122 Beautiful Shells. 
yard of the ship, and had suckers as large as 
ladles ; the rescued sailor was so horrified by the 
monster that he died delirious a few hours after. 
An account is also given of another crew who 
were similarly attacked off the coast of Angola; 
the creature threw its arms across the vessel, and 
had nearly succeeded in dragging it down, and 
was only prevented doing so by the sevcring ot 
its limbs with swords and hatchets. A diligent 
observer of nature has asserted that in the Indian 
seas Cuttle-fish are often seen two fathoms broad 
across the centre, with arms nine fathoms long. 
Only think, what a monster! with a body twelve 
feet across, and eight or ten legs like water-snakes, 
some six-and-thirty feet long. Well may it be said, 
that the Indians when they go out in boats are in 
dread of such, and never sail without an axe for 
their protection. 
There is a story told by a gentleman named 
Beale, who, while searching for shells upon the 
rocks of the Bonin Islands, encountered a species 
of Cuttle-fish called by the whalers “the Rock- 
squid,” and rashly endeavoured to secure it. This 
cephalopod, whose body was not bigger than a 
large clenched hand, had tentacles at least four feet 
across, and having its retreat to the sea cut off by 
