Evening star., 1901-07-20
THE SQUID
A Form of Sport That is Not With
out Danger.
HIDEOUS MONSTERS OF FHE DEEP
Experience of a Scientist While
Studying the Octopus.
THEY'RE VICIOUS FIGHTERS

THEY'RE VICIOUS FIGHTERS
Written for The Evening Star by Charles T. Holder
The first man to hurl spear into giant
squid with a view to capture it possessed
more than ordinary pluck and stamina. as
of all the animals of the sea this denizen
of the greater depths. the dark unfath-
Omed caves" this sprawiing, uncanny crea-
tUre is most terrifying. most appalling.
Up to comparatively few years ago it was
known merely by rumor. and the tales of
monsters sixty or seventy feet in length
were disCredited and laid at the door of
fun-lOvins mariners. But one day some
fishermen were going inte of the deep
fJiords of Newfoundland when they saw a
strange object floating on the surface. The
men rowed nearer. when suddenly into the
air shot seven or eight arms of lvid white
eight or ten feet in length and a horrible
animal of a dark reddish color, with eyes
black and staring. moved toward them
The men We're familiar with small squids.
and recognized in this a giant of the tribe.
The average man would have fled before
such an apparition. but these men of nerve
rowed ahead and hurled harpoon into the
white and mottled mass
The effect was appalling. Long sucker
lined arms shot over the boat. one wind
ing about the leg Of the harpooner. while
the animal surged backward and down.
ward, pumping a volume of black. inky
fluid from its siphon it's eyes. as large as
sauCers. staring fixedly. With the hat ehet
the men chopped away the arms which
were fastened to the boat, lodging others
and finally hauled away from the animal.
which now attempted to escape. The men
rowed in shore as rapidly possible and
fastened the rope to a tree, and at low
tide had the satisfaction of seeing the hid
eous creature high and dry Even when
standed its struggles were described as re-
markable. The ten arms rose convulsively
like snakes. the body changed color rap
idly, while je. black mass of ink was
elected from the siphon.
often Enormous in Size.
This squid was estimated to be nearly
sixty feet in length. and was undoubtedly
injured, or 1t would not have been captured
SO easily. That these animals grow to a
very large size is we'll known from speci-
mems taken from whales. The largest in
dividual seen and measured by me was
forty-hve feet In length. The body, about
seven teet long. was barrel-shaped, termi-
mating in an arroW-1ike tail. The head bore
ten arms-eisht short and two long ones.
The former were lined with suckers their
entire length, the latter expanding at the
tips. the suckers being confined to this
portion The eyes were enormous black
and staring. and the mouth provided with
pair Of beaks. in color and shape very
similar to those of a parrot. Leading into
the siphon. or swimming organ, was the
ink bag. part OF the defensive and offensive
armament. and at viii the fluid could be
mixed with the water the animal pumped,
surrounding itself with dense cloud.
Such an animal in good condition is more
than match for several men, and that
they attain to great length, weighing
possibly several tons. there can be but
little question One has been seen with its
arms wound about large whale. the lat
ter leaping out of the water to rid itself of
the animal which it had attacked and
which is the natural food of the toothed
whales Another giant was struck by
harpooner. but the captain of the vessel
ordered the men to cut away from it, fear
ing for their lives. Another sauid esti-
mated at seventy feet in length was har-
pooned and killed but fell apart when
being hOisted over the ships side. These
animals undoubtedly inhabit the deep sea,
which explains the fact that they are so
rarely
Sport With n Spear.
The smaller squids. ranging up to ten
feet III length. afford excellent sport with
the spear. In little bay on the Califor-
nian coast / once secured six or seven OF
about this size They came rushing in in
school. probably chased by large punas
and presented a remarkable sight against
the dark green Of the kelp-lned rocks
When struck they wound their arms about
the spear and clung 10 it. pressing II to
their beaks all the while filling the water
for feet and yards about with ink which
might well dismay an enemy following in
the water one or these squids was caught
uninjured and placed In a large tank where
It's movements were watched 1t attached
us hundreds OF suckers TO the glass hold
Ing on with death grip. filling the water
with Ink. while the body presented a mar
Nelous appearance. a succession of bushes
passing over 1t: now gray, now red to
deeper changes. illustrating the remarkable
Idculty this animal possesses of adapting
Itself 10 the color of the bottom
On one Of the beaches of the Pacific
coast a school Of large squids came fyfns
IN. skipping from wave to wave and when
near shore they were caught by party of
horsemen who charced to be close by. The
latter rode their horses into the water and
with sharp poles ard boat hooks secured
number of the animals
The small squids are difficult to capture
but have speared them in Florida by hav-
ing boat scuiled carefully along where
they were floating on the surface One day
when the sun was intensely hot | took the
oar and sculled. the boatman lying on the
forward deck on the lookout for sauids
We suddenly came upon one lying upon
the surface, and before the boatman could
use the spear the squid directed its siphon
upward and shot such a volley of ink and
water into the mans face that he rolled
back into the boat. his solemn visage drip
ping with sepia-a very much abused man
Another Ugly Bea.t
Between the squid and the octopus, so
far as appearances go. there Is little choice
OF evils They are equally hideous and
ugly. but the squid Is an open-water ami
NAL. moving here and there covering IorR
distances. while the octopus ciings to one
spot. or lives within q certain radius How
large the octopus grows is not known, but
Ihat II attains a spread Cf fifty feet Is be-
neVed by those who have seen the rejecta-
menta of large fishes and whales. / have
handled large numbers of specimens fifteen
teet across. and believe that in the cpen
water a man would have little chance
against such an animal. if entangled in its
shake-ilke arms The largest authentic