Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-09-06
FIGHTING A DEVIL FISH.
Five Men In Boat Have Hard Bat
tie With Sea Monster.

A huge octopus was hoisted on Fish
ermen's wharf on Thursday afternoon
from Capt. Charles Collins boat, anC
the four members of the crew shud
dered as they handled 1t and told OF
their terrible fight far out from tho
land, says the San Francisco Exam
liner. The monster covered large
section of the wharf, and its long
tentacles were avoided by the curious
crowd. Even the Italian fishermen
who have become accustomed to look
ing upon the terrible fish kept at a
respectful distance from this partlcu'
lar monster, on account OF It's size
Several of the fish are caught each
week and brought to the dock, but
never had so large n one been carried
In through the Heads as the one
caught by Capt. Collins and his crew.
The deep-sea monster had been dead
nearly two days, but It's large eyes still
retained their ferocious glare, aud IT
Is no wonder that the supcrstltlous
boatmen looked upon 1t with dread.
The long tentaclcs when spread apart
measured about twenty-five feet from
tip to tip, and they were armed all
the way along with dreadful saucer
like mouths that sucked the life from
their victims.
at was fearful fight we had with
the monster" said Capt Collins, "and
1t Is only by miracle that | nm here
to tell Of It. The men with me were
Nicholas Gene, John Ioga, Jonn ttr.sa.--
and IGzola Consendinc. we lcrr Iant
Monday morning for the reef Off Point
Reyes to fish for rock cod. For c0lI-
pie Of days luck was against us, but
then the fish began to take hold Of
our hooks, and they were soon being
landed in shower in the bottom OF
the boat. At daylight on Wednesday
morning we began to take up our lines
MS usual Several hooks were brought
up, but with no success, ana we began
to get discouraged when there came
a violent tug mt the line, and huge
arm OF the monster flashed violently
out OF the water and landed across
the gunwale OF the boat In an instant
II fastened with its tenacious suckers,
while the water about the boat was
dashed into foam, and the sea seemed
to be alive with the fish's snakc-like
feelers. One of the men grabbed an
oar to dlslodge the arm, but before he
could reach 1t the body Of the monster
rose beside the boat n few feet away
from me.
AN octopus can be killed almost in
stantly II 1t can be stabbed Just below
the eye. even If the weapon b. only
tho small blade Of a pocket knife" said
the captain, land when the fellow rose
so close to me and presented such q
good opportunity for the death blow,
! reached for bonthook, the handiest
weapon, and made plunge for tho
vital spot. AS | did so the boat ca-
recned violently, and instead Of dis
patching the brute | only inflicted n
wound that maddened the monster
more, and the battle then became one
OF life or death between us. A couple
more of the arms of the octopus had
by this time been wound around the
boat and they reached from stem to
stern. Oars and bonthooks were our
only weapons but 1t was almost use
less to attempt to pry the suckers
from the boat. They would no sooner
become loosencd ut one spot than they
would fnsten themselves on another,
The boat was completely envel0pcd
by them, and all hands were kept busy
to escape being caught by the rclcnt-
less suckers. The small craft rolled
and rocked In the arms of the monster,
and every moment 1t threatened t"
throw all five of us into the wate>
The only hope we had was to deal tho
the opportunity would not again be
offered. Blows had no effect on the
huge tcntacles. The men beIaborca
what parts OF the flesh they could
reach with clubs. but the effect was
like pounding piece of rubber. Soy
cral times the boat was tipped by the
struggles Of the monster SO that water
came over the gunwalcs. and In dos
peration the men fought for their lives,
but expecting every moment to be
drawn below the surface of the ocean
to Il horrible death.
lone of the stout fish hooks had
caught securely In the body Of the
brute, and couple of the men began
to haul In on the stout line, Slowly
they gained on the cord as they pulled,
and slowly the body of the monster
was being dragged from the keel OF
the boat, where 1t had been impossible
to reach 1t with any weapon that
would put Il stop TO the battle. Stead
lily the men hauled away until the
body came in sight, The hugo eyes
glared sayagely up through the water,
but the vital spot was yet out of the
reach of tho weapon poised to deal
the death blow when the opportunity
came. Slowly the monsters body was
being dragged upward and rs II
reached the surface the sharp spike
OF the boat hook was driven deep into
the hrute's body just below tho eye,
and the victory was won, Gradually
the long arms unwound themselves,
n