Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-08-05
CAUGHT BY A BIG CLAM.

Thrilling Story Told by q Navy Lieu
tensnt-Dangerous Situation.
The following swimming story is told by
lieutenant in the navy: II kept my eyes fixed
on my companion, Brown, who was act
ing in singular manner. After every few
seconds his head would disappear beneath the
water in which he stood, then it would ap-
pear again. He seemed to be struggling vio-
lently. As 1 approached him he threw up
his hands and cried out in accents that haunt
me still: "For heavens sake, lieutenant,
quick, and help mel" l dashed out to him
through water up to my waist. what is itl
what has hold of youl" 1 exclaimed. "It's
big oyster or a big clam" he groaned. II
was wading here and stepped into it, 1 ex-
pect. It's shell closed, gripped my ankle,
and, to save my life, l can't get away; and
the tide will soon be over our heads here, - he
added, with something almost like sob. He
had been struggling here for fifteen or twenty
minutes. had heard of the tridacna gigas,
or monster clam, of this coast, and instantly
realized the danger of his situation. "Cour-
age old fellow" 1 said, @rIl stick by you.
Here, hold this paddle and the hatchetn I
then ducked down under the water and with
my hands felt about his foot
The huge mollusk had what might be
termed death grip on him. The creatures
shell was several feet long and of proportion
ate breadth, and the weight of the shellfsh
must have been at least 800 pounds The
creature was attached to the coral rock by a
grisly bysus as thick as my arm. Raising
myself, got breath, then seizing the paddle
thrust the shaft of it between the convergin1
edges of the two valves Of the shell, and,
using it as lever, attempted to pry the
shell apart. But could not open it Brown,
too, ducking down, seized hold with his
hands and pulled with all his strength, but,
exerting all our power, we could not release
the monsters hold. Again and again
threw my whole weight on the shaft of the
paddle, and at length broke it. By this time
the water was up to my shoulders when
stood up. Fully realizing that whatever I
did must be done in few minutes more, else
the poor fellow would drown, snstched the
hatchet from Browns hand, and, diving, tried
to cut under the shell, to break the creatures
anchorage on the rock. With might and
main 1 cut and hacked-then rose an instant
for breath-then down and at it again. But
it seemed as though could not cut through
the tough muscle
Four times l dived, and with frantic haste
cut at those tough byssi. @It stirsIn at length
Brown cried, bracing his weight upon his free
foot and lifting at it. Then, with final
blow, the byssus was severed, and the buoy
ancy of the water aiding us, we dragged the
great mollusk-still fast to Browns ankle
back to higher ground on the reef. Here the
water was waist deep, however, and looked
anxiously around for Mac In the lakatoL
To my inexpressible joy he was close at
hand. and between us we lifted Brown, with
his now captured captor, into the canoe.
Even then we could not-both Of us together
-pry the valves of the shell apart enough
to release Browns foot, till with knife we
had reached in and completely divided the
tridacna- saving asunder the hinge muscles
at the bsee of the bivalve. It was truly
gigantic clam, and as a poetic retribution
upon it for the attempt on the life Of one
of our party, we ate a portion Of its flesh
for our supper, but found it rather tough
Browns anAle was severely bruised and
wrenched, and he suffered for many day
from the vicelike grip of the huge mollusk.-
Tho AroOnaut