Year: 1875

Found in the Clutches OF q


Cutie Fish.


From the New York Star.


The story is brief one. Mr.. Franz
Hauser. whose body was buried at
Penzance, near Lands End, was a
native of Luxumbourg. His mother
and two sisters were on the Schiller,
intending a visit to their old home,
while lie remained in Iowa. Upon
the news of the wreck of the vessel
he became so deeply affected that he
fell into a raging fever. When he
became conValescent he made inqui-
ries whether the bodies of his rela-
tives had been found. He obtained
no satisfactory information in the
States. and at last resolved to make
a personal effort on the spot. He
came across the ocean, and at once
went to Penzance, where at last he
gained the certainty shat neither of
the three corpses had been recovered.
Fbereupon he employed two expert
enced divers. purchased a complete
diving arlnor, and submitted to q
course of training under the instruc-
tions of the two men he had employ
ed. As soon as he was able to move
about under the water and accus-
toned to the heavy suit, he.


DETERMINED TO DESCEND INTO THE SEA
where the Schiller had gone down
and search for his mother and sisters. /
Several descents were made without
success; though the remains of the
vessel were seen, yet no body could
be observed. But one day as the
three men were silently moving about
among some sharp pointed q s and
reefs, and being q considerable dis
tance away from the wreck itself.
Franz Hauser was startled by the
sight of what appeared as the head
Of female form. 1t seemed to hang
from reef some ten feet high. He
directed the attention Of the others
by pointing towards it. Slowly the
three stepped forward in the direc-
ton of the reef. Nearing the spot,
pitiiul and heart-rending scene
presented ITSELF What was suppos,
ed to be female head was such in
reality. yet little Of the body to which
it belonged could be seen. The
corpse was Grmly held in the clutch
es of


A GIGANTIC CUTTLE-FISH,


which, with its enormous arms and
extended suckers, clung to it and to
the sides of the rock like wild beast
feasting on its prey. The sight, say
the two surviving divers, was shock
ing. yet awe-inspiring. They de-
scribe the cutie fish as having cir
cular central body that counts not
less than four feet in diameter, of a
greenish black hue with alternating
bright and dark spots and a Shiny
surface. 1t was rounded like dome,
and it seemed as if portion of the
human body had been absorbed into
it by the tremendous power of sue
tion this monster is believed to pos
sess. Its arms-the divers counted
eight--were apparently of immense
strength, being over twelve feet long,
and judged not to be less than foot
in diameter where they Joined the
body. Some of these arms


cLUNG TO THE UNFoTUNATE VICTIM,
others held fast to the protuberance
of the rocks. and several were swing
ing through the water like the trunk
of an elephant. but twice its size.


Such was the view the three divers
had as they approached this reef.
and Franz Hauser made a sudden
spring forward toward it +; but he was
held back, His associates knew that
by going any nearer they would ex-
pose themselves to attack from the
monster, for which they were unpre-
pared. They gave the signal to the
boat, and all three were Immediately
hoisted up. Having the covering re-
moved from his head. Franz Hauser
declared that he had recognized in
the female face one of his sisters.
and he was determined to descend
again to rescue her body from being
DEvoURED BY THE SUBMARINE MON


sTER.


His wish was not gratified, how
ever, he being too nervous and his
strength too much exhausted. and it
was agreed TO make an attempt the
next day or the day after But. in
the morning, young Hauser was de-
lirous, and he fingered on in par
oxy imal condition for some days.
till death closed his eyes. The two
survivors of his expedition under the
sea have made sworn statements of
the truth OF these facts, and it is be