Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-22
A GIGANTIC LOBSTER.
A STORY OF TIE DEEP SEA.
The Narrow Escape OF n Diver on the
Newfoundland Coast = A Giant OF the

off the coast. SIS il true?" asked,
THAT divers see such wonders when
they 20 below ?'
lie told me a story Of thrilling inter
est in reply. A large ship, laden with
silks and valuable stufs, had been
caught by the vagrsnt tides Of the gull
and borne through the fog toward the
Newfoundland coast, till the face OF a
tall cliff loomed against the bowsprit.
Then q swell rolled in, lifted the vessel
and laid her across sunken rock that
barred the mouth of Chance cove. Not
many minutes sfterward she lay at the
bottom of the gulf inside, with all
her costly bales, her crew, and
her passengers. The undertow
soon began to cast precious boxes
upon the land, and the underwriters
dispatched divers and boats and men to
recover the sunken cargo. 1t was in
the autumn Of the year, and when the
sea grew smooth the divers began their
work. Three boats were employed,
in each Of which were four men,
one to 90 down and fasten hooks into
the bales, and three others to raise the
package and put it upon the boat.
Each diver had proper suit, and from
his head arose a large rubber tube
through which he could breathe with
toleTable ease. as the water was not
very deep. Upon his feet were lead
laden shoes to keep him from rising to
the surface, and he carried heavy
crowbar.
One afternoon. when dinner was ended
and the sea had grown smooth enough
to permit operations, the boat served
by o diver of the name Of Harley
rowed out from the rocks ahead of the
others. During the night there had
been a heavy gale, and through the
calm of the morning innumersble crea-
lures Of the sea, driven by the gale into
deeper water, had returned to the still
ness under the shelter OF the cliffs. AS
usual, the diver let himself drop from the
skiff's side, holding his crowbar in his
hands. When he reached the ship a
host of strange fishes swan away in
every direction. A number of squids
had entered the vessel through breach
in the side. When they perceived the
figure of a man among them they be-
came frightened and began to squirt
Jets Of black juice till the water grew
muIky and appeared like room filled
with dark.green smoke. Then the
filthy creatures swan away, though
once or twice a clammy horn brushed
past the mask Of the diver. In lit
tie while. however, the water became
clear again.
All about him was a shining amber
green, and he could distinguish objects
for distance Of twenty fathoms around.
Sometimes a fish with bright gills and
flashing scales would swim toward the
open hold, but On seeing the diver
would turn, with flirt of fin and tail,
and disappear. The detestable yellow
sculpin, with its black manning spikes,
would come and swim round and round
his feet; then it would gradually rise,
surveying him all the way till it reach
ed his head. Pausing here, it would
peer into his eyes.
While he was engaged in fastening
the canthooks into large bale Of India
shawls he imagined that he saw some
large object moving in the deep gulch
under the cliff. lie secured the hooks,
ave the signal to hoist, and the pack
re was raised. lie now walked clear
ii the vessel, and stood upon the level
ock at the sca-bottom. lie saw slowly
approaching a huge and ill-shapen crea-
lure. 1t did not swim, but seemed to
crawl along the bottom Of the sea.
Harley would have gone to the sur
face, but the hooks were now
above, and the men were engaged
taking the bale on board. In a few
seconds the monster was near enough
for the diver to ascertain that its body
resembled that of turtle, thatit walked
upon number Of crooked legs, and
had, near its head, upon either side, an
enormous arm. The arm terminated in
what seemed a pair Of enormous jaws,
and in each of these cleaned row Of
strong, sharp teeth. At first he thought
that the creature might not have OBJ
served him, and was only making its
way toward the ship; but he quickly
saw that its two cleaning eyes were
fixed upon him with steady stare,
and that the hideous thing was
coming directly for himself. If
the hooks would only descend, or
another diver come down lie looked
up, but could perceive nothing save the
figure of the boat above him, resting
like a little shadow upon the water.
Then he took two or three PAGES along
the ships side, and the fish immediate
ly changed its course and crawled in
such direction as to cut off retreat.
The fish was now only a few feet dis
tant, and the sun bursting through a
cloud shone shimmering down through
the green water, fully revealing the
creature. It's armor was a dun-russett,
and pair Of antennG, long and supple,
each like coachman's whip, protruded
from its head.
Then the truth came upon Harley.
This was the memorable monster, the
giant lobster Of the deep sea. Only a
little while before he had seen the huge
arm Of lobster cast upon beach az
ter a gale, and heard that crawling
about the sea hundreds of miles from
land was to be seen a monster Of the
lobster kind, just as among the squids
was found a gigantic deyil-fsh. He
had not believed that story, but
here before him now was the
terrible crustacean, more hideous
and more huge than even repute
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 escape 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 be turned and walked toward the
opening again, holding his crowbar in
his hands. The lobster had put one
claw unon the vesSel,s timhar and was