Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-10
SAILOR AND DEVIL FISH.
All Alone a Kanaka Successfully Tackles
an Eight-Pronged Demon of
the Deem.

u. ]. Tahcr, an ordinary seaman on
the Bath ship benjamin Sewall. who has
arrived here, described yesterday
unique and terrific fight between "A Sand
witch Islander and n devil fish. of which
he WAS a witness at Waha, off paualua
island. when the ship was in the Hawai-
IAN group. SO far as known il is the
only recorded conflict between an octopus
and man armed with no weapon except
such as nature has given him.
The steamer Alauna l.aa having
touched at Waha in her round of the
Islands, one Of the kanaka sailors saw
the octopus alongside" said Taber
lie jumped overheard and grabbed
;he 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 neariy naked kanaka in
tight hold around his legs.
THE sailor gripped the two tentacles
near the heak of the cutie fish. The
only weapons the man had left were his
teeth He hit ut the big eyes of tho
beast, which quivered, swelled and
heavud with rage
Drawing himself up as much as he
could, the sailor tried - grin the horrible.
staring, CLASSY eyes of the creature in his
teeth. He made his attacks first ut the
right eye, so as not 10 waste effort ia
changing from one to the other and if
he should wound one eye he would follow
up his advantage and finish the job he
fore gripping the other eye
suddenly a fifth long and winding
arm. with two rows Of suckers. shot
around the mar'S waist. placing him in
a yiselike grip. Had the Kanaka not
| seized the tentaelcs next the head Of the
demon at the beginning of the duel Ii
would have been all day with the sailor
at this stage nf the battle.
The human enemy of the cattle fish
had not only to fight with all his strength
and nerve, but also 10 hold his breath Mt
! such times rs the enragcd Jelly monster
! with IFS powerful muscles and vibrating
| Wart covered membranes drew him be.
/ meath the surface. 1t was submarine
! battle, IN which no human being could
! have engaged but one who had been
! brought up in the wafer from the age Of
years.
1.-THE tentacles of the devil fish sill M
liberty aud which had been drawn mp be-
| meath the body, were swinging AMI wig
| Cling as II awaiting an opening to fasten
| upon some other portion Of the kanafa'>
! body, held in the embrace of the sea
| devil.
The clasp Of the octopus around the
man afforded him Il purchase with his
neck and teeth, for he didn't have to
bother about his footing.
At last he succeeded In seizing the
right eye OF the octopus between his
| teeth, but could not retain his hold upon
the wounded organ.
The madden the dcvil-fish grew the
bigger and more bulging its optics grew,
giving a better mark for the teeth The
innumerable suckers on its tentacles
were drawing upon the strerfth and vi
tally of the Kunnka, while it's parrot
bcak was seeking TO mbed itself in the
mans breast.
As the sixth arm, Shiny and auiver-
ing, made to encIrcle the shoulders of it's
antagonist. the kanaka fastened his
jaws again on the right bulgng and
bleeding optic and completely disabled il.
Quick to follow up this advantage the
manfsh summoned all his energy and
tore ut the left eye. repeatedly missing
aud biting it. The nerve ccnters Of the
cutie fish were so nearly parnlyzed that
the seventh and eighth tentaclos could
not be brought into action. BY a last
llereulean effort the Sandwich islander
seized the left eye aud tore il out bodily,
upon which the monster relaxed and it's
tcntaclcs were dsengnged aud hung
limp. the sailor, exhausted. having to be
hAulcd aboard the steamer.
The octopus measured - feet across
New York World.