36 THE OCTOPUS. 



clung, he was, eventually, safely landed. When extended he would 

 have filled a hoop of five feet diameter. The grasp of an ordmary 

 sized octopus holding to a rock would, I suppose, in lat. 30°, be 

 not less than 30 lb. to 40 lb. The floating power of a man is 

 between 5 lb. and 6 lb., and it takes a very strong swimmer to 

 convey an ordinary fowling-piece, which weighs only 7 lb., across 

 a river, dry. Had I not kept mid-channel, I believe it would have 

 been a life-and-death struggle between myself and the beast on 

 my ancle. In the open water I was the best man ; but near the 

 bottom or sides, which I could not have reached with my arms, 

 but which he could have reached with his, he would, certainly, 

 have drowned me." 



Major Newsome has not over-estimated the holding-power of 

 an octopus. One in the Brighton Aquarium was seen dragging 

 towards it a huge stone, from 40 lb. to 50 lb. in weight. It 

 is not uncommon for one to haul up to a ledge of rock, four 

 or five feet from the bottom, two or three heavy oysters simul- 

 taneously; and it unfortunately happened in the early days of 

 the Institution, and before precautions were taken to avert such 

 accidents, that an octopus drew up, by night, the waste-valve of 

 his tank, and let all the water nm out of it \ thus, by his strength, 

 like Samson at Gaza, bringing death upon himself and all his 

 companions. 



