The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-18
FIGHTING AN OCTOPUS.
The Adventure of a Lot of Boys
At Nassau, in the West Indies

The octopus is, without doubt, the
N at dlsagreesble creature to be met
with In the ocean. They are found
10 nearly all waters, from the coast
OF Maine In and on the borders Of the
gull stream. TO the cold waters Of
the North Pacific Ocean. Imagine
bag OF flesh, ever " Mich waves oil
color are constantly sweeping, and
from which eight arms radiate like
tue arms OF a glganuc spider, their
Under sides lined with sharp suckers.
ana oetween them, where they join
the BODY. two psrrot-like oils. Ga
each side OF the lJWer part OF the bag
put two fierce green or yellow eyes,
give tue whole mass trsmulous mo.
ttlOD, and you have a general idea o!
the appearance CT the octopus. $50
ond cousin to the giant squid de-
scrlbed IN q former number. In size
they range from q foot AcrOss, up
ward.
Inc largest known was seen by
Mr.. w. H Dali, at Sltka, and when
spread out it measured % feet from
the tip OF one tentAc!e, or arm, TO
that OF the opposite. specimens
measuring u or IA feet across are
very common in the Pacific, and are
kept tor sale in the San Francisco
markets, and considered great dsin-
ties by the Italians and Chinese.
When of this size they are very
dangerous, and have been known to
throw their snake.like arms about
divers and bathers and drag them out
into deeper water.
In 1877 an Indian woman, living
at Victoria, Vancouver Island, when
in bathing, vas siazed by monster
octopus and dragged slowly Into deep
water and drowned. She was missed
some time after, and boats were put
out in search, and the hapless victim
Was finally seen in about twenty feet
OF water, still held N the arms Of the
terrible creature.
The suckers on the arms are so
many air pumps, so that when they
are pressed upon the body, q piston
like arrangement exhsusts the air
and the sucsion presses lin many
kiHdsl sharp, saw edged" bony
plate, or ring, into the hesh, making
hundreds OF terrible Wounds.
In the Bahama 1slands these AMI
mails are very common and often OF
great size, and in their capture affords
considerable sport to the winter visi-
tors at these isles of summer.
The largest octopus ever caught
here Was found upon the beach at
Nassau, according to Prof. BIG.
Wilder, by Mr.. j. 8. George. Each
arm measured five feet, and the en-.
tire munster weighed nearly 800
pounds.
Several years ago a party from New
York spent the winter at Nassau and
the boys, for there were four or I've,
bad many 8 lively encounter with the
octopus.
They had q fine cedar boat fitted
for their benefit; her bow and stern
were decked over and formed air.
tight compartments, while row OF
alright cans extended around under
the seats go that their craft would
float when full of water, fact tested
on many an occasion.
At every movement Of the boat
some new wonder appeared that
would have delighted and est0nished
boys at the north. Every where great
buncnes of branch coral extended
their branches upward. Now great
mounds or heads of brain-corsl APP
pesred, ten or twelve feet across. and
among them beautiful yellow, lilac
and brown fans and plumes waved in
the tide.
Curious animals called snemones,
unfolded their mouth.like flowers. and
the whole scene was that OF vast
submarine garden OF the most gor-,
geous description. Strange fishes
darted aside at their spproach-gray
snsppers, great read groupois, string
rays that few along like q bird, Wsv-
ing their side fins up and down and
lashirg long. slender tail after them.
and heTe and there = black object
would dart away, creating a great
cloud of mud. st owing that turtle
bad been caught mapping.
Sometimes they had 10 drag her
almost out of wattr. but finally the
head of yellow Tail" Rect Was
reached, and trey were upon unex-
plored ground.
The reef vas about four feet under
water, and covered with smsl. leads
Of the coral known as Meandrins, in
with the fans and plumes
before mentioned.
The boat was hauled between two
Of the heads, and Tom, Harry and
the others we're sitting on the gun
vale resting, when they were at
sracsed by shout from WIll,w had |
wsded away over the Leads.
"Here's queer looking mething |
under the Coral!" be shouted. "Come |
over!"
The boys showed of in bis direction.
ut looks like a bundle of snakes"
be continued. well. here goes"
and aiming his grains at the object,
Will let drive.
There was q great ccmmotion for
,,oov,oopf Will nlr1p0 20 I,1a poar