Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-11-27
SHEPHERDSTOWN w. VA. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER p, 1885.

giant lobster Of the deep sea. Only
little while before he had seen the huge
arm of lobster cast upon beach after
a gale, and heard that crawling about
the sea, hundreds of miles from land,
was to be seen monster of the lobster
kind, just as among the squids was
found gigantic devil fish. He had not
believed that story, but here before him
now was the terrible crustacean, more
hideous and more huge than even re-
pute had made him. The body was fully
ten feet long and about three feet thick,
while the length of each arm was not
less than seven feet. He now began to
retreat, thinking to escupe his pursuer
among the floating bales in the hold,
but the water here was so gloomy that
he could not see at his arms length.
So he turned and walked toward the
opening again, holding his crowbar in
his hands. The lobster had put one claw
upon the vessels timber and was in the
act Of raising the other when Harley re-
appeared. TO pass out was impossible.
So he stood with his back braced against
partition in the hold, waiting the at
tack. The fish came directly toward
him, its two black, cleaning eyes glar-
ing steadfastly. Harley made no move
till he felt the coils Of the squirming an
tenna fold themselves lithely around
his neck. Then raising the crow5ar, he
lunged it with all his strength at the
lobster's head. The aim was accurate
enough, but the point glanced from the
thick, smooth shell, and was buried in
the overlapping rings about the mon
ster's neck.
For Il moment the lobster seemed
stunned, and Harley made = step out
ward, for he saw the hooks dangling in
the water away. But the effect Of the
blow passed away almost Simultaneous
ly, and before the diver could swerve
aside the enormous jaws Of one claw had
closed upon his left arm. The thick but
sharply pointed teeth penetrated the
flesh to the very bone and held him in
a firm and agonizing grip. The pain
was so terrible that the unfortunate man
almost swooned; and in another mo-
ment his right leg was held in the fangs
of the remaining claw. Then the kraken
began to move rearward, dragging his
victim toward the cliff, where, in the
dark, still waters of the gulch, he might
devour him without interruption.
The wretched man thrust his heels
against the ships timbers toTesist the
dragging Of the fish; but the agony
caused by the teeth tearing through his
flesh was more than he could bear, and
after short struggle he permitted HIM
self to be borne as his captor would.
But he resolved to make another effort
for his liberty. Drawing his knife from
it. sheath, he plunged it into the fsh's
eye, turning the blade round and round.
A stream of cloudy ooze came out, and
left only hollow socket. Maddened
with pain, the brute began to crawl
backward and forward. now lying upon
his side and alternately stretching and
contracting his claws, but all the while
holding the man in vise-like grip. AT
ter little while he resumed his retreat
ing march, dragging his victim along
the slippery rocks. AS for Harley, he
could offer no resistance. A cloud Of
red lurked around his arm and about
his leg, and he felt his strength ebbing
gradually away. In 4 little while, in
deed, the agony from the remorseless
grip had vanished; humming noise
came into his ears, and the sea all about
him turned yellow and began to rock.
A human figure holding in his hand a
long, shining blade, drew near, but ne
needed not. Then the light went out Of
the water, and he knew no more.
When he next opened his eyes he was
in a hut upon the sea shore, and learned
how another diver had descended and
released him by severing first one anG
then the other of the lobster's claw.
EDMUND COLLINS.