The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-09-11
HABITS OF THE OCTOPUS.


al x4.Ierics.-I natdIaiier, reccn..s,
Witnessed d terrlpie incounter be
tween d na,lvc OF lne Islanas and an
octopus. 1 Was going down the Yves,
coast Oh Luzon, ana started ashore
at small port In the snip S BOAT
with the purser and boat crew OF
-Iour men. As we Drew near the lit
tie landing place che purser called
our attention to an enormous Octo-
pus swimming along a lev feet from
as. Immediately one OF the natives
jumped overheard to capture 1t. He
landed on top of it and grabbed holt
of two of its tentacles close TO the
mouth of the creature, as by this
. means he would be enabled to keep
it from biting him. The instant that
the native touched ii the animal
emitted its inky fluid, under cover
of which he undoubtedly would have
escaped had the native not been tod
quick for him. But, as the native
could hold only two of the tentacles
all the others were free and the anil
NAL used them with sickening effect.
Wrapping them around the mans
body, the animal tried to crush him
but falling in this it dfved down to
the bottom, dragging its assailant
tinctly ONecctMd-t.l sd eat
down also. The native was in the
meantime savagely fighting the an
imal with his teeth. The water was
as transparent as glass. and We could
distinctly see him ripping and tear
ing at one eye, which he had manag-
ed to reach. Maddened with pain.
the animal ceased its struggles to
stay below for moment and the ma
tive managed to reach the surface
again. He was naked to the waist.
and all about his arms and body were
great wells where the furious lashes
from the Octopus's tentacles had
struck and held the mans flesh, says
the Manila Opinion.
The man and animal were so in
extricably mixed together that it
impossible to give the form. er the
slightest aid. "a of the creature
eyes had been tO.n out hy this time
and the animal, seeing its only chance
of safety lay below the surface, went
down again with the native Both
were weakening fast. and the death
struggle was close at hand. The
native by an almost superhuman eff
fort managed to close his teeth over
the remaining eye, and We could see
him savagely grinding and chewing
ON it. while the octopus was flashing
wildly with its arms. making most
sickening sight. For. fully minute
and a half the struggle continued
down below, when the mans super
iOr strength and science told. and
the animal its brain pierced by the
teeth gave up the ghost and both
came to the surface, the native so
weak that he was unable to sit up
after we dragged him into the boat.
The octopus measured fifteen feet
from tentacle to tentacle the largest
tentacle near the body being as big
as mans wrist
- The natives are great lovers OF the
octopL-, and have many ways OF
catching il, one of the most inter
-.sling being with the cowrio shell.
One or more cowrie shells OF the1
tiger variety are attached 10 a string
When only one is used an oblong pep
bic of about the size OF the sheet Is
tied to the face OF it, hole is pierre
ed in one end of the back OF the
shell through which line is passed
and after being fastened there few
inches of the line is allowed TO hang
below the shell, to which hook
whose point stands almost perpendic
aIlar TO the shaft or shank, is attach |
ed Only shells with small red spots
breaking through a reddish-browi |
ground have an attraction for the an
imal. and they will not rise to any |
other kind On arriving at the fish |
ing ground the fisherman drops the |
shell into the water, and by means |
of the line swings it back and forth |
over a place likely 10 be occupied by |
one of the creatures. The momen |,
the greedy animal perceives the shell |
an arm is shot ont and the shell is /
seized If of a attractive TO the an |
ton another arm is placed a. ound |
ii. and this is continued unlil at !
last the animal withdraws itself en- !,
tirely from its hole and hugs the I
shsell closely to its body. seeming
oblivious TO everything else. 1t IL i
then drawn rapidly mp through tsse i
water. When its head comes above 7
yb. c,,rfaaa rho animal pa iSoc If an i
then the fisherman pulls over against |
the side of the banca. where he hits
it blow between the eyes with !
club or bolo, which generally kills /,
it instantly.
the natives usually snn-dry the
animal, and in this condition it is
tougher than india rubber, but they
consider it one of their greatest del
icacics