The Washington herald., 1915-03-28
Copyright, lsl5.D
TNE first, human being to set
eyes upon living Haploteu-

;his-the first human being to
survive, that is. for there can be little
doub, NOW that the wave of bathing
fatalities and boating accidents that
,-,,.,ed along the coast of Cornwall
and Devon in carly May was due TO
,I,;. ca,,sc--was A retired tea dealer
al the manic Of Fison. who was stop
ming at 4 Sidmouth boarding house.
|, was in the afternoon, and he was
walking along the cliff path between
S,dmouth and Ladram Bay. The
cliffs IN this direction are very high,
hi, down the rcd face OF them IN one
Mace ! Kind OF ladder staircase has
nccn made. He was near this when
ri, attention was attracted by what
NJ first he thought 10 DC cluster OF
birds struggling over fragment OF
food that caught the sunlight, and
pIistcncd pinkish white. The tide
Mas right out, and this object was not
only far below him, but remote across
broad waste OF rock reefs covered
with darl scawccd and intcrSpcrscd
With silycry, shining. tidal pools,
And he was, moreover, dazzlcd by
Inc brightness OF the further water
In 4 minute. regarding this again.
lie perceived that his judgment was
in fault, for over this struggle clrclcd
number OF birds, jackdaws and gullS
for the most part, the latter Slcam-
ing blindingly when the sunlight
,motc their wings, and they seemed
minute in comparison with 1t. And
his curiosity was, perhaps, aroused
all the more strongly because OF his
first insufficient explanations.
As he had nothing better to do than
arnuse himself, he decided to make
this object, whatever it was, the goal
OF his afternoon walk, instead OF
Ladram Bay, concciving it might per
haps be a great FISH OF some sort,
stranded by some chance, and flap
ping about in its distress. And so he
hurried down the long steep ladder,
stopping at intervals OF thirty feet or
50 to take breath and scan the mys-
FERROUS movement.
At the foot OF the cliff he was, of
course, nearer his object than he had
been; but, on the other hand, it now
came up against the incandescent
skv, beneath the sun, so as to seem
dark and indistinct Whatever was
pinkish OF it was now hidden by
skcrry OF wcedy bouldcrs. But he
perceived that it was made up OF
seven rounded bodies. distinct or con-
ncctcd, and that the birds kept up
constant croaking and screaming, but
seemed afraid TO approach it too
closely.
Mr.. Fison, torn by curiosity. began
picking his way across the wave
worn rocks, and, finding the wet sea-
weed that covered them thickly rem
dcrcd them extremely slippery, he
stopped, removed his shoes and
socks. anL cooled his trousers above
his knees. The object was, OF course,
merely to avoid stumbling into the
rocky roofs about linn, and perhaps
lie was rather glad, as all men arc. Of
an cNcu>c to resume, even for mo-
ucut. tho sensations OF his boyhood.
Nj any rate. it is To this, no doubt,
that nc owes his Lie.
He approached his mark with all
tho assurance which the absolute Sc
curity ct tins country against all
forru- "r animal life gives its inhabi-
tdul~. The round bodies moved 10
and lr". but it was only when he sur
mounted the >kcrry Of bouldcrS I
have mentioned that he realized the
horrible raturc OF the discovery. 1T
cam, upon him with some sudden
ness.
The rounded bodies icll apart as he
came INTO sight over the ridge, and
displayed the pinkish object to be
the partially dcvourcd body OF hui
man being, but whether OF a man or
woman he was unable to say. And
the rounded bodies were new and
ghaStly-looking creatures, in shape
somewhat resembling an octopus, and
with huge and very long and flexible