SEIZED BY AN OCTOPUS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 824, 21 December 1882, Page 2

SEIZED BY AN OCTOPUS.

Another, octopus story ccgiies from Flakbourne. Mr Vavasour, a wellknown settler in Taranaki,, was recently a visitor to that district, and being at the boat harbor, determined upon having a bathe in the sea. The water was clear and deep, and after enjoying a swim he was returning to the shore, and had just placed his hands on a ledge of rock which runs out seaward, and was about to leave the water, when a cold arm was swiftly thrown over his shoulder, and the extremity as quickly fixed on to his chest with a grip somewhat resembling that .of a cupping glass. Almost simultaneously a second; arm encircled his waist and obtained an equally strong hold> and immediately he felt himself being dragged downwards, and then he knew that he was in the embrace of a powerful octopus or “ devil fish.” He was in a'idesper-' ate plight, for he had nofoothold, and -all that he had to oppose to this terrible tugging jrom the depths of the sea was the comparatively powerless hold which his hands had on .the rocks. However, he did not lose his presence of mind, but-called out to a shepherd who had been Jiis companion and was standing not far off, and he, without a moment’s. loss of time, ran to his assistance, saw at a glance what was the matter, and drawing his sheath knife stooped down from the ledge of the rock and severed, first one, and then the other of the arms of this horrible mongter of the deep, and thus released Mr Vavasour, who in another minute or two must have succumbed: After so .narrow an escape most men would have had enough of a devil fish for one day, at least. But not so Mr'Vavasour. After a few minutes’ rest he became curious to know what had become of his late enemy, and peering over the sid£ of the rock, he saw him lying sick and sorry from the loss of two arms at the bottom of the sea. Mr Vavasour is a splendid diver, and a strong swimmer, and without a moment’s hesitation he determined to become the aggressor where he had so nearly been the victim. Having obtained a hook and a rope from the boat-station, he with these plunged into the water, cautiously approached the brute, whose recent experiences of cold steel had produced a most depressing effect upon him, and contrived to run the hook into his gelatinous body, and having secured a firm hold, he returned to the rock, and, with the aid of the shepherd, who had been viewing the proceedings with astonishment not unmixed with alarm, succeeded in dragging the monster ashore. Satisfied with thus Having had his revenge, he did not make any minute examination of his vanquished foe, but describes the body as being some four feet across, and the suckers “as big as my hand.”