The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-06
AN OCTOPUS DIMES.
The Sen Monster Observed In the Act OF
Catching and Eating Its Dinner.

From he San Francisco car.
Never before has II fallen to my lot to see
the terrible monster We encountered on the
last passage from San Francisco toward
Nanamo In the bark Wilscott of Honolulu
We knew that the octupus grew to an inn
mcnsc size, as Banks and Sounder. who no.
compnnied Capt Cook in his first voyage
around the world. found tho dead carcass ot
one floating on the water to the westward OF
Cape Horn. 1t was supposed to lie twenty
bv thirty feet. the body only; the ten
tnclcs were hanging under water. 1t was
surrounded by myriads OF birds. which were
feeding grcedily ON its remains, pliny also
mentions Il similar monster having eight arms.
thirty feet long, and rorr"sponding girth;
mention, nave certified to its actual existence.
Put did not bsGye thGt 3nythihmGi 1 IN
hS tesr n IN s "SS Tnt hn2 ocular
demonstration of the fact ON this passage.
gaotS our Log ES9E II Nny Giion n 10
tude ;}.,' 80 north. longitude 1886. 40 west.
Light breeze from north by east. dry; cloudy
slight unduiating swell from the northwest.
Ship under all sail. brnccd sharp unon the star.
scarcely making ripple on the water. At 2:30
=. NJ. my attention was cal led by the quarter
master. Frank 5astas Of San Diego, Cal. TO
terrible connection in the water about three
POINTS forward Of the lee beam.
Its eyes were HrEs OF g ",h b tHt Sna
shaped like n parrot g bill; its tcnthcleS were
tapcrng, and. like its body. OF grayish color.
covered with spots II appeared to possess
the characteristics power OF changln. inc
color OF these spots in most eXtra%rLina,ry
manner as fast as the eye could detect the
changes; they varied from avery rich crimson
to a dark. dull brown. these changes, no
doubt indicating the high state o. oNcltemcht
under which the creature was at the time.
Suddenly the octopus discharged huge lot
of "A dark -colorcd fluid full into the eyes Of the
sunilsh. and then rushing forward with tne
rapidity Of an arrow IL oncircled its prey with
the long tentaclcs. and in another moment the
victor ana the vanuuishcd had disappeared De-
low the surface OF the water.
In few moments more we had sailed right
over the scene and found the water was COLI
orcd almost black for space OF fully 2IW ieee
in diameter. and we noticed an odor signify
resembling iodine rising from the Wateri our
patent log line OF snow white cotton. when
was towing astcrn, was cOlored almost placR.
and II has not yet assumed it's white freshness,
although it has towed in the water fully SOO
miles since the above episode.
About twenty minutes after we had passed
over this spot we saw the huge creature again
on the surface enjoying its meal IN q very
eisurcly manner rolling the body Of the un.
fortunate suutish over aud over ana bitlng on
large mouthfuls with its cruel-lOoKtnR beak.
KNEW before that these huge octopods and
their relatives the dccapOds, were not alto.
gethcr mythical. as they have NJ the United
States National Museum n Washington
was found stranded ON the north shore OF
| Trinity Bay. Newfoundland on the 22d day OF
| September 1877. The total length OF this
| specimen, including tentacles. was only sixty
feet. so it is quite safe to infer that 1t had not
| become OF age when 1t was wrecked.