Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1892 — HOOKED AN OCTOPUS. [ARTICLE]

HOOKED AN OCTOPUS.

The Luck of Three New Orleans Fishermen Near Ship Island. A Giant Devil Fish Took Their Hook and j Frightened the Bpertsmen Half to Death, but Finally Broke Their Line and'Made Them Happy. , . Probably it is not generally known that the octopus, or devil-fish,, frequently of a targe size, is found on the coasts of Mississippi and Louisiana, says the New York Sun. Possibly the “first instance On record of one of these fish, and one of large size at that, having taken a hook came within the exof three residents of New Orleans a Couple of years since. Gen. Philip Buchanan, Lieut -Col. E. C. Fenner, and Maj. Harry, Howard, now mayor of Miss., started from that place in the. yacht of Maj. Howard for Ship island oni a fishing expedition. East-north Vast of that island, in about eight fathoms of water, iffis the wreck of the steamship Josephine, marked now by a buoy. Although the vessel proper has been almost entirely covered with sand, by careful sounding the location of the walking-beam may he found. On anchoring near that spot a day of good fishing is assured the angler. wrecked steamer has formed a barrier or shelter, about which the fish appear to gather, and at certain tides, no maiter what other conditions may prevail, the abundance of fish makes it almost drudgery to attend the lines. No sooner has the hook reached the required depth than it -ii seized by some large and voracious ‘fish, generally a red-snapper, which is a gallant fighter. It was in August that the fishermen above mentioned, accompanied by two sailors in a yawl, anchored over the wreck of the Josephine. Col. Fenner, who has a predilection for taking sharks of a large size, had with him, as usual, an i®Ch line, ten or fifteen fathoms in length, equipped with a hook size for sharks. This was basted with a piece of salt pork I and thrown overboard, where it remained undisturbed for a long time. The line was secured to one of the thwarts of the boat. The fishing was as good ds iiSual and all were having good luck when attention was called to I the shark line, which was running out with great speed. The rapidity of its movement indicated some fish of exceptional size. The five men had hardly time to throw themselves to the 'side ,of the craft opposite the line when the fish which was firmly hooked, bore the boat down so that the gun-wale was partly submerged. For several moments its occupants expected that it would be i dragged broadside under by the strain. Their first impulse was to cut the line, but this was opposed by one or two of the party, who wished to see the end of the adventure. At this juncture the boat suddenly righted to an even keel; the ling slackwas moving toward them. The slack of the line was rapidly taken in, which was barely accomplished when the -ter became violently agitated and Aere leaped from the surface a great jetopus, in whose mouth the hook was firmly fixed. As he threw himself above the water he darted his tentacles, which were not less than ten or fifteen feet long, toward the boat; then he slowly sank and remained for a few moments apparently motionless, as if f meditating on a mode of attack. The condition of the fishermeh“was I now somewhat critical, for they were 1 entirely unprovided with any weapons I except a couple of oars with which to repel the attack of the monster, and yet they were unwilling to detach the line from the thwart. There was nothing to do but await de velopm ents. Indeed there was but little time for consultation or action, for, after a brief delay, the octopus again slowly rose to the surface, where with his head slightly elevated ho began beating the water with his tentacles. He was apparently studying the extraordinary adversary which he had encountered. A third time he disappear- , ed, and this time with a fierce rush. The line fled over the side of the boat with great velPCTty. The fishermen ■ again threw themselves to the oppo- 1 site side and awaited the shock. When it came the line, unable to bear the strain, parted at the thwarts and di9- \ appeared. •