The Sea Raiders by H.G. Wells
Section [1 | 2]
the sea Raiders

by H .G .Wells

I .

until the extraordinary affair at Sidmouth, the peculiar species _Haploteuthis ferox was known to science only generically, on_the strength of a half- digested tentacle obtained near the Azores, and adecaying body pecked by birds and nibbled by fish, found early in 1896 by_Mr Jennings, near land's end .

in no department of zoological science, indeed, are we quite so_much in_the dark as with regard to_the deep- sea cephalopods .amere accident, for instance, it was_that led to_the prince of Monaco's discovery of nearly a dozen new forms in_the summer of 1895, a discovery in_which_the before- mentioned tentacle was included . it chanced that a cachalot was killed off Terceira by some sperm whalers, and in its last struggles charged almost to_the prince's yacht, missed it, rolled under, and died within twenty yards of_his rudder . and in its agony it threw up a number of large objects, which the prince, dimly perceiving they were strange and important, was, by a happy expedient, able to secure before_they sank . he set his screws in motion, and kept them circling in_the vortices thus created until a boat could_be lowered . and these specimens were whole cephalopods and fragments of cephalopods, some of gigantic proportions, and almost all of_them unknown to science !

it would seem, indeed, that_these large and agile creatures, living in_the middle depths of_the sea, must, to a large extent, for ever remain unknown to_us, since under water they_are too nimble for nets, and it_is only by such rare, unlooked- for accidents that specimens can_be obtained . in_the case of Haploteuthis ferox_, for instance, we_are still altogether ignorant of_its habitat, as ignorant as_we_are of_the breeding- ground of_the herring or the sea-ways of_the salmon . and zoologists are altogether at a loss to account for its sudden appearance on_our coast . possibly it was_the stress of a hunger migration that drove it hither out_of_the deep . but it_will_be, perhaps, better to avoid necessarily inconclusive discussion, and to_proceed at once with_our narrative .

the first human being to set eyes upon aliving Haploteuthis_-- the first human being to survive, that_is, for there can_be little doubt now that_the wave of bathing fatalities and boating accidents that travelled along the coast of Cornwall and Devon in early may was due to_this cause-- was a retired tea- dealer of_the name of Fison, who was stopping at aSidmouth boarding- house . it_was in_the afternoon, and he_was walking along the cliff path between Sidmouth and Ladram Bay . the cliffs in_this direction are very high, but down the red face of_them in one place a kind of ladder staircase has_been made . he_was near this when his attention was attracted by what at first he thought to_be a cluster of birds struggling over a fragment of food that caught the sunlight, and glistened pinkish- white . the tide was right out, and this object was not_only far below him, but remote across a broad waste of rock reefs covered with dark seaweed and interspersed with silvery shining tidal pools . and he_was, moreover, dazzled by_the brightness of_the further water .

in a minute, regarding this again, he perceived that his judgment was in fault, for over this struggle circled a number of birds, jackdaws and gulls for_the most part, the latter gleaming blindingly when_the sunlight smote their wings, and_they seemed minute in comparison with it . and_his curiosity was, perhaps, aroused all the more strongly because of_his first insufficient explanations .

as he had nothing better to_do than amuse himself, he decided to_make this object, whatever it_was, the goal of_his afternoon walk, instead of Ladram Bay, conceiving it might perhaps be a great fish of some sort, stranded by some chance, and flapping about in its distress . and so he hurried down the long steep ladder, stopping at intervals of thirty feet or so to_take breath and scan the mysterious movement .

at_the foot of_the cliff he_was, of_course, nearer his object than he had_been; but, on_the other hand, it now came up against the incandescent sky, beneath the sun, so as_to seem dark and indistinct . whatever was pinkish of it_was now hidden by askerry of weedy boulders . but he perceived that_it_was made up of seven rounded bodies distinct or connected, and_that the birds kept up a constant croaking and screaming, but seemed afraid to approach it too closely .

