t
THE SCHANTON TIUBTXNE "WEDNESDAY MORNING, DECEMBF.lt 23, - 18U6.
11
I
Ghastly Work
The Sea
Story of a Strange and Horrible Battle Be
tween Seamen and a New Species ox Mon
sters of the Deep.
H. G. Wells, In the London Sun.
I.
fntil the extraordinary affair at Std
mouth, the peculiar species Maplo
teuthls ferox was known to science
only senerlcally. on the strength of a
half-dlKested tentacle obtained near the
Azores, and a decaying body pecked by
birds and nibbled by fish, found early
in 1SUG by Mr. Jennings, near Land's
Kr.d.
In r.o department of zoological sci
ence, Indeed, are we quite so much in
the dark as with retard to the deep
sen ccphalopods. A meve accident, for
Instance, it was that led to the Prince
of Monaco's discovery of nearly a dozen
jie-v forms in the summer of lV.Ti, a dls
toery In which the before-mentioned
tctacle was liu-linlcd. It chanced that
a cachalot was kiiled olT Tercelia by
tonic sperm whali is. and in its last
stfURsKs cliai-jri'il almost to the Prince's
Jtcht, missed It, rolled under, and died
Milbln twenty yards of his rudder. Ami
In its ajjony it throw up a number of
larj,e objects, which the Prince, dimly
pcrc Ivingr they were strange and im
portant, was, by a happy expedient,
Elile to secure before they sank. He set
his screws in motion, and kept tin m
citclitiff in the vortices thus created
until n boat could be lowered. And
these specimens were, whole ccphalo
pods and fragments of cephalopoda,
some of rcitrantie proportions, and al
most all of them unknown to science.
It would seem, indeed, that these
larffe and iiKile. creatures, llvliiK In the
middle depths of the sea, must, to a
laiKe extent, forever remain unknown
to us. since under water they are too
nimble for nets, and it is only by such
fare unlooked-for accidents that speci
mens can lie obtained. In the case of
liaploteuthls ferox, for instaiuv. we
are t'tlll altogether Ignorant of its
habitat, as ignorant as we are of the
breeding ground of the herrinpr or the
seaways of the salmon. And zoologists
ate altogether at a loss to account for
Its sudden appearance on our coast.
Possibly It was the stress of hiiiiKor
migration that drov it hither out of
the deep. Put It will be, perhaps, bet
ter to avoid necessarily Inconclusive
discussion, and to proceed at once with
our narrative.
The first human belli ;.r to ret ejes,
upon n llvinn llaiiloteiuhis the first i
human helm; to survive, that Is, lor'
there can be little doubt now that the .
. wave of bathing latalliii and boutinir
accidents thai Uavi-llnl along the'
coast of Cornwall and I'evon in early I
May was due to this cause wes a re-j
tired tea-dealer of the name of Flson, j
who wus slopping at a Sidmouth
boarding house. It was in the after- I
noon, und he was wnlkititf al-uiR lh'(
cliff path between Sldmou'h and I .ad- I
ram Ha v. The cliffs in this direction!
are very high, but down the red face,
of them in one place a kind of ladder i
staircase has been made, lie was near!
this when his attention was attracted j
by what he at first thought to be I
a cluster of birds struggling over a
fragment of food tha caught the sun
light, and glistened pluklsh-w hit.-. The
tide w as right out, and this object was
now onlv far below him but remote'
across a broad waste of rock reefs, cov- I
ered with nark wvaweeu aim inicr
spersed with silvery shining tidal pools.
And he was, moreover. da::zled by the
brightness of the fiirtl'i-i- water.
In a minute, regarding this again,
he perceived that his Judgment was In
fault, for over this struggle circled u
niimbe.- of birds. Jackdaws and gulls
for the most Part, the latter gleam
ing blendlngly when the sunlight smote
their Wilms, and they seemed minute
in conipai Ison with it. And his cur
iosity was, perhaps, aroused all the
more strongly because of his first in
Btttlicient explanations.
As he hnd nothing better to do than
amuse himself, he decided to make tins
object, whatever it was. the goal of
his afternoon walk, instead of I.adiam
liny, conceiving it might perhaps be a
great tiisli of some sort, stranded by
some chance, and Happing about in Its
distress. And so he hurried down the
long step ladder, stopping at intervals
of thirty feet or so to take breath and
Bean the mysterious 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
canio up asainst the incandescent sky,
beneath the sun, so as to seem dark
and indistinct. Whatever was pinkish
of It was now hidden bv a kerrv of
weedy boulders. Hut he perceived that
it was made uy of seven rounded
bodies, distinct or connected, and that
the birds kept uy a constant croaking
and screaminir, but seemed afraid to
approach it too closely.
Mr. Flson, torn by curlosit, began
picking his wav across the wave-worn
rocks, and. finding thp west seaweed
that covered tiiem thickly, rendered
them extremely slippery, he slopped,
removed hl shoes and socks, and coile I
his trousers above his knees. His object
was, of course, merely to avoid stumb
ling Into the rockv pools about him.
and perhaps he was rather glad, as all
men are, of an excuse to resume, even
for a moment, the sensations of his
boyhood. At any rate, it Is to this, no
doubt, that he owes his life.
He approached his mark with all
the assurance which the absolute se
curity of this country against all
forms of animal life gives its inhabi
tants. The round bodies moved to and
fro, but it was only when he surmount
ed the skerry of boulders I have men
tioned that he realized the horrible
nature of the discovery. It came upon
him with some suddenness.
The rounded bodies fell apart as he
came Into sight over the ridge, and
displayed the pinkish object to lie the
partly devoured body of a human
being, but whether of a man or wo
man 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 .tentacles.
Copyright, ISM, by Mitchell & Stiller.
He (with auspicious tremulousness): They say that marriages are made in
Heaven.
Bhe (ncourtfV'n8I')! l,ut tn engagements are contracted on earth. Life.
of
roiled copiously on the ground. The
skin had a glistening texture, un
pleasant to see, like shiny leather. The
downward bend of the tentacle-surrounded
mouth, the curious excrescence
at the bend, the tentacles and the large
intelligent eves, rave the creatures a
grotesque suggestion of a face. They
were the sire of a fair sized swine
about the body, and the tentacles
seemed in him to be many feet in
length. There were, he thinks, seven
or eight at least of the creatures.
