122 Beaidlful Shells. 



yard of tlio sliip, and liad suckers as large as 

 ladles ; tlio rescued sailor was so horrified by the 

 monster tliat Lo died delirious a few hours after. 

 An account is also given of another crew who 

 were similarly attacked off the coast of Angola; 

 tho creature threw its arms across tho vessel^ and 

 had nearly succeeded in dragging it down, and 

 was only prevented doing so by tho severing ol 

 its limbs with swords and hatchets. A diligent 

 observer of nature has asserted that in tho Indian 

 seas Cuttle-fish arc 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 arc 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 Benin Islands, encountered a species 

 of Cuttle-fish called by the whalers ''the Eock- 

 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 