Mr Fison, torn by curiosity, began picking his way across the wave- worn rocks, and finding the wet seaweed that covered them thickly rendered them extremely slippery, he stopped, removed his shoes and socks, and rolled his trousers above his knees . his object was, of_course, merely to avoid stumbling into_the rocky pools about him, and perhaps he_was rather glad, as all men are, of an excuse to resume, even for a moment, the sensations of_his boyhood . at any rate, it_is to_this, no_doubt, that he owes his life .

he approached his mark with all the assurance which the absolute security of_this country against all forms of animal life gives its inhabitants . the round bodies moved to and fro, but it_was only when he surmounted the skerry of boulders I_have mentioned that he realised the horrible nature of_the discovery . it came upon him with some suddenness .

the rounded bodies fell apart as he_came into sight over the ridge, and displayed the pinkish object to_be the partially devoured body of a human being, but whether of a man or woman he_was unable to_say . and_the rounded bodies were new and ghastly- looking creatures, in shape somewhat resembling an octopus, with huge and very long and flexible tentacles, coiled copiously on_the ground . the skin had aglistening texture, unpleasant to_see, like shiny leather . the downward bend of_the tentacle- surrounded mouth, the curious excrescence at_the bend, the tentacles, and_the large intelligent eyes, gave the creatures a grotesque suggestion of a face . they were the size of a fair- sized swine about_the body, and_the tentacles seemed to him to_be many feet in length . there were, he thinks, seven or eight at_least of_the creatures .Twenty yards beyond them, amid the surf of_the now returning tide, two others were emerging from_the sea .

their bodies lay flatly on_the rocks, and their eyes regarded him with evil interest; but it does_not appear that Mr Fison was afraid, or that he realised that he_was in any danger . possibly his confidence is_to_be ascribed to_the limpness of_their attitudes . but he_was horrified, of_course, and intensely excited and indignant, at such revolting creatures preying upon human flesh . he thought they had chanced upon a drowned body . he shouted to_them, with_the idea of driving them off, and finding they_did_not budge, cast about him, picked up a big rounded lump of rock, and flung it at one .

and then, slowly uncoiling their tentacles, they all began moving towards him--creeping at first deliberately, and making a soft purring sound to each_other .

in a moment Mr Fison realised that he_was in danger . he shouted again, threw both his boots, and started off, with a leap, forthwith .Twenty yards off he stopped and faced about, judging them slow, and behold ! the tentacles of_their leader were already pouring over the rocky ridge on_which he had just been standing !

at_that he shouted again, but this_time not threatening, but a cry of dismay, and began jumping, striding, slipping, wading across the uneven expanse between him and_the beach . the tall red cliffs seemed suddenly at a vast distance, and he_saw, as_though they were creatures in another world, two minute workmen engaged in_the repair of_the ladder- way, and little suspecting the race for life that was beginning below them . at one_time he_could hear the creatures splashing in_the pools not a dozen feet behind him, and once he slipped and almost fell .

they chased him to_the very foot of_the cliffs, and desisted only when he had_been joined by_the workmen at_the foot of_the ladder- way up the cliff . all three of_the men pelted them with stones for a time, and then hurried to_the cliff top and along the path towards Sidmouth, to secure assistance and a boat, and to rescue the desecrated body from_the clutches of_these abominable creatures .

II .

and, as_if he had_not already been in sufficient peril that day, Mr Fison went with_the boat to point out the exact spot of_his adventure .

as_the tide was down, it required a considerable detour to reach the spot, and when at last they came off the ladder- way, the mangled body had disappeared . the water was now running in, submerging first one slab of slimy rock and then another, and_the four men in_the boat-- the workmen, that_is, the boatman, and Mr Fison-- now turned their attention from_the bearings off shore to_the water beneath the keel .

at first they_could see little below them, save a dark jungle of laminaria, with an occasional darting fish . their minds were set on adventure, and_they expressed their disappointment freely . but presently they saw one_of_the monsters swimming through_the water seaward, with a curious rolling motion that suggested to Mr Fison the spinning roll of a captive balloon . almost immediately after, the waving streamers of laminaria were extraordinarily perturbed, parted for a moment, and three of_these beasts became darkly visible, struggling for what_was probably some fragment of_the drowned man . in a moment the copious olive- green ribbons had poured again over this writhing group .

at_that all four men, greatly excited, began beating the water with oars and shouting, and immediately they saw a tumultuous movement among_the weeds . they desisted to_see more clearly, and as_soon_as_the water was smooth, they saw, as it seemed to_them, the whole sea bottom among_the weeds set with eyes .