Twenty yards beyond them, amid the
surf of the now returning tide, two
others were emerging from the sea.
Their bodies lay tlatly on the rocks,
and their eyes regarded him with evil
interest; but it dots not appear that
Mr. Flson was afraid, or that he real
ized that he was In any danger. Possi
bly his confidence Is to be ascribed to
the limpness of their attitudes. Hut he
was horrified, of course, and Intensely
excited and indignant at such revolting
cieutures preying upon human ltesli.
He thought they had chanced upon a
drowned body. He shouted to them,
will: the Idea of tlrivlns them oT, and
finding they did not budge, cast about
him, picked up a bis rounded lump of
roek mul flung it at one.
And then, rlowly uncoiling their teii
nncles. they all bc-ran moving towards
him creeping nt lirst deliberately, and
making a soft purring sound to .ncli
other.
In a moment Vv. Flson realized that
he was in danger, lie shouted again,
threw both his boots, and started off.
with n lean, forthwith. Twenty yards
off he stopped and faced nbout. judging
them slow, and behold! tin- tentacles of
their lender wi re already pourinrr oyer
the rock riilfce on which he had just
been standing:
At that he shouted bs!ii, but this
time not threatening, but n cry of dis
may, and began jumping, stridirvr, filli
ping, wading across the uneven ex
panse between hint nnd the bencn. The
tall , t eil ( lull's seemed suddenly fit a
vast distance, nnd he saw, ns though
they were creatures in another world,
two minute workmen engaged hi the re
pair of the '.iiider-wny. ami li'tle sus
pecting tlie nice for life that ivm be
ginning below them. At one time, he
could hear the creatures spluiiiirig In
Ihe Munis not a dozen feet behind him,
and mice h,. slinpeil and almost fell.
Tliev chased him to the very foot of
the cliffs, and desisted only wle-ii he
h:.d been Joined by the workmen at the
foot of the ladder-way up the cliff. All
three of the men pelted them with
stones for a time, nnd then hurried to
I lie cliff top ami along the path towards
Kiilinouth. to secure assistance and n
boat, and to rescue the desecrated body
from the clutches of these aboinliinbl.'
creatures.
II.
And. ns If he hail not nlreadv been
in smllcient peril that day. .Mr. FIs m
went with the boat to put out the ex
uet spot of his adventure.
As the t.,. was down, it required a
considerable detour to reach the spot,
und wheii at last they came off the
hnlili r way. the mangled body had dis
appeared. The water was now run
ning in. submerging first one slab of
slimy rock and then another, and the
four nun In the boat Hi" workmen,
that Is. ihe boatman, and Mr. Fison
now turned their attention from the
bearings off shore to the water be
neath the keel.
At first they could see little below
them, save a dark jungle of lainlmiria.
with an occasional darting fish. Their
minds were se on adventure, und they
expressed their disappointment freely.
Hut presently they saw one of the mon
sters swimming through the wnter sea
ward, with a curious rolling motion
that suggested to Mr. Flson the spin
ning roll of a captive balloon. Almost.
Immediately alter, the waving stream
ers of lamlnaria were extraordinarily
perturbed, parted for a moment, and
three of these beasts became larklv vis
ible, struggling for what was probable
some fragment of the drowned man. In
a moment the copious olive-green rib
bons had poured again over this writh
ing group.
At that, all four men, greatly ex
cited, began beating the water with
oars and shouting, and immediately
they saw a tumultuous movement
among the Weeds. They desisted to see
mole clearly, and as soon ns the water
was smooth, they saw as it seemed to
them, the whole sen bottom among the
weeds set with eyes.
Tgly swine!" cried one of the men.
"Why! There's dozens!"
And forthwith the things began to
rise through the wat- about them.
Mr. Flson has since described to the
wilter this startling eruption out of
the waving lamlnaria meadows. To
him it seemed to occupy a considerable
time, but It Is probable that really it.
was an urial" of a few seconds only.
For a time, nothing but eyes, and then
he speaks of tentacles si reaming out
and parting the weel fronds this way
und that. Then these things, growing
larger, utnil at Inst the bottom was
hidden by their Interceding forms, and
thjp lips of tetnacles rose darkly hen?
and there Into the air above the swell
of the waters.
One came up boldly to the side of the
boat, and, cltiiRii:;; to this wtih three of
Its sucker-set lertr.cles, throw four
others over the gunwale ns if with nil
intention either of oversetting the boat
or of clambering Into it. Mr. Fison at
once caught up the boathook. and jau
bing furiously at the noft t-ntncles,
forced It to desist. Ho was struck in
the back nnd almost pitched overboard
by the boatman, who was using his oar
to resist n similar attack on the other
side of the boat. Hut the tentacles on
either Bid.! nt once relaxed their hold
at this, slid out of sight nnd splashed
Into the water.
"We'd better got out of this," said
Mr. Fison, who was trembling violently.
He went to the tiller, while the boatman
and one of the woikmtn seated them
selves and began rowing. The other
workmen stood u: in the fore part of
the boat, with the boat-hoo!:, ready to
strike any more tentacles that might
appeur. Nothing (ls seems V have
betn said. Mr. Fison had expressed
the common feeling beyond amend
ment. In a hushed, sefcred mood, with
faces white and drawn, they s t about
cstapln;r from the position into which
tliey had so reckle.nly blundered.
Hut the oars had scarcely dropped
Into the water before dark, tapering,
terpentine ropes had bound them, .md
were about the rudder; and creeping
up the sides of the bun l with n looping
motion came the suckers again. The
men gripped their oars nnd pulled;
but It was like trying to mow a boat
In a floating raft of weeds. "Help,
here!" cried the boatman, and Mr. Fis
on and the second workman rushed to
help lug at the oar.
Then the man with the bonthook his
name was F.wan. or Ewen sprang up
with a cursj, and began striking down
ward over the side, as far as he could
reach, at the back of tentacles that
now. clustered along the boat's bottom.
And. nt the same lime, the two rowels
stood up to get a betfr purchase tor
the recovery of their oars. The noat
man handed his to Mr. Kison. who lug
ged desperately, and. meanwhile, the
boatman opened n big clasp knife, and.
I, nnlng over the side of the bolt, began
hacking at the spiling arms upon the
on'- shaft.
