The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-09
GOT ENOUGH OF THE SEA.
A DANISH SAILORS EXPERIENCES
IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Caught by n Giant POuIp-BOund 20
Mast for Three Days Without
Food or Water-On n Desert Island
Now He Wants n Job on a Farm.


Atlantic. writes a correspondent of the
St. Louis Globe-Democrat. She has on
board a Danish sailor who, in the past
two years, has met with series of ad-
ventures that he says has crushed out
of him all the ambition that he ever
had to gain a livelihood on the sea.
He landed here and at once began look
ing for situation as a farmland, de-
claring that in the future the land would
be good enough for him.
The story of adventure told by the
man is an exciting one. and a scar on
his right cheek, that draws his face out
Of shape fearfully, testifies to a struggle
he had with a monster poulp, or devil
fish, two years ago. The poulp in the
waters of the South Atlantic grows to
enormous proportions. Its body is of a
globular form and is covered with a
thick, dark-colored leathery skin. 1t has
long, muscular arms and short, sharp
crooked beak. like the beak of a parrot.
This fish is a vicious creature and does
not hesitate to attack any living thing
that comes it's way.
The Dane was a member of the crew
of the whaling ship Tristram, that was
cruising in the vicinity of Coughs
island. One day a whale was sighted
and chase was made for him. A har-
pooh was fixed in the flesh of the ami
NAL, which sounded" dragging the
line after him with terrific speed. In
running out. the rope somehow caught
the Dane around the waist and in the
twinkling Of an eye he was overheard
and being dragged toward the bottom of
the sea with fearful speed. The sailors
carry a knife in their belt, and the man
struggled to get hold of his for the pur-
pose of cutting the rope. The whale
was going down with such speed that
the pressure Of the water against the
sailors body made it impossible for him
TO raise his hand even as far as his
belt He was getting very weak, ard
had about abandoned all hope of ever
seeing daylight again, when the whale
slackened his speed, and drawing his
knife the half dead sailor cut the rope
He shot upward and caught sight of
the circle of light over his head that in
dicated the spot where he would rise to
the surface. when the water about him
suddenly seemed filled with squirming
reptiles. and that instant he felt the
Shiny arms Of a devil fish encircling him.
Had it not been that the line was still
fastened 10 his wrist, the man would
probably have been carried 10 the bot
tom by the ferocious fish. As it was
the men in the boat rapidly drew him
up and when he came TO the surface he
was slashing at the snaky arms that
were Tightening around him. The fish
was an unusually large one and had no
intention Of giving up its prey When
the sailor got so that he could breathe
he regained his strength and cut and
stabbed the pulpy mass, but the arms
continued 10 tighten around him and he
found that he was in danger Of being
crushed to death. The sailors in the
boat were chOpping at the hideous fish
with hatchets and jabbing II with har-
poems. The Danes arm finally fell into
the grasp of the fish and he became
absolutely helpless. All that he could
do was to call to his fellows that the
fish was surely crushing the life out of
him. The poulp gradually worked
around so that il could strike the sailor
in the face, and then dug its beak into
his cheek repeatedly. tearing the flesh
into shreds. After a fearful struggle
the fish was so completely hacked 10
pieces that ii could do no further dam
age, and the sailor. unconscious from
pain and the loss of blood, was drawn
into the boat. where the tentacleS of the
fish We're torn away from him in small
pieces. 1t was two months before the
Dane was able to get around the vessel,
and he will carry the horrible disfgure-
ment he received to his grave
Three months after this experience the
Tristram fOundered during a storm off
the Nightingale island and sunk on a
ShOaI The Dane and two other sailors
fled for safety to the rigging of the
ship, and as she sank and the water
rose about her mast the men went up
When they reached the highest yardarm
the vessel struck the bottom, and the
three men were perched on the frail
support with the storm raging over
them and the wild sea around them.
Some time during the night one Of the
men became exhausted and fell into the
water. The other men were unable to
give him any assistance, for to release
their hold on the mast for an instant
meant death to them. The storm sub
sided the next morning and the sea
went down The heat Of the sun be-
came almost unbearable and the men
soon began TO suffer from thirst and
then hunger. The waves ran about two
feet under the yard where they stood,
and to render their situation more horri-
BILE a number Of sharks gathered about
them. splitting the water with their fms
water as if relishing the feast they were
waiting for.
In the afternoon the Danes companion
lost his head and sprang into the sea.
and the Dane saw him crunched in the
Jaws of the sharks that fought over his
body. The sight teTrOriZed the Dane,
and, determining not to afford food for
these fish, he bound himself with his
belt and portions Of his shirt. that he
tore into shreds and twisted into a rope,
TO the mast. Suffering the tortures of
death a thousand times a minute, the
Dane stood on his perch, watching the
horizon for a vessel. He lived out the
day and the night following. When the
sun rose the next morning the heat
rendered him unconscious That after
noon the whaling bark Witch of New
Bedford took him off the mast a raving
maniac, and il was necessary to keep
the Dane closely confined for several
days. Careful treatment and food
finally brought the man out Of the de-
lirium, and ne was able after a few
weeks to resume labor, and he became a
member of the crew of the Witch.
Ill luck had got to running in the di-
rection of the Dane and he seemed in a
fair way Of succumbing TO it. Six
months after he was rescued from the
mast he had another thrilling expert
eTce. A heavy storm came up and the
Dane was sent aloft to assist in furling
a sail He was at the extremity Of
yard when the vessel suddenly lurched
and he lost his hold. He fell into the
water, but, being a good swimmer, he
managed to keep afloat end the next
wave that came across the deck Of the
vessel. carrying the sailor with il and
lodging him under the lee rail with
force that broke one of his legs and
knocked his senses completely out Of
him.
Once more this ill-starred man was
spared and in a few. weeks he was able
to hobble around the deck on a crutch.
and i'm due time resumed labor. A short
home. The storm must have tried her
severely for she SprunR a leak and i'm