-
gained the boat, all but one man when
suddenly, on each side of him, began to
rise two other claws or arms like the ten
tacula nf the cutie fish upon large scale),
which Immediately crushed him and took
him from sight, scarcely allowing time for
a scream. Poor Johnson began to go
down with the claw, and the last we saw
Of him he had apparently swUoned, or was
dead"
Charley's manner Of telling this was
graphic aud solemn, 1t really took away
our quzzical humor, and we had not
word to say. After breath, or a sigh he
continued
elbow we pulled over the weary miles
which separated us from the ship-Nhat
we thought or what we said-I am certain
none of us could thereafter tell. Our very
souls were crushed with the calamity; and
the tale became, for weeks, until we reach
ed Canton, the solemn story of the mess,
in the cabin aud i'm the fore castle
"And did you ever fiud out what it was -
asked Tom.
'When we got to Calcutta encountered
an attache of the East India Company
there. who was a scientific man of great
and universal attainmentS. | told him the
story. He listened atteutively, and then,
taking down AN old volume of Plny, sa id ::
.'Sir, you have seen the fabulous monster
of autiquity-tbe hrdkeH."
"And so | had -
"Tum te tnm, te riddity, iddity, righ,"
said Tom, jumping up and running for his
clothes" .'Krakeu' must be the German
for %, crackie ~
Consider that we both believe, with
our thanks for nothing but your horrible
story has saved me from a chill"
But Charlie was silent, and dressed him
self moodily. Either he was accom-
pIished actor, or he was in earnest But
hang me if want to see a kraken