Mr. Flson, Ptr.gierlng with the quiv
ering rocking of the boat, bis teeth set,
his breath coming sin rl. and the veins
starting on his hands ns he pulled at
his oar. suddenly cast his eves seaward.
And there, not fifty ,in!s on, across
the long rollers of the Incemiivt tide,
was a large bunt stand'ng in towards
them, with three women and a little
child In it. A boatman was rowing,
and a little man in n pink-ribboned
straw hat and whites stood In the stern,
hailing them. For a moment, of course,
Mr. Flson thought of help, and then he
thought of the child, lie abandoned
his oar forthwith, threw up his arnvi la
a frantic f esture, nnd sciennied to th
party in the boat to keen away "for
(lod's sake." It says much for th.'
modesty nnd courage of Mr. Fison that
he does not seem to be aware that there
was any quality of heroism In his ac
tion at this Juncture. The oar he had
abandoned was at once draw under,
nnd presently reappeared floating
about twenty yards away.
At the same moment Mr. Flson felt
the boat under him lurch violently, and
a hi in rue scream, n prolongi d cry of
tenor from Hill, the boatman, caused
him to forget the party of excursionists
altogether, lie turned, and saw Hill
crouching by the forward rowlock, his
fate convulsed with terror, and his
right arm over the side and drawn
lightly down. lie iv.ive now n succes
sion of short, sharp cries, "fill! or! oh!
oh!" Mr. Flson believes that he must
have been hacking nt the tentacles be
low the water-line, nnd have been
grasped by them, but, of course; it is
quite impossible to say now certainly
v.'lin t had happened. The boat was
hilling over, so that the tunwale was
within ten Inches of the water, and
both ICwan and the other labourer were
striking down Into the wafer, with oar
and boat-hook, on ell her side of Hill's
nrni. Mr. Fison Instinctively placed
himself to counterpoise them.
Then Hill, who was a burly, powerful
mill, made a strenuous effort, and ros
li boost to a standing position. He lilted
ills arm, Imbed, clean out of the water.
Hanging to it was a complicated tangle
of brown ropes; und the eyes of one of
the brutes that had hold of him, glaring
straight and resolute, showed momen
tarily above the surface. The boat
heeled more and more, und the green
brown water came pouring in a cascade
over the side. Then Hill slipped and
fell with his ribs across the side, ami
his arm and the mass of tentacles about
It splashed back Into the water. He
rolled over; his boot kicked Mr. Flson's
knee as that gentleman rushed forward
to seize lit hi . and In another moment
fresh tentacles had whipped about his
waist and neck, and, after a brief, con
vulsive struggle, n which the boat u;it
nearly capsized, Hill was lugged oyer
board. The boat righted with a violent
jerk that all but sent Mr. Fison over the
other side, and hid the struggle in the
wat'-i' from his eyes.
He stood staggering to recover his
bnlaiii c for a moment, nnd as he did so
he became aware that the struggle and
the billowing tide had carried th m
close upon the weedy rocks again. Not
four yards off a table of rock still ro.ie
in rhythmic movements above the in
wash of the tide. In a moment .Ml.
Fison seized tic oar from Kwan. gave
one vigorous stroke, then, iliopplng it,
ran to the bows and leapt. He f It
his feet slide over the rock, and, by a
frantic effort, leapt again toward u
further mass. He stumbled over this,
came lo his knees, and rose again.
"Hook out!" cried someone, and a
large drub body struck him. lit? was
knocked Hat into a tidal pool by one
of the workmen, and as he went down
he heard smothered, choking cries, that
he believed at the time came from Hill.
Then he found himself marvelling nt
the shrillness and variety of Hill's
voice. Someone jump- d over him, an. I
a curving rush of foamy water poured
over him. and passed. He scrambled
to his feet dripping, nnd, without look
ing seaward, ran as fast as his terror
would let him shoreward. Hel'ore him
over tie Hat space of scattered rocks,
stumbled the two workmen one a
dozen yards In front of the other.
He looked out Ills shoulder at last,
and seeing he was not pursmd, faced
about. He was astonished. From the
moment of the rising of the ccphalopods
out of the water, he had been acting too
swiftly to fully comprehended his ac
tions. Now it seemed to him as if he
had suddenly juinp.d out of an evil
dream.
For there were the sky. cloudless
and blazing with the afternoon sun.
the sea weltering under its pitiless
brightness, the soft cr-aniy foam of
the breaking water, and the low. long,
dark ridges of rock. The righted boat
flouted, rising and falling gently on tne
swell about u dozen yards from shore.
Hill nnd tin- monsters, all the sir ss
and tumult of that fierce light for life,
had vanished as though they had nev
er been. ... . ,
Mr l"'isiin's heart was beating lo
lently. he was throbbing to the linger
tips. "and his br-ath came deep.
There was Foinethlns missing, tor
some seconds he could not think clearly
enough what this might be. Sun. sliV,
sea. rocks what wan It? Then he
remembered the boatload of excursion
ists It hud vanished. He wondered
whether he had imagined it. He turned
and saw two workmen standlns side
by side under the projecting masses of
the tall pink cliffs. He hesitated
whether he should make one last at
tempt to rave the man Hill. His phy
sical excitement seemed to desert him
suddenly and leave him aimless and
helpless! lb' turned shoreward, stumbl
ed nnd wading towards his two com
panions. He looked back again, and there were
now two boats Hunting, and the one
furthest nut at sea pitched clumsily,
bottom upward.
III.
So It was liaploteuthls ferox made Its
flint recorded appcurnce upon the De
vonshire const. Mr. Fison's account,
taken together with the wave of boat
ing and bathing casualties to which I
have already alluded, and the absence
of fish from the Cornish coasts that
year, points clearly to a Bhoal of these
voracious deep-sea monsters prowling
slowly along the subtial const-line.
