The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-13

your botanical and astronomical work
= you had no leisure for collecting and
8 arranging specimens of natural his
tory, presume; though your extern
sivc cruises and visits to many out of
the way places must have afforded ia
cilities for prosecuting the study of
s much that is singular and interesting
in zoology. Had you at any time the
afflatus swelling within, or did you
never care for ito"
Thus spoke my old friend Wilbur, as
we sat on the veranda of his comfort
6ble summer house.
my spare time during my latter
cruises has been dedicated to nature in
3 other fields; not that couldn't have
spared some considerable portion of it
Tin the manner suggested, but early in
my career, my first cruise, in fact, l
had an experience that took away all
inclination for research in zoology, so
resigned the field to more ardent and
more reckless chaps than i happened
to be-"
'And thereby hangs tale. Take
fresh cigar, doctor, and begin at the
beginning"
My first cruise, you remember, took
me around the world in the frigate
Washington. 1t was scientific cruise,
and the officers had been selected for
their knowledge of some speciality in
branches of natural history, deep sea
soundings, etc, and in addition we
carried as passengers some seven or
eight civilians thoroughly posted in
their respective scientific pursuits.
Among the latter was young
wcsterner, the most interchangeable fell
low ever met, and, although he was
supposed to devote his attention cX-
clusively to shells and marine plants,
there was nothing from mosquito to
q boa constructor that he didn't fastcn
on to if it came his way. liked the
young fellow and assisted him when
ever possible; but our friendship was
ruptured, and, though we met daily
we exchanged no words for over two
( years
''We arrived at Madagascar about
the first of June, and very shortly the
different parties of savauts and col
lectors were on shore, eager for relaxa-,
tion, after four weeks confinement on
shipboard, and more than eager in
searching for any and everything that
crceps flies or walks.
Walker, the young westerner, and
walked along the rocky shore pick
4 ing up shells and seaweeds left by the
receding tide.
Seeing small blight that appeared
TO offer better prospects of u large haul
at once, left my companion looking
at the movements of a colony of sea-
anemones, and walked forward. had
to mind my steps, and in looking down
my attention was attracted to most
eStraordinary-looki animal crawling
toward the surf which had only the
moment before left it stranded It.
needed but few seconds for me to rec
{ ognize it as a species of sepia. or cut
tlc-fsh, which the whalers call rock
sqnid.' had seen the creatures ex-
+ posed for sale in the markets of Japan
( and China where they are regarded, as
IuSuries, but never of size approach
ing the individual at my feet, and never
before on land and free, SO it appeared
to me the more remarkable.
ut was crawling on it's eight legs,
which, from their soft, haccid and flex-
Idle nature, bent considerably under
the weight of it's body. SO that it was
lifted up by the efforts of it's tentacles
only a short distance from the rocks.
This gave it an appearance of being a
weakly specimen of its kind, and. as it
seemed to be much alarmed at seeing
me. and made every effort to escape,
j, though not in the humor to endeavor
to capture SO ugly customer, whose
aspect excited a feeling of disgust not
unmiXed with fear, endeavored to pre-
vent its escape l.y pressing on one of
ats linn bs with my foot. making use of
considerable force for that purpose, but
its strength was SO great that it quick
ly liberated its member, and all the
efforts l could employ in this way, on
the wet. slippery rock, were futile.
Several times 1 placed my foot under
its body attempting to turn it over, but
In this l was foiled by the wonderful
agility and cleverness displayed by the
creature in drawing its pendant body
to one side or the other.
''Now, outside of my desire to assist
my young friend, had no more use for
that hidcous animal than you would
nave for another nose. My blood was
S up, however, for the resistance the
! animal had made, when was certain
of speedy mastery, made me resolve
not to give in. Fools rush in where
angels fear to tread didn't cross nv
mind, and it Is probable would not
have needed the axiom if it had.
gave a powerful jerk to discngage it
from the rocks to which it chung SO
forcibiy by its suckers and again was
Z frustrated by its marvellous strength
md resistance.
Being somewhat tired by my efforts
in the hot sun, was on the point OF
letting go my hold and permitting the
cutie to escape. when the enraged