The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-12-04
Plucky Kanaka Attacks an Eight
Pronged Demon of the
Pacific
ENWRAPPED BY 6 TENTACLES.
Sandwich Islander Succeeded in
Paralyzing All of Them by
Biting the Monsters
Eye.
REPERLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York, Dec Sd. ]. Taber. sn CT.
dinary seaman on the Bath ship Benjamin
Sewall. who has arrived here, described
a unique and terrific fight between a Sand
wich Islander and a devil fish, of which he
was witness at Waha, off Punalun
Island. when the ship was in the Hawaiian
group. So far as known It Is the only
recorded conflict between an octopus and
man armed with no weapon except such
| as nature has given him.
THE steamer Mauna Loa having
touched at Waha in her round OF the
islands. one Of the Kanaka sailors saw
the octopus alongside said Taber.
He Jumped overheard and grabbed the
| devil fish, which was OF great size. 1t
didn't take the octopus long to wake up.
and In second two OF the long arms had
the nearly naked Kanaka in a tight hold
around his legs.
THE sailor grlpped the two tentacles
near the beak of the cuttle-fsh. The only
weapons the man had left were his teeth.
He bit at the big eyes of the beast. which
Quivered. swelled and heaved with rage.
Drawing himself up as much as he
could. the sailor tried to grip the horrible.
staring, CLASSY eyes of the creature in his
teeth. He made his attacks first at the
right eye so as not TO waste effort in
changing from one TO the other, and IL he
should wound one eye he could follow up
his advantage and finish the job before
gripping the other eye.
suddenly fifth long and winding arm
With two rows of suckers shot around the
mans waist. placing him in a viselike
grasp. Had the Kanaka not seized the
tentacles next the head of the demon at
the beginning of tho duel It would have
O los fta Of 10 "a
OF the battle.
The human enemy of the cutie FISH
had not only to fight with all his
strength and nerve. but also to hold his
monster. with its powerful muscles and
vibrating wart-covered membranes drew
him beneath the surface. 1t was sub
could have engaged but one who had been
brought up in the water from the age OF
years.
liberty and which had been drawn up be-
meath the body. were swinging and wig
Cling as If awaiting an opening to fasten
upon some other portion OF the Kanaka's
The clasp Of the octopus around the man
afforded him purchase with his neck and
teeth. for he didn't have to bother about
his footing.
eye of the octopus between his teeth. but
could not retain his hold upon the wounds
ed organ.
The madder the devil fish grew the big
ger and more bulging its optics grew, Civ
Ing better mark for the teeth. The in
numerous suckers on its tentacles were
drawing upon the strength and vitality Of
the Kanakn, while its parrot beak was
seeking to imbed itself in the mans
breast.
As the sixth arm. Shiny and quivering.
fas made to encircle the shoulders OF its
antagonist the Kanaka fastened his jaws
again on the rieht bulgine and bleeding
optic and completely disabled 1t.
Quick to FOLLOW up this advantage the
man-ish summoned all his energy and
tore at the left eye. repeatedly missing
and biting It. The nerve centers Of the
cuttle-fish were so nearly paralyzed that
the seventh and eighth tentac1es could not
be brought into action. by alast Hercu-
lean effort the Sandwich Islander seized
the left eye and tore 1t out bodily. upon
which the monster relaxed and its tenta-
oles were disengaged and hung limp, the
sailor exhausted. having to be hauled
aboard the steamer.
The octopus measured fifteen feet across.