Hunger migration has, I know, been
suggested as the force that drove them
hither; but, for my own part, I prefer
to believe the alternative theory of
Hemsley's. Hemsley holds that a pack
or shoal of these creatures mnv have
become enamoured of human llesh by
the accident of a foundered ship sink
ing anions them, and have wandered
In search of It out of their accustomed
zone; first waylaying and following
ships, and so coming to our shores In
the wake of the Atlantic raffle. Hut to
discuss Hemsley's cogent jnd admirably-stated
arguments would be out
of place here
It would seem that the appetites of
the shoal were atlsfled by the catch
of eleven people for so far as can ba
ascertained trere were ten people in
the second boat, nnd certainly these
creatures gave no further signs of their
priKence oil Sidinouth that day. The
coast between Seaton and Hudleigh
Salterton waa patrolled nil lhai even
ing und night by tour Preventive Ser
vice boats, the men la which were
aimed with harpoons and cutlastie?.
and as the evening udvanced a num
ber of more or less similarly equipped
expedition?, organized by piivate indi
viduals. Joined them. Mr. Fison tool: no
part in any of these expeditions.
About midnight excited hails were
heard from u boat about a couple of
miles mil at sea to the southeast of
Sidinouth, and a lantern was seen wuv"
Ing in u Strang- manner to and fro
and up und down. The nearer boats
at once hurried toward.- the olarm. The
VeiituresoiiK' occupants of the boat, a
siamun, a curate, and two schonibov.4,
hud actually seen the monsters pa-sing
under tli-lr boat. The creatures, it
seems, like most deci-sea organism:;,
were phospiioresn lit. und tin y had been
liontiug. live fathoms deep or so, like
cr rtiiKs of moonshine through the
blackness of the water, their tentacles
retracted and as If asleep, rolling over
and over, and moving slowly In u
w edgi d-llke formation towards the
southeast.
Tiles people told their story hi gesti
culated fragments, ns first one boat
drew alongside and then another. At
last there was a little fleet of eight or
nine boats collected togetln r, and from
them a tumult like the chatter of a
inarket-place, rose Into the stillness at
the n;:ht.
On secli occasions ns this tin-re Is
usually some person of prompt and d -clsive
will who seizes the leadership.
Thi: person was found on this occasion
in .Mr. Kdw in I Hake, nn actor from
Louden, with a remarkably line voire,
who happened to be aboard out i f
the Inrg. r boats. "All lights out." he
shouted suddenly nmid the din. "!-!irea.il
om and row southeast." doing It with
such sn assurance of authority that
Ills order v.i.s promptly repeated be
tween boat and boat, and almost Im
mediately obeyed. To most of tho-
who partook in that night's adventure
he was indeed bill a voice, a will, and
beyond thnt nothing. Yet his urbitrury
(lceislori carried them till.
They rowed until about half-past one
In the morning, nnd there was already
murmuring enough against this self
imposed commander, especially anion:
those who were with him upon his own
boat, when the chase was overtaken.
A hailing began between boat und Imui,
and th - scattered boats began drawing
togetiier again. "How over tlu-m and
get ahead," cried the Voice. The
watchers in the bowi saw the roliin-f
little puffs of phosphorescence driv
ing along steadily and slowly far b
low. So seen, tin y were anything but
formidable. And then came n splash
in the water, and It was said a lead
sinker had been pitched nt the brutes.
"1. brills!" bawl d the voice. "Higlit
up!"
The watchers peering down, shading
the evea from the lanterns, saw that
the onward movement of the shoal had
ceased. The strange beasts were now
gathering closer, and their arms be
came apparent, each of the suckers
which beset them shinlnir, a bright
spot in the filmy Irradiation. "Heat the
water," cried the voice. Here and there
someone obeyed, but most remained
staring. And forthwith, far down,
shone the eyes, rellccting the lanterns,
und in another ten seconds the middle
water was alive with phosphorescence.
"They're coining up." cried u num
ber of voices, some exultant, some
alarmed. "Ship oars. Stand by with
cutlasses and harnoous." cried the
voice; and the oars came rattling in
and the crew of each boat croiu lied
ready, pcerim: overboard, expectant
for the tentacl. s that were presently
to conn? writhing out of the water.
"We'll srlve It em!" ohreanicil an old
man, Intensely excited, carving the air
wlih a ( utlasH.
Only the tentacles did not come
writhing out of H-e water.
'Ihe pause lengthened. The beast
killers saw the things going to and fro
beneath the boats, saw waving arms
and fluctuating gaps of darkness.
There was a splashing as eager people
cut and stabbed at them, though they
yards out of reach. Then the people In
the boats became aware of a rhyth
mically repeated gnawing sound, com
ing from the bottoms of the bunts.
Men said "Hush!" and peered ques
tiiiningly nt one another in the dark
ness, then craned dangerously on the
sides. What l!ie l- il were the things
nt now ?
The realisation came slowly. With It
cuine the noise of oars thrown hastily
into rowlocks and n splashing of wnt
er. "They're sciitilln;; us!" I Duke was
equal to the occasion, or it is doubtful
If anyone would have escaped alive
that night. "Hoats keep near each
other." he bawled in that providential
voice of his. "It's no good rowing away.
Kacli boat cluar Its neighbour's bot
tom." There was a pistol shot from
one of the boats, and then with cries
nnd tumult, nnd one heavy collision,
the boats drew near until each was
half an oar's length from its neigh
bour. Th-' shot was repeated, and my
Informant saw by the light of the pink
Hash the startled faces of the men in
the boats staring down at the pallid
ghosts of cuttle fish in the dark waier,
and gripping oars and boat hooks. The
water splashed Into my Informant's
face, and he did not see the effects of
the sliot, but Mr. Church, the man
who fired it. claims to have killed or
wounded eight of these creatures thai
night. H Is certain that one bullet at
leust, fired too obliquely, riochetted,
splintered the muM of one of the
coastguard boats and narrowly missed
a man.
And tiien began the strangest strug
gle, at first chiefly w ith oars and boat
hooks, nnd afterwards with cutlasses
and harpoons lashed to the oar-blaiks
to fend th -se beasts from the bottom
of the bi.ats. I'nder the belly of the
boats II was impenetrably dark; one
could aw the cutlle-lbli, but one could
hot ::ee one's oar to aim a blow ; the
refraction cheated one, nnd, as oft n
us not. the blades cut und slashed the
boats they were defending. There was
a cursing and gasping, as men leant
uncomfortnbly over tha sides, n shout
ing of gratuitous advice, the blows of
oar against oar, the occasional report
of the revolver, a cry of exultation as
the blade drove home Into the tmigii
llesh. And when the beasts w- re sti m k
th,ey would loose their, hold, drop wlih
sprawling tentacles, then rise again,
swimming towards some unprotected
space of planking. They seem d to
grow brighter, to glow with the excite
ment of battle. They gripped at the
oars, tried to lug them from the hold
ers, thref they snapped, and two they
captured: they allowed themselves- to
be pulled near the heaving surface of
the water, and then cutlass and har
poon had n tantalising tnste of use.
