Ten-Armed Game 



the coral, the living chains tightening about my hand 

 and creeping up my arm, a most revolting and 

 uncanny sensation. Finally the coral gave way and 

 I hauled twenty pounds, or more, to the surface; 

 then breaking it I grasped my captor by its body 

 and succeeded in wrenching it from its hold. It was 

 evident that a large specimen could give a man a 

 hard struggle, and he would be at a disadvantage in 

 deeper water. This octopus, not over four feet 

 across, sprang to the attack and held my hand in a 

 vise-like grasp. As I tore off one tentacle, another 

 one or two would insidiously creep up and take its 

 place. The body, not larger than my closed hand, 

 was continually changing color, from brown to black, 

 then white, gray and red; its eyes gleaming with a 

 green baneful light, altogether unpleasant, while, 

 from its siphon streams of ink were expelled over my 

 arm, dripping into the water and clouding it for 

 several feet about. As long as I attempted to tear 

 it away the animal renewed the attack, and finally, 

 to prevent disagreeable abrasion on my arm, I held 

 it still in the hot sun when it released its hold and 

 dropped into the boat. Its object seemed to be to 

 press its mouth and bills upon my arm, and this it 

 did continually, and, doubtless, could have made an 

 incision with its parrot-like beaks; but it made no 

 attempt to accomplish this, nor was I ever bitten by 

 the octopi, large and small, which I grasped with 

 my hands in collecting coral. 



55 



