The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-29
An OCTOPUS rERY MAD.
NJ Attacks a DAT ON TIE
~ FLORIDA OAsT.

Horrible Cessation Experi-
iced by q shell Hunter on the
coast of Florida.
4 G, s,.glestine (F!a) Cor Pht!0de'pH'a Times
o. 80 - octonns is quite lentiful at this time
.ha shores and iuthe bays, inlets aud
Aio-e - Florida. A cry pretty member
w. sneoies called tts argo is certainly
- ,oralv creature, lespite its ugly nature
ny'' ,trective form, for it is mass OF
h SUI oIond spots, win fine destings Of rose
'l,or the beauty of the beast" being
t,r,bsr heightened b! broad band OF I'LL
h .o-ioe blue, whbh. crossing the back,
Il '-1oo.iblv fades ava. beneath sharp, she'll
,l,a ridge which ferns the keel.
hH IKE 80 tsna octopus il a repulsive, dangerous
II ~ ,Sith two ugly, movable eyes, and he
y ~, mad with eighth eelers each reeier pro-
80 with 12O suckers, by means OF "nlcn
the creature grasps ana NOUS ilS ptey
~ re 80 act of devOurng. In Florida the
Ill 80. 70 call the octopus 'sea bat, while
La. GnIf coast as far as Texas 1t is gener-
GU m- IT T,1us1 as a 'dan-cracker." full
aliy o,topus weighs as much as ooO
k.5s although it is now generally known
p ~ the Young at the time OF birth are no
larger than common fea.
80 Sen1s oueer adventures have happene1 70
81 ol2or,nan ia Florida waters with thi s
nsIel irhabitant OF the deep-espscially
eI re Culf side of the Peninsula State
On me parties concerned were for the
Ou s .art nneducated men, or rather plain
L siI".S,an who we're more interested in a
h' 'i5 .atcb than in the needs Of science tn
Il soo,d N their experiences has not generally
q boen made known, and so many strange
toIas of adventure have been lost.
The following extr aorqlnary occurrence
a .ocantIv hapnened TO a Mr.. Beale, who was
leo9cSjrg for shells among the rocks OF
"a - Rooin Islands. Mr.. Beale says: 81 was
"aoLjn9 shells which had just been left by
4 tNe leading tide, when / was much aston
+ ished TO see at my feet a most unusual look
4 inc animal crawling toward the surf, which
B had only just LETT it.
~ had never seen one like 1t under such
circumstances before. 1t was creeping on
q its eight legs, which, from their SOFT ana
4 Aevible nature bent considerably under the
weight of its body, so that it was lifted by
3 the efforts Of its tentacles only a small dis
tanca from the rocks. It appeared much
alarmed at seeing me, and made every
effort TO escape, while was not much in
the bumor to endeavor to capture 50 ugly a
creature. whose appearance excited feel
ing Of disgust not uumingled with fear.
"However, l endeavored to prevent its
+ nv foot, but, although made use Of oon-
siderable force for that purpose, it's strength
was so great that it several times quickly
liberated that member in spite OF all that /
could do.
a now laid hold of one Of the tentacles
with my hand, and held it firmly, so that
the limb appeared as il 1t would be torn
ssunder by our united strength.
Il gave 1t powerful jerk, wishing to
IL 10 he 70 rvhf nh
olung so forcibly by its suckers, which it
effectually resisted But the mement after
the apparently enraged animal lifted its
head, with its large eyes projecting from
the middle Of its body, and, letting 60 its
hold on the rocks, suddenly sprang upon my
arm, which had previously barred to my
shoulder for the purpose OF thrusting it
into the holes of the rocks to discover shells,
and chung with all its suckers 10 1t with
great power. endeavoring to get It's mouth
in a position to bite. A sensation Of borrow
pervadsd my whole frame when found
this monster animal had affixed itself so
firmly upon my arm.
ITS cold Shiny grasp was extremely
Iickenipg, and I Immediately called aloud
10 the captain OF our boat, who was also
searching for shells at some distance, to
come to my relief.
HE quickly arrived, and taking me down
to the boat, during which time was en-
ployed IN keeping the head away from my
hand, quickly released me by destroying
my tormenter with the boat knife, whsn l
disengaged it by portions at time. This
animal measured across its expanded arms
about four feet, while its body was not big
ger than large clen0hed hand"
Mr.. Beae's experience was with a rather
small specimen, but, as a rule, the average
is about twenty feet froIn tips Of feelers,
and, as remarked. in some cases the weight
runs as high as 500 pounds. Nicholas My
ers fishing III Punta Gorda bay In October
last, caught an octopus which, when
stretched out, measured from end to end of
legs, about seven feet, and turned the scales
at 100 pounds. When taken into the boat
alive it seized everything within reaoh-the
seats, the coffee pot, the oars and everything
else 1t could lay its feelers on.
Myers finally stabbed it between the eyes
and that ended the circus. But the most
remarkable story of all comes from Punta
Hsssa near Sanibel Island, which was the
experience Of the crew Of the May Bell, a
small sponging schooner plying along the
coast between Cedar Keys and Key West.
The "sighter" had his barrel down, spot
ting sponge" as they say, aud with his
sponge hook was carefully feeling along the
seizure, so to speak not a pull or
JerE, but simple grip-like clutch
winch no shakinG hauling or pulling
could remove. The barrel mentioa ed is re-
ally large-sized bucket fitted with glass
bottom, and the siKhter, pushing this down
es lar as he can, places his head within the
opening and, looking downward, seeks for
'1s sponge as the boat Ia propelled slowly
along. Another man holds long, slender
poe having powerful knife-like hook at
thcned to the end, and. coming to a fungus
growth, he inserts the hook beneath The
same; tears the sponge loose and hauls it on
Inree men were la the boat. One was
rowing, the second sighting and the third
Lao the manipulation Of the hooking ap-
paratuS, The sighter had mad spot"
Aiu the POLICEMAN had inserted his hook
"nen the former uttered a silent ejacula-
Non' which caused his oomrade to desist
sllu ask what the matter was Just then he
Ielt inc clutch or grasp already referred to.
ts a powerful big devil-ish," said the
s,gnter, and he's got one sucker attached
toyour pole"
.. oct another hook and see if you can't
'ear MIN loose, ;" said the other man.
second pole was lowered, but the mo-
msht 1t touched bottom the devil-ish
.eacned out with another OF his long, slender
IN xuhi nh