Arms were aching the breath of many
of those In the boats came cobbing, nnd
slill the struggle continued, lint slow
ly it seemed that the men were win
ning. Two nt bast of the enemy had
gone down Into the blackness of the
deep water. Inert, and with limp ex
tended urms, und it seems had not re
turned. And a tentacle slashed off had
been lugged Into one of the larger boats
as a troohy, and. still alive, hopped
luminously among the feet of the occu
pants. And then a coast-guard boat
came, with a mcaril'-ed beat of oars,
nnd hnlling cheerlngly, to Join the
struggle.
Then suddenly a ntrang- thing hm-pi-ned.
All about the limiting, inspir
ing sea-hunlers was light. Intensities
moonlight, as It seemed, with a touch
of violet In Its quality, and they saw
each other ghastly and dishevelled.
Then they turned their eyes in amaze
ment seaward, and saw the Incandes
cent focus of a searchlight. It was the
gunboat Lynx.
Strange and puzzling to the last de
gree Indeed must that light have
seemed to the sailors on board of her,
a distant murmur of voices and dim
Nt, Fool of a Cog.
Copyright. ISM, by Mitcholl & Miller.
1
1-
m if V : : V. v v .
vt
mm v
is
1
? M i
r
'Machine Is nil right, Mi?s Mary." Life.
lanterns rocking close to the water,
and then, in the light, a drifting little
cluster of boats upon the broad still
ness of tin- starlit summer sea, with
every man aboard striking, as If for
dear life, over the side. Hut the light
from the gunboat was so bright and
dazzling that when the men in the
boats turn-d to the water again, they
Faw It black, with spots of colour show
ing ugainst Its blackness. And sud
denly there was a cry of despair.
"We're sinking!" It came from the
little boat which had first discovered
tlie shoal that night.
They had found the wati r bubbling
Into them. A dozen seconds convinced
them of the Impossibility of bailing.nnd
they hastened to board the lur ;e boat
alongside. And then came the tragedy
of the night. One of the lads m'ssed
his leap, and went down between the
boats ns they came together.
He must have gone down like a stem .
There was visible, to such as the elec
tric light hud not blinded, a faint,
writhing luminosity far down in th
water, a writhing luminosity that
darkened, dwindled, nnd vanished In
to the depths. And then, one by one,
from this hunt and that, single stellate
ghastly shapes whirled down after that
central struggle, and left the water
clear and dark. Tlie sliikin;; boat
drifted reluctantly downward, turned
and rose nuain with its keel out of
water.
No one In the bnats was nnsious to
renew the light. For a long time the
boats hovered uneasily, anticipating a
return of the enemy, and they i nine
hack to Sidinouth. rowing slowly and
painfully In a loose, straggling line
after the sun had risen.
IV.
And now to tell what in perhaps Hfe
most astonl.ihing fact in this whole
astonislng raid. We liaV" not the
slightest knowledge of the subsequent
movements of the shoals, although the
whole southwest coast wus now alert
for It. Hut it may. perhaps, be slg-iiti-cant
thut a cachalot was stranded off
Sink on June :;. Two weeks and t'niee
days after tills Sidinouth affair, a liv
ing hapot'-utliis came ashore on CalaU
sands. It was alive, because several
wltm sses saw its tentacles waving In a
convulsive way. Hut it Is p:-nb.ib!e that
it was dying. A gentleman named
Pouchet obtained a rlt!e and shot It.
That was Ihe last appearance of a
living haplnteutiiis. No others wete
seen on the French coast. On the 1.1th
of June a dead body, almost complete,
was washed nsliore near Torquay, and
a few days later a bout fi.un the Mar
ine Hlologleal station, engaged in
dredging off Plymouth, picked up a rot
ting specimen, slashed deeply with a
cutlass wound. How the former speci
men had conie by its death it Is im
possible to say. And on tlie last day
of June Mr. F.gbcrt Calne. an artist,
bathing neur Newlyn. threw up his
arms, shrieked, and was drawn under.
A friend bathing with him made no at
tempt to rave him. but swam at one.'
for the shore. This is the last fact to
tell of this extraordinary raid from Ihe
deeper seti. Whether !t Is really th
last of these horrible creitures. it Is as
yet. premature to say. Hut it is be
iieved. and certainly it Is to be honed,
that they have returned now, and re
turned for good, to th" sunless depths
of the middle seas, out of which they
have so strangi ly and so mysteriously
arisen.
Hut It will be long before people
Irani again to regard the sea with tlie
easy confidence of former days.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
Physician nnd Surgeons.
MARY A. SHKPHIiKD, M. V., NU. 232
Adams aovnue.
DR. A. THAPOLD, SPECIALIST tN
Disease of Women, corner Wyoming
avenue and Spruce street, Kcranlon. Of
fice hours, Tliuisduy and Saturdays, it
a. m. lo fl p. in.
DM. COM EGY3 OFFICE NO. S3I N.
Washington uve. Hours, 12 m. to 3 p. m.
Diseases of women a specialty. Tele
phone No. 3232.
DR. W. E. ALLEN. 612 NORTH WASH
Ington avenue.
DR. ANNA LAW. 308 WYOMING AVR.
Offleelioiirg, 9-11 a. m., 1-3 p. in., 7-8 p. m.
DR. L. M. OATKS, 12." WASHINGTON
avenue. Office hours, 8 to 9 a m., 1 30
to 3 and 7 to S p. m. Residence 309 M.idi
bon aevnue.
DR. C. L. FREA9, SPECIALIST IN
Rupture, Truf-s Fitting and Fat Reduc
tion, Rooms 2U8 and 207 Mears Building.
Office telephone JC01 Hours: 10 to 12, i
tol7m ,
Da S. W. LAMEREAIX, A SPECIAL
1: on chrome diseases of the heart,
liiilf., liver, kidney and tcnlto urinary
organs, will occupy the otllce of Dr.
Hoof. 212 A Jama u evil Lie. Ullice hours,
1 to 5 p. m.
