Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28
AN OCTOPUS UNDER WATER.
Divers Fight and vanquish the Monster
With Crowbars.

Divers Fight and vanquish the Monster
With Crowbars.
From the Vancouver rNews-Advertiser.I
Messrs. Llewellyn and McHardy, the
divers who are engaged in repairing the
water pipes in the Narrows, had novel and
exciting experience of a fight with q
devilfsh one Sunday morning lately.
1t is we'll known that of all
submarine monsters the devilfsh
is the most fearless and the most
dangerous, and the chances of escape are
small indeed, for any one who may be un-
fortunate enough to be once wrapped in the
embrace of any of its eight tentacles. There
are not many of the species in the waters
about Vancouver, stray one only
now and again taking a trip up from
Victoria, where they exist in large num-
bers. Once or twice only have any of them
been met with in the inlet.
1t was, therefore, with some surprise that
Diver Llewellyn, who has met with them in
the waters OF San Francisco and Victoria,
beheld one yeterday when he descended
from the deck OF the steamer Clyde to the
bottom of the channel. The octopus was
lying beside the pipe, engaged at his matu-
tinal meal. His simple fare consisted of
crab, and that his appetite was good one
was evinced by the fact that crab shells were
lying scattered along the pipe for a consid-
erable distance. The octopus was reposlng
at the spot where the divers were going to
work, and it was necessary either to remove
him OF to wait until he saw fit to remove
himself. Diver McHardy had followed
Llewellyn to the bottom, and the two now
held conversation by means of signs as to
how they should act, and 1t was decided to
make the attack at once.
Accordingly Llewellyn got on one side,
McHardy stayed on the other side, and
it was arranged that at sign from the
former both should attack the enemy with
the iron crow-bars. about eight feet long,
which they had with them. The octopus,
during this time, was eyeing the divers with
an intent gaze, as if sizing them up for q
meal. He was also expectant of an attack,
and awaited the beginning of hostilities
with confidence. The divers, at a signal,
approached the monster, who, raising a
couple of his feelers, prepared to ward of
attack from either side. A considerable
time was consumed in fencing, but at length
McHardy, taking what he considered a
favorable opportunity, jumped forward and
made an effort to run his crowbar through
the body Of the octopus. The blow
was warded of, and at the same moment
the divers leg was caught by one
of the tentacles of the devilfsh. The habit
McHardy wore protected him, however, and
Llewellyn. having the fish off his guard so
far as he was concerned, struck his crowbar
through the brute's body, and then, seizing
the sledge used for hammering the pipe,
worked away with commendable energy on
the tentacle which held his companion. 1t
took him about two minutes to sever the ten
tacle from the body.
rocks, and, when they had completed their
work, they left it till they should return in
the afternoon. When they did return, the
fish was still alive. They hoisted it aboard
the boat and broughtyit to the city, where it
was examined by q number of eitizenA