The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-01-11
TIE DEpIL-FTSH.
A TRUE STORY OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

"Ifaus did YOU ever see an octopus p'
Not that ] know of. [ never heard tell
on them, as | can mind. Queer sort of
name, isn't il, sir ?'
We were lying at anchor off Batavia, af-
ter d longer TIP than usual, and L was
reading some- copies of the Times which
had been sent out from home during our
absence, and had accumulated to good
heap while we were away. OF course the
newest papers were looked at first, so 1T was
only ON this afternoon, when my work was
done and the sun too hot for us to 90 ashore,
that had come upon the discussion con-
cerning the existence or non-eXiStence oi
the Octopus which had appeared in the
columns of the Times some months before
Hans was a weather beaten old sailor,
Dutchman by biith, who had been in the
ship much longer than L had, ana was
known for as steady hand as a man need
wish To have under bin. There was no
liking at the wheel when he was there
no need to be watching him every minute
20 see that the vessel was not easing from
her course or luffing mp The wind ana ia
ble Tn be taken aback as | found was nee
esSary with some of the men, who wOuiu
have had her on a reef and hole through
her bottom rather than take the trouble TO
keep her up and do their worksas they
ought There was not an officer VINO did
moi think himself in luck when old Hans
as at the wheel during his ~atcn, nor a
man ON board bu: liked and respected The
rough but kind hearted old tar.
..Weu." replied, ''that is the scientlf1c
name | dare say we should Ihd 'heti
something else. But I'll see II can nlq
any description of the creature anu !
tuTued over some other numbers OF the
,,o-ys,,sner rs | continued-"Ihe doubt
seems to he about their size not their exist
ence."
"Tbere's bigger things in the sea than
people thinks on as hasn't seen tiehi, re-
nIied Hans seriously, as he shlfteo his pipe
from one side of his mouth to the o'he''
and leaned little farther over the ouIwaIkS
Watching the clear water which lay beneath
MS in the wonderful transparency WIN"
belongs to the Indian ocean.
uAh here's the account OF IT "A sor'
of devil fish, | fancy. But how aoout
devil fish being enough to XIII man hie'
and eat him afterward :?
UIs IL devil fish they mean by that qnee'
name p" asked Hans, lifting himself up >,
.sI think so. Listen TO what they say
and 7 read out the description. =,
..Tbat's him." said Hans, who had IFS
.o,.d attentively-''theTe amt no douot
hn, why doesn't they call things by mel,
,iaht names? People would know what
,Iev was talking about then. toio you
ia never seen one, didn't L, SIT
.sYes,'' l replied NAV
"Rnt have, and the Lord grant may
never see another. ,,. douht
And there was not the smallest uouD'
,bat Hans meant what he said rom Cno
verv bottom of his heart. III was i''iPo91
hIe To mistake the ear1estness oi hls wiz
and besides, he was in general very iof
erend God fearing man, never usins "o.
s.hich be lad better have lett aiohe "''
making Joke Of religion. cor,
sa,y at once that there must oe yan
worth hearing, but Hans was very u"""
II 90 all Of a crawl when l think ., -
even now. and it's eight years since u ""P
pened. ur,,r,oa 'it can't
i,rt Won now, you know aud wheu , p,he
n,a IN Fneland are disputing aoon, ,,;ne nc
a;1a of the creature, it's worth so,he' ,"a In
~ I hear a story from fellow who mas ''
one ..s.e, ns Ah, and felt il, TO I'D "a
lI,,s drew himself together Win '""
der. -, ,ught 10 know
IN. rights of n, then. -, >, he CON
'"e g.. better. Look bore. s'r' ne III
-. "a. s.llts the yam -"