Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Cruise of the Esperance.
TOrIginal.1

foundland for the purpose of studying
the cuttlefsh. His uncle, Prosper
AIartindale. placed his yacht Esper-
ance at the disposal of the savant- a
party was made up, including Mr.. Mar
tindale's daughter Lily and her 1iance,
Allen Ward.
One afternoon while the pleasure
seekers were lounging on the quarter
deck in wicker chairs Mr.. Martindale
asked the professor for some informa-
ton regarding that interesting swim
mer, the cuttlefish.
"Thare are various kinds of cutie
fish," said Rusk, differing in weight
from 4 few pounds to several tons.
The octopus. or eight legged fish, is not
found In the largest size. 1t is the
squid, with his ten arms, or tentacles,
that grows to the greatest magnitude.
Two of his arms differ greatly in
length from his other eight, being
sometimes over forty feet in length.
while the shorter are only eleven.
what terrific MONSTER exclaimed
Lily Martindale, shuddering.
1.-The animal" continued the profess
or, rarely moves forward, but pro-
pels himself backward by driving out
water. His means of defense is large
quantity of black ink, which he eXpels
from his body at the approach of dan
ger, doubtless with the expectation of
concealing himself"
will we see any of these large
onesF" asked Ward.
I'VE are going where they have been
found" replied Rusk.
4 few days later the yacht cast an
ehor in n bay Astounding in the smaller
varieties of cuttlefish. y fishing
schooner that had been hailed reported
having seen a few very large ones, but
as none had come to the surface no
correct idea could be formed of their
size. 1t was not long before all except
Professor Itusk tired of looking at the
small specimens that We're caught and
turned their attention TO such amuSe-
ments as are to be found on board
yacht. The banks of Newfoundland
are noted for fish, and fishing was the
order of the day. Professor Rusk I'M
boxed an enormous Sunglass, swung in
a pivotal frame. and fixed it to the
gunwaIe. Then he threw the concen-
trated rays of the sun far down into
the water to look for specimens.
One afternoon when the wind had
died completely away and the heat
was considerable all the yachtsmen
save the lovers and the professor were
smoothing In the cabin. Miss Martin
dale and Mr.. Ward were sitting on the
forecastle fishing, and the professor
was working with his sunglaSS. 1t &C.
Cured to Lily Martindale, who was
II 60.
the bowsprit. She had not time to get
safely seated when there was a terrific
tug on her line, and, losing her bal
ance, she fell overheard. The hooked
fish swan away with the line, which
was wound about Miss Lily. Ora gging
her with it. At the moment she fell
into the water Professor Rusk, whose
eye was following the focused rays of
the sun. exclaimed:
by thunder
"Allen! Allenr' shrieked the girl
"Save me!'
"Rusk! Here, Quick" cried Ward
instead of jumping after his fiancee.
What had caused the professors eX-
clamatiOn was Il ten armed cuttlefsh
laZily swimming toward the yacht,
taking in everything in the shape of
food that came in its way. Swallowing
Miss Lily's bait. it moved along the
yachts side from stem to stern at
distance of about thirty feet, towing
the poor girl, who was sustained by
air under her petticoats. 1t was not
long before the fish reached point OPP
posite Professor Rusk.
The professors first impulse was to
ri n1 10
to find some means to paralyze the
cuttlefish and detach her. AS the
monster fioated under the focused
rays, his great arms moving languidly
like the oars of drifting man of-wars
boat, Rusk, estimating for the refrac-
ton of the water, turned the rays
straight into the fish's right eye. In
stantly n black cloud issued from the
great oval body, and in less than
minute the water about it was as
black as ink This the professor had
not calculated upon. The fish, con-
scious of danger, had placed itself OH
the defensive, and now that it was
invisible the work of detaching Lily
was more difficult than ever.
Placed in position to be used at any
moment was n gigantic net of small
wire cable strands, with apparatus for
throwing it. 1t was an invention of
Professor Rusk and had been con-
structed and fixed to the yachts side
for the purpose of taking specimens
of large cuttlefish. The captain of the
yacht had come up, and Rusk, pointing
to the ink cloud in the water, signaled
linn to cast the net. The captain
pulled a lever, guiding the net by
second lever as it fell, covering the sur
face at the ink cloud, where the net
sank out Of sight. Meanwhile, Rusk,
drawing his pocketknife, jumped into
the ocean. swan for Miss Martindale,
cut the fishline and bore her to the
yacht, where they were drawn ON
board by one of the crew.