COMBAT WITH A SEADEVIL.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 916, 7 May 1878, Page 2

COMBAT WITH A SEADEVIL.

A. startling adventnre with a 'devil fish ' is related by the Belfast correspondent of the Waroanambool ' Standard,' as follows :— Mr Smale, the diver engaged at the Moyne river m removing the reef, h.ai| fired off a ftharge of dynamite, and was engaged m rolling over a large stone when ho saw something which ho thought was a piece of clean looking kelp moving about m front of where he was working. In a fe^" seconds;' this object came m contaofc with the divers arm, about which it quickly coiled partly holding him. Immediately Mr Smale touched what was coiled around his arm he became awaie of his position, imd tried to extricate himself, bi»i found it a far more difficult job than he anticipated. Catching hold of the part hanging from his arm he walked along the bottom towards the end of it, when ho was firmly held by the feelers of a large octopus, Mr Smale tried to pull the fjsh from, off its hold of the rocks, but without effect for some little time. At last the fish loosened itself from the stones, and quickly transferred its feslers, or arms, around the diver's legs and body. In this position Mi> fcimale thought the best thing for him to do was to get upon deck as soon as possible, and he quickly made tracks for the ladder, which readies from the deck of the punt to the bottom of the river. The fjivev \ya,s ceytrinlj'- a carious looking object when he came up. The huge uglylooking thing appeared to be entangled all over him, holding him m a firm embrace. However, Mr S male's fellow-workmen were not long m freeing him from the unfriendly hug of his submarine companion. The body portion of the octopus was only about the size of a soup-plate, with eyes m its head like those ot a sheep, but it possessed nine arms, each about four f^t m length, at tho bit^fc as thick as a, man's wrist, tapering off at the end (o a fine point as that of a penknife. Thus it could spread over an area of nine feet m diameter. All the way along the underneath part of eaili feeler or suckers every quarter of an. inoh, giving it immeu^ povyer. Mi" Smale declares that it \vas poweiful enough to keep three men undev water.