El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-26

and biting out great chunks Of its
flesh.
No carnivorous beast on land is more
bloodthirsty. The killers nunt IN
packs. like wolves. and their favorltS
quarry is large whales of other species
Commonly their presence may 9s
known by their back fms, SIX reel
high. which look like enormous dag
gers as they project above the surface
of the sea The only people who ma he
a business Of capturing them are the
Nakah Indians Of Washington state;
who are very fond OF their flesh ana
fat. 1t is glorious sport. but exceed
ingly dangerous-
Giant Squid Is Real Ogre.
The real ogre OF the ocean, however,
IS the giant squid. 1t Is neither
mammal nor 4 fish. but mollusk-an
enormously magnified cuttlefish- a
small specimen. ten feet long. with
rentacles b feet in length. was
stranded a few years ago on the SHORES
of Trinity Bay. Newfoundland Plaster
casts We're taken of il, and "A reproduc-
ton of the creature, full-sized. IS now
exhibited at the National Museum II
Washington.
But this particular squid. as above
stated, was understood doubtIess d
young one. When ful-srown. the
animal attains a length OF % feet ttor
the body partp. with tentacles 100 rect
long That is to say the two major
tenacles are OF that frlShtIul monster
Numerous In Indian Ocean.
The species seems to be exceptional
~ numerous in the Indian ocean me
professional fisherman is those waters
may be prepared at almost any time
for the possibility Of seeing Sigantt-
creature with huge SogSlinS eyes rls-
out of the depths and fling across ms
boat a mighty tentacle armed Win
scores of sucking disks so powerful
that nothing short of horse power can
drag them away from an object 10
which they are once attached ~
has always ready Keen knife. Wlth
which to slash off the tentacle before
he is dragged overheard. But ne
must work quickly. for the monster
possesses another tentacle TO help MN
in the attack. and il is hardly an even
fight between one or two men ana a
beast with an arm-reach OF 10 feet
Weighs 10000 Pounds
The giant squid is an inhabltant OF
all seas, but most common in tropical
waters When Of full size il weighs
10000 pounds II has by far the lars-
est eyes of any animal IN the world
fully foot in diameter \ parrot
like beak serves for tearing its prey
grasp by the two long arms and Sc
curelv clasped by the eight smaller
ones. If frightened and trying TO es-
cane. IL clouds the water by dlScharS-
ing an inkv fluid. thus concealine lis
movements. The same sort OF fluid,
obtained from its tiny relative. the III
tie squid, Is the Sepla OF commerce
On Nov 80. 1861. the French dispatcl
steamer Alecton. between Madeira AMI
Teneriffe. came upon fun-srown
giant squid floating on the surface OF
the sea, apparently asleep ffoDablN-
however. il was dead or dying Many
bullets fired at it passed through Its
soft flesh without seeming TO disturb
II At an. Harpoons were thrust into
il (the vessel being stopped. but the
would not hold Finally a rope with .
and an attempt was made TO haul i
aboard. but the immense weight caused
the rope 10 cue through. and the mass
fell back into the sea and disappeared
May Be Real sea Serpent
Il has been suggested that the Two
great shakers that came out OF the sen
and attacked LAGOON and his Two
sons. in the ancient story, may nave
been (aIlowing for error Of tradition
the tentacles Of a giant squld some
theorisrs are inclined TO identify this
huge mollusk with the sea serpent Of
quasi-mythical narrative, its habit OF