W. G. ROOK. VETERINARY SL'K
i;eon. ll&rsps. Cattle anil Doss treated.
floM-ital, J.'t Linden street, Scrantoa.
Telephone, 2072.
Lawtm
FRANK E. P.OYLE. ATTORNEY AND
counsellor-at-luw. Rurr hull this, roums
IS and 14. Washington uvunuc.
EDWARD W. TUAYEK, ATTY AT LAW,
Stll Wyoming avenue.
JEFFREY'S & RUDDY, ATTORNEYd-at-lav.,
Coiiinionu tdlth building.
WARREN KNAPP. ATTORNEY'S
and i.'ounstilois at Law, p.npubli.an
bulldtriK, Washington avenue, Scraaioa.
l'u.
JI'.SSl'p & JESSUP. ATTORNEYS AND
Counsellors at I41W, Commonwealth
building, Washington avenue.
w. it. jEs-sirp.
W. 11. JESSUP. JR.
PATTERSON & WILCOX. ATToR-
neys ami Councilor at Law, othecs Ci
and S Library btili.llng. g.-ranton, r"a.
RUSK WELL II. PATTERSON,
WILLIAM A. WILCOX,
ALFRED HAND. WILLIAM J. HANI),
Attorneys and Counsellors, Common
wealth building. Rooms 111. 20 and 21.
FRANK T. OK ELL. ATTORNEY-AT-Law,
Room 5, Coal Exchange, Soranton,
Pa.
JAMES W. OAKFORD. ATTORNEY-at-l.ew.
rooms Ki, til and 110, Common
wealth building.
SAMUEL W. EDGAR, ATTORNEY-AT-Law.
office, 317 Spruce St., Soranton, Pa.
L. A. WATRES. ATTOTtNEY-AT-LAW,
O LnekitvvaiiRa avc Scrunton, Pa.
TRIE TOWNSEND, ATTORNKY-AT-l.ift-,
Dime LaaU Pulldlnc. Siranton,
Money to loan In larue sums at f per
-ut.
C. R. PITCHER, ATTORNEY-AT-law,
Commonwealth bulldlne Soranton,
Pa.
C. COMEOYS. 321 SPRUCE STREET.
1). B. REl'LOGLE. ATTORNEY-LOANS
nesotited on real estate securlfy,
Mears bulldlntr, rorner Washington ave
nue nnd Spnu 0 street.
B. F. KTLLAM. ATTORNEY-AT-LAwT
O V.'ycnibig avc. Scranton. Pa.
JAS. J. H. HAMILTON, ATTORNEY-AT-
law, 4ii CommonweuHb liid'g. Scranton.
WATSON". 1)1 KH L. HALL & K EM MER
ER Attorneys und c,ijKiisiItoi-s1at-Law;
Traders' National ltank lluildiiiKl rooms
0. 7, S. and in; third floor.
Detective.
BARRING M'SWEEXEY. COMMON,
wealth building, lntorstata Secret Ser
vice Agency.
Architects
EDWARD H. DAVIS. ARCHITECT!
Rooms 24. 2.1 and 20, Commonwealth
building, Scranton.
E. L. WALTER, ARCHITECT, OFFICE
reur of (ieti Wushluitton avenue,
LEWIS HANCOCK. JR., ARCHITECT.
43a Spruce St., cor. Wash. nve.. Scranton.
BROWN &- , MORRIS, ARCHITECTS.
Price building, 12-j Washington avenue,
Scrunton.
T. I. LACE Y ft SON. ARCHITECTS,
Truder;s Hank Building.
Alduriunn,
G. F. KELLOW, 1004 W. LACKA.IvVeT
Dentists.
DR. F.
street.
M'GHAW,
305 SPRUCE
DR. H. F. REYNOLDS. OPP. P. O.
DR. E. Y. HARRISON, 113 S. MAIN AVE.
DR. C. C. LAUHACII. 115 Wyoming ave.
R. M. STRATTON, OFFICE COAL Ex
change. WELCOME C. BXOVER, 421 LACK A.
avc. Hours, 9 to 1 and 2 to G.
Dressmaker.
MRS. M. E. DAVIS. 430 Adams avenue.
Schools.
SCHOOL OF THE LACKAWANNA.
Scranton, Pa., prepares hoys and girls
for eolleiro or business; thoroughly
trams young children. Catalogue at in
quest. REV. THOMAS SI. CANN.
WALTER H. HUELL.
MISS WORCESTER'S KINDERGARTEN
and School. 412 Adams avenue. Spring
term April 13. Kindergarten $10 per term.
a. R. CLARK Ss CO., flnEDMEN AND
Nurserymen; store 116 Washington ave
nue; green house, 1330 North Main ave.
Iiue; store telephone, 7S2.
V.'ir
e r-crcetls.
JOS. KUETTF.L. REAR 511 LACiCA
wannn avenui. Scranton, Pa., manufa3-(
turer of Wire Screens.
Ilo'els anJ Restaurant.
THE ELK CAFE, 125 and 127 FRANf:
lin avenue. Rates reasonable.
P. ZKIGLER. Proprietor.
SCRANTON HOUSE, NEAR D., L. & W.
passenci-r depot. Coaihieted on the
European plan. VICTOR KOCH. Prop.
WESTMINSTER 1 iOTEL,
Cor. Sixteenth St. und Irvin-r Plnec.
New York.
R,ito. S1.."0 per day and aniv.-irds. (Ameri
can plan.) GEO. .MURRAY,
Proprietor.
MiscclIaneoiM.
BAUFR'f OftCllESTRA-SIUSTC FOP.
halls, picnics, parties, receptions, wed
dings and conrert work furnished. For
terms address R. J. Iiaiur, conductor,
117 Wyeming uvenue, over Jlulbert's
music store.
MECARCEE P.ROTHERS. PRINTERS'
r'ipplies. envelopes, paper baits, twine.
WhtcMoUSu, l"i Washington ave., Scran
ton, Pn.
FRANK P. BROWN & CO.. WHOLE
sale (lon'.ers In Wood ware. Cordage and
Oil Cloih. 720 West Lackawanna ave.
THOMAS AUBr.EY. EXPERT AC.
countant nnd auditor. Rooms 19 and 20,
Wllliums Hulldlntr, opposite postolllco.
Agent for the Hex Fire Extinguisher.