" ugly swine ! " cried one_of_the men ." why, there's dozens ! "

and forthwith the things began to rise through_the water about_them .Mr Fison has since described to_the writer this startling eruption out_of_the waving laminaria meadows . to him it seemed to occupy a considerable time, but it_is probable that really it_was an affair of a few seconds only . for a time nothing but eyes, and then he speaks of tentacles streaming out and parting the weed fronds this_way and_that . then these things, growing larger, until at last the bottom was hidden by their intercoiling forms, and_the tips of tentacles rose darkly here and there into_the air above the swell of_the waters .

one came up boldly to_the side of_the boat, and clinging to_this with three of_its sucker- set tentacles, threw four others over the gunwale, as_if with an intention either of oversetting the boat or of clambering into_it .Mr Fison at once caught up the boat- hook, and, jabbing furiously at_the soft tentacles, forced it to desist . he_was struck in_the back and almost pitched overboard by_the boatman, who was using his oar to resist a similar attack on_the other side of_the boat . but the tentacles on either side at once relaxed their hold, slid out of sight, and splashed into_the water .

" we'd better get out of_this," said Mr Fison, who was trembling violently . he went to_the tiller, while the boatman and one_of_the workmen seated themselves and began rowing . the other workman stood up in_the fore part of_the boat, with_the boat- hook, ready to strike any more tentacles that might appear . nothing else seems to_have_been said .Mr Fison had expressed the common feeling beyond amendment . in a hushed, scared mood, with faces white and drawn, they set about escaping from_the position into which they had so recklessly blundered .

but the oars had scarcely dropped into_the water before dark, tapering, serpentine ropes had bound them, and were about_the rudder; and creeping up the sides of_the boat with alooping motion came the suckers again . the men gripped their oars and pulled, but it_was like trying to move a boat in afloating raft of weeds ." help here ! " cried the boatman, and Mr Fison and_the second workman rushed to help lug at_the oar .

then the man with_the boat- hook-- his name was Ewan, or Ewen-- sprang up with a curse and began striking downward over the side, as far as he_could reach, at_the bank of tentacles that now clustered along the boat's bottom . and, at_the same time, the two rowers stood up to_get a better purchase for_the recovery of_their oars . the boatman handed his to Mr Fison, who lugged desperately, and, meanwhile, the boatman opened a big clasp- knife, and leaning over the side of_the boat, began hacking at_the spiring arms upon_the oar shaft .

Mr Fison, staggering with_the quivering rocking of_the boat, his teeth set, his breath coming short, and_the veins starting on_his hands as he pulled at his oar, suddenly cast his eyes seaward . and there, not fifty yards off, across the long rollers of_the incoming tide, was a large boat standing in towards them, with three women and a little child in_it .a boatman was rowing, and a little man in a pink-ribboned straw hat and whites stood in_the stern hailing them . for a moment, of_course, Mr Fison thought of help, and then he thought of_the child . he abandoned his oar forthwith, threw up his arms in a frantic gesture, and screamed to_the party in_the boat to_keep away " for god's sake ! " it says much for_the modesty and courage of Mr Fison that he_does_not seem_to_be aware that there_was any quality of heroism in_his action at_this juncture . the oar he had abandoned was at once drawn under, and presently reappeared floating about twenty yards away .

at_the same moment Mr Fison felt the boat under him lurch violently, and a hoarse scream, a prolonged cry of terror from hill, the boatman, caused him to forget the party of excursionists altogether . he turned, and saw hill crouching by_the forward row- lock, his face convulsed

Section [1 | 2]