The citizen., 1899-10-13
AFTER SEA SPIDERS
FISHING FOR UNcANNY CREATURES
IN ALASKA WATERS.
Good Sport fer Those Who Desire .
Dash Of xcitenent-Great Sea
Animals That Spread Nearly Twen.
ty-fiye Feet From Tip to TIP.


ty-five Feet From Tip to Tip.
"If anyone desires q dash Of excite
ment l can recommend the fishing OF
Alaska" said a returned klondiker TO
a Chicago Inter Ocean reporter. Il
had been fishing above Sitka when one
day | found myself near a camp OF In
dams. AS had some game, | divided
with them, and forthwith was invited
to a feast Of their own providing. we
sat around a big wooden dish, in which
was something that looked like frogs
legs. but frogs so gigantic that l knew
1t was something else. II required
some courage to eat this dish, Dut nun
ger gives a man stamina OF q certain
kind, so l shut my eyes and began the
feast. The article was not so bad as II
appeared. 1t tasted like crab, ana
some of it had the consistence of the
rubber rings which babies chew on.
Altogether it was not 10 be deSplsed,
combining food with exercise.
1t was sea spider, so the natives tod
me. a member OF the cuttleish family.
As they were going out on the folIow-
ing morning TO FISH for more persuad-
ed them TO take me with them we
dropped anchor in the lee OF little
point Of rocks. where We began nsn-
ing. 1t is a famous country for hsn,
and it was nothing but pull in for the
natives, while did not have a bite.
My time was coming, however. l
had on a heavy sinker, so that every
time the boat lifted felt a sharp jerk,
which deceived ne But once, when
the boat rose on a big wave. my line
did not give. and l shouted TO the In
dian next to me that was foul. He TOOK
the line. gave a tremendous jerk, ana
received one in return; then, braclns
himself back, he began to pull and
scream; then all hands screamed. and
l understood that sea spider had the
line and also the bottom. l expected
every minute to see the canoe go over,
as the men went from side to side, now
forcing the rail down so that the water
poured in, now lifting with a mighty
yell. then stacking OF so suddenly that
they fell in a heap.
"One man armed himself with
knife, while a companion held snort
handled caseknife between his teeth
movements suggestive Of the coming
of an enemy. Suddenly one Of the
crew seized a sharp boathook, which.
after another loo.; he jabbed into the
unknown and invisible. In response
q long, slender tentacle shot into the
air and formed a weird interrogation
point, then it graSped the pike; then
three more appeared. creeping insid-
iously over the edge of the canoe, at
which the natives struck wildly, some
shouting to slack the line, others TO
haul IN.
In the midst Of the confusion the
sea spider concluded to come aboard.
Torn from the bottom. it had come up
easily; then. seems The canoe, and pos
sibly thinking 1t a vantage ground, it
srasped it and slid over the side, a
mass Of living, Shiny, reddish brown
snakes. When they were raised l
could see rows Of suckers, each of
which was a veritab!e dirpump, and as
there were seemingly thousands Of
them, the sucking power OF this spider
Of the sea was apparent. Blows were
aimed at it whenever opportunity Of
fered, but the weird animal fairly slid
over the rail, winding one of its arms
around an oar. It's head or body hung
on the rail-a brown mass the size Of
mans head-from which cleaned two
greenish-yellow eyes. The strange
animal changed color like a chame-
leon fushes Of red, brown and gray
followed one another over it. while
from it's lower portion oozed stream
of ink which splashed our faces as the
tentacles flew about. 1t was Is min
utes before they had the life ham
mered out of the frightful creature, and
then it was question who had won.
The canoe was now half full of
water, as hole had been knocked in
the side, which was finally stopped
with a piece Of skin. 1t was five miles
to camp, but l preferred walking, and
had the men put me ashore. l got to
the camp in time to meet them and see
the sea spider taken out. 1t had a
spread of nearly % feet, measuring
from the tip of the outspread tenta-