DEL A WARE AND
HUDSON TIME
1 AKL1-.
V Ul JMIJIll.?. n... ".- i,o.-
fon, New England joints. He. 3.45 a. m.;
2.211 p. 111.
For llonr -sdale 3.43, S.jj, 10.13 a. m.; 12.00
neon. 2.2H. 5.23 p. m.
For WilUes-'.'-iirre-C.t.., 7.U S.43, 9.38.
10.45 n. in.: I2.U5. 1.20, 2.23. 3.33. 4.11. G.o-),
7.;,ii, 9.30. 11.-':o p. m.
For New York. Philadelphia, etc., vl.i
Lehigh Valley Railroad 0.45. 7.45 a. in.;
12U5. :!.?..'. (with black P'ninond Ev.
press), 11.30 !. m.
For Pennsylvania Railroad points C.13,
9 W n. in.; 2,:'A 4.41 p. m.
For western points, via T.ehieh Vnlb-y
R,Hllro:id-7.45 a. lb.; 12.e5. 3.33 (with Eia.b
i,i....,n.l I.'-. M ecM I (I .'II 11 "II 1, ,
Trains will arrive, at Scranton ns fol
lows: From Cr.rhondnle nnd the north C. 10,
7.40. 11.49. !..'.!. 10.l' a. in.; 12.110 noon; 1.05,
2.21. 3.23, 4 3", 5.15. 7.45, S.15 and 11.25 p. ni.
From Wilkes-ilarre mid the south 5.40.
7..W, S.50, lo.lO, 11.55 u. in.; I.lti, 2.11, 3.IS,
5.22. r,.21, 7 .5:1. 9.(13. a. 45, 11.52 p. in.
J. W. HCHDK'K. i. P. A.. Albany. N. Y.
11. W. Cross. I). I'. A.. Scrunton. Pa.
lirlc aiii Wyoming Valley.
, Effective Nov, 2.
Trains leave Scranton for Now York.
New-burgh and Intermediate points on
Erie, also for Haw ley and local points at
7.03 n. m. and 2.28 p. m and arrlvo from
above points at 10.23 a n t.Vi and 11.31
p. m.
i V 8 II nn lol-di.v. Nov "1
ff irnlR '!" h-ave Scran-
jWSjy' ton as follows:
&W?f1?V-i . K" .U.irboiidale-5.13
ff J 12.ml noon; 1.21, 2.20, 3
rliy r 6.2:.. en. 7..-.. 9.10, io.so
RAILROAD TIME-TABLES
Schedule in Effect June 14, iH)i.
Trains Leave Wilkes-Barre as Follows
7.30 a. m., week days, for Sunbury,
Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Balti
more, Washington, and for Pitts
burr; and tha West.
10.15 a. m., week days, for Hazleton,
Pottsville, Reading, Norristown,
and Philadelphia; end for Sun
bury, Harrisburs. Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington and Pitts,
burp; and the West.
3.17 p. m., week days, for Sunbury,
Harrisburs, Philadelphia, Balti
more, Washington and Pittsburz
and the West.
3.17 p. m., Sundays only, for Sun
bury, Harrisburg, Philadsln- hi
and Pittsburg and tha West.
6.00 p. m week days, for Hazleton
and Pottsville.
J. R. WOOD. Oen'l Pass. Ajeat. ,
S. M. PREVOST. tlene.-al Manager.
Del., Luck, and Western. .
Effect Monday. October 19. 1S3S.
Trains leave Scranton as follows: Ex
press for New York and all points Eajt.
1.40, 2.30, E.la, K.UU and v.Sa a. 111.; 110 and
3.; p. m.
Express for Easton. Trenton, Philadel
phia und the South, 3.15. H.00 und 9 35 a. m
J.lii and iitl p. ni.
Washington nnd way stations, 8.45 n m.
Toliyhanna accommodation, 6.10 p ta
Express for Blnchamton, Oswego, El.
n.na, Corning. Hmh. Dnnsvlllo. Mount
Morels and Hulfalo. 12.20. 2.35 a. ml. ami 1 is
p. ni., making close connections nt Buffalo
to ail points in the West, Northwest and
Southwest.
Hath accommodation. 8.15 a. m
lliiiKhamton and way stations. 1.06 d. m
Nicholson accommodation, 5.15 p m
P. m.
Ulaghamton and Elmira express, sss
p. m. "
Express for rtlea and Richfield SDrlnaa.
2.35 u. in., nnd 1.55 p. in. "
Ithaca 2.33 and Bath 9.15 a. m. and 1 ss
P. m. ' .
For Northumberland. Plttston, Wilkes
Rarre, Plymouth, Rlonmshurg and Dan.
ville, making eloe connections nt North
umberland for Wllllamsport, Harrisburg
Baltimore. WnshlnBjon nnd the South
Northumberland nnd Intermediate sta.
tlons, COO, 9.55 a. m. nnd IT", and fi.00 p. m
Nuntleoke and Intermediate stations, ft 0J
and 11.20 a. m. Plymouth nnd Intermedial
stations, 3.40 and 8.47 p. m.
Pullman parlor and sleeping coaches on
all express trains.
For detniled Information, pocket tlm
tnhles, etc.. npply to M. h. Smith. ct
ticket ofllee. 32-t Lackawanna avenue, or
depot ticket office.
LEHlQII VALLEY RAIROAD 8Y3
TEM. Anthruclte Coal I'sed Exclusively Insur
ing Cleanliness alel Comfort.
IN EFFECT NOV. 15, lS9t.
TRAINS LEAVE SCRANTON.
For Philadelphia and New York via D.
II. R. It. at li.45. 7.45 a. m 12 05. 1.20. 3.3J -(Hlaek
lilainoiid Express) and 11.30 p. m.
For Plttstou and Wllkes-Ilarre via U.
L. W. R. R u.oo, S.0J, 11.20 a. m.. 1.55.
3.40. G.00 and H 47 p. 111
For-White Haven. Hazleton, Pottsviila
and piineipal points la the eoal regions
via I). H. jj. it., u.13 u. ,n., u.05 and 4.41
p. m.
For Ileth'lehem, Easton. Reading, Har
r slainr und principal Intermediate sta
tions via i. & II. ft. R., f,.43, 7.45 a. m..
12.0.1, 1.20. 3 33 (Black Diamond Express),
4.41 nnd 11.20 p. m.
For Tiinkhaunock. Townnda, Elm!ra,
Ithaca, Geneva and principal Intermediate
stations via ).. 1.. & w. R. R 6,00. 8.0$, ,
9 -i. a. m.. 12.20 and 3.40 p. m. 1
1-or Geneva, Rut-healer. LuiTalo, Niagara
Fads, Chicuco and ull points west via D.
H. It. R 7.45 a. m 12.05, 3.33 (llluck Dia
mond Express), 9.30 and 11.30 ji. m.
Pullman jiarlor and sleejilnit or Lehis
Valley chair cars on nil trains between
Wilkes-Harre and New York. Philadel
phia, Buffalo and Suspension Bridge.
ROM. IN II. WILDER. Ceil. Supt.
CHAS. S. I.EK. den. Pass. ABt..Philu. Pa.
A. W. NONNEMACHER. Asst. Gen.
Pass At.. South Bethlehem, Pa.
Scranton OHK-e. 309 Laekawunna avenue.
Central KailroaJ of New Jersey.
(Lehigh and Susquehanna Division.)
Anthracite coal used exclusively, lnsur.
Ins cieunllness and comfort.
TIME TABLE IN EFFECT NOV. 15, ISM.
Trnlns leavo Scranton for Plttston,
Wllkes-Barre, etc.. nt S.20. 9.15. 11.30 n. m.,
12.43, 2.00. 3.05, 5.00, 7.10 p. m. Sundays 9.W.
a. m., l.oo, 2.15, 7.10 p. m.
For Atlantic City, 8.29 a. m.
For New York, Newnrk and Elizabeth.
8,20 (express) a. m . 12.43 (express with Buf
fet parlor car), 3.03 (express) p. tn. Sun.
dnv. 2.15 p. m. Train leaving 12.43 p. m.
nrrlven nt Philadelphia, Reading Term,
innl. 6.22 p. m. nnd New York 0.00 p. m.'
For Maueh Chunk, Allentown, Bethle.
hem, K-iston and Philadelphia, S.20 a. m.,
12 45 .1.03. 5.00 (except Philadelphia) p. in.
Sunday. 2.15 p. m.
For Loni; Branch, Ocean Grove, eto at
S.20 a. m. nnd 12.45 p. m.
For llendlnu, Lebanon ami TInrrlsburS,
via Allentown, 8 20 a. m., 12.45, 5.00 p. m.
Bund.iy. 2.15 p. m.
For Pottsville, 8.2-1 a. m. 12.43 p. m.
Rrturnins, leave New York, foot of Lib.
rty street, North River, at 9.10 (express)
ii. m 1.10, 1.30, 4.15 (cxprem with ButTet
parlor car) p. m. Sunday, 4.30 a. m.
Leave Phlladelnhla. Rendlns Terminal,
9.0C a. m , 2.00 and 4.30 p. m. Sunday, tl 25
c. in.
ThioiiEh tickets to nil points nt lowest
rates may be had on nppllentlon In ad
vance to the ticket ajient nt the station.
H. P. BALDWIN.
Gen. Pnss. Agt
3. IT. OLH AT'SEN. f!en Supt.
5v 0
sni.vro nivjsioY.
In Fffert October I tli, ispfi.
North Bound.
oatfi It oil lid.
.-jihioii rain tut
L ; S -1 K,a,lons f 9c 3;
B u 5 w (Trnltis Dally, 2
y. 1 cepl ,-unrtay.) -2 a1
e i r 11 A itI e I.ea ve a u
i 7S.". N. Y. Fraiiklln sr. .... 7 4' ,
7 in West 4-.'nd street ..., 7 Ml .
I "(in Wcc-hawkeii I.... 8 lui ,
e m Arrive Leave a sir if1
I 13 liaiii cel; .Iiitimlou,
I 1 0
'lini
IS jili
ISNil
!p!:!V
ill! II
1-Jiil
fl CT
11 ;!
nr-nii si:
fiancee It
9'1 ,
21 ,
!f :. ,
'-'41 ,
2 5H ,
S.1S ,
3i ,
819 ,
9 19 .
Starlkht
Prestnii Park
i 'riinn
Pnviitellc
liebnoiit
I'le.isiiiit .Mt.
I'lil-Hiilale
Forest dry
Cm b indii e
W hite Krlil-'e
Miivticld
Jermvn
Archlb.dd
Wlntnii
Peckvllln
(dviliant
Prlcebiirif
Tli roop
rrnvKlei.ee
Park Pince
701 B3I ,
17 (17 13. IS
IT 12 l 13 ,
7 11 3 43 ,
7ii); 331 ,
7 -.3 8 34 .
7S7 8 511 .
7 Hi 4il ,
7 fi4 4 m: ,
7 .HI 4 10 .
7 3 4 14; .
17 41 14 17, .
M -Pi ft Pn
fli HfllS-.i
II .11 II !
II !P 1 1 IS
tlJttll 15
li-.Hll It
B I1:! 1 1 !7
0 lid 1 1 05
K 11 Ot
fi 1.1 II 0'
6 1'.' flcT.7
- n 10 10 r
senr 11
43 4 ); .
r M .1 M I.esve
Arrive a 11 r
M
All trains run daily o.cept siindnv.
f. :-U:uli!c3 that trnlns stop on signal for pas.
Eenjtcr.'i.
cenre rates via Ontsrlo Western befnrn
purehnsiiijr ticket 1 nnd tavo money. Day and
Klylit lijiresstothe West.
I C. Anderson, en. Vtm Airt
T. Flltcroft, 1)1.- 1 ass, Afft scranton, fa
ie St. Denis
Brcadway and Eleventh St.', New York,
Opp. Urate Church. - European Plan.
Kocms $1.00 a Day and Upwards.
In a modet nnd tinolitrusivo wav tliero nr
f-w btter condiietBd hotels In tUe'mctropolii
t'.i.iu tlie St. Denis.
Tlie- crent PP arity it has ecqnlred can
-.i iiily be trsead to its uniquo lo.atii.n, It
m 'hlw utmosnherB. tlu peculisr exeelleno
or KHeulslaoaud Burvieu, aud its very modor.
to pr.ces.
WILLIAM TAYLOR AND SOU
V
1