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

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

same moment Mr Fison felt the boat under him lurch violently, and hoarse scream, prolonged cry of terror from Hill, the boatman, caused him to forget the party of excursionists altogether He turned, and saw Hill crouching forward row-lock, his face convulsed with terror, right arm over the side and drawn tightly down now succession of short, sharp cries, "Oh ! oh ! oh ! --oh ! " Mr Fison believes that been hacking tentacles below the water-line, and grasped , but, , quite impossible now certainly what had happened The boat was heeling over, so gunwale was within ten inches water, and both Ewan other labourer were striking down water, with oar and boat-hook, on either side of Hill's arm Mr Fison instinctively placed himself to counterpoise them

Then Hill, who was burly, powerful man, made strenuous effort, and rose almost to standing position He lifted his arm, indeed, clean water Hanging to complicated tangle of brown ropes, eyes of brutes that had hold of him, glaring straight and resolute, showed momentarily above the surface The boat heeled more and more, green-brown water came pouring in cascade over the side Then Hill slipped and fell ribs across the side, arm mass of tentacles splashed back water He rolled over; his boot kicked Mr Fison's knee gentleman rushed forward to seize him, and in another moment fresh tentacles had whipped about his waist and neck, and after brief, convulsive struggle, boat was nearly capsized, Hill was lugged overboard The boat righted with violent jerk that all but sent Mr Fison over the other side, and hid the struggle water eyes

He stood staggering to recover his balance for moment, and as so he became aware struggle inflowing tide had carried them close weedy rocks again Not four yards off table of rock still rose in rhythmic movements above the in-wash tide In moment Mr Fison seized the oar from Ewan, gave one vigorous stroke, then dropping it, ran bows and leapt his feet slide over the rock, and, by frantic effort, leapt again towards further mass He stumbled over this, came knees, and rose again

"Look out ! " cried someone, and large drab body struck him knocked flat into tidal pool by workmen, and as he went down he heard smothered, choking cries, that he believed came from Hill Then himself marvelling shrillness and variety of Hill's voice Someone jumped over him, and curving rush of foamy water poured over him, and passed He scrambled feet dripping, and without looking seaward, ran as fast as his terror would let him shoreward Before him, over the flat space of scattered rocks, stumbled the two work-men--one dozen yards in front other

He looked over his shoulder at last, and seeing that not pursued, faced about astonished moment rising cephalopods water he acting too swiftly to fully comprehend his actions Now it seemed to him he had suddenly jumped out of an evil dream

For there were the sky, cloudless and blazing afternoon sun, the sea weltering under its pitiless brightness, the soft creamy foam breaking water, low, long, dark ridges of rock The righted boat floated, rising and falling gently swell about dozen yards from shore Hill monsters, all the stress and tumult fierce fight for life, had vanished they had never been

Mr Fison's heart was beating violently; throbbing finger-tips, breath came deep

something missing For some seconds think clearly enough what this Sun, sky, sea, rocks-- it ? Then he remembered the boat-load of excursionists It had vanished He wondered whether he had imagined it He turned, and saw the two workmen standing side by side under the projecting masses tall pink cliffs He hesitated whether make one last attempt to save the man Hill His physical excitement seemed to desert him suddenly, and leave him aimless and helpless He turned shoreward, stumbling and wading towards his two companions

He looked back again, and there were now two boats floating, one farthest out at sea pitched clumsily, bottom upward

III

So Haploteuthis ferox made its appearance Devonshire coast , this its most serious aggression Mr Fison's account, taken together wave of boating and bathing casualties already alluded, absence of fish Cornish coasts that year, points clearly to shoal voracious deep-sea monsters prowling slowly along the sub-tidal coast-line Hunger migration has, , been suggested force that drove them hither; but, own part, I prefer the alternative theory of Hemsley Hemsley holds that pack or shoal creatures become enamoured of human flesh accident of foundered ship sinking among them, wandered in search of it out accustomed zone; first waylaying and following ships, and so coming to our shores wake Atlantic traffic But to discuss Hemsley's cogent and admirably-stated arguments out of place here

It would seem appetites shoal were satisfied catch of eleven people--for, as ascertained, there were ten people second boat, and certainly these creatures gave no further signs presence off Sidmouth that day The coast between Seaton and Budleigh Salterton was patrolled all that evening and night by four Preventive Service boats, the men were armed with harpoons and cutlasses, and evening advanced, number of more or less similarly equipped expeditions, organised by private individuals, joined them Mr Fison took no part in any expeditions

About midnight excited hails were heard from boat about couple of miles out at sea south-east of Sidmouth, and lantern was seen waving in strange manner to and fro and up and down The nearer boats at once hurried towards the alarm The venturesome occupants boat--a seaman, curate, and two schoolboys--had actually seen the monsters passing under their boat The creatures, it seems, like most deep-sea organisms, were phosphorescent, floating, five fathoms deep or so, like creatures of moonshine blackness water, their tentacles retracted and asleep, rolling over and over, and moving slowly in wedge-like formation towards the south-east

These people told their story in gesticulated fragments, as first one boat drew alongside and then another At last little fleet of eight or nine boats collected together, and tumult, like the chatter of market-place, rose stillness night little or no disposition to pursue the shoal, the people had neither weapons nor experience for such dubious chase, and presently--even with certain relief, it --the boats turned shoreward

And now perhaps the most astonishing fact whole astonishing raid the slightest knowledge subsequent movements shoal, although the whole south-west coast was now alert But it may, perhaps, be significant that cachalot was stranded off Sark on June 3 Two weeks and three days Sidmouth affair, living Haploteuthis came ashore on Calais sands alive, because several witnesses saw its tentacles moving in convulsive way But probable dying gentleman named Pouchet obtained rifle and shot it

That last appearance of living Haploteuthis No others were seen French coast 15th of June dead carcass, almost complete, was washed ashore near Torquay, and later boat Marine Biological station, engaged in dredging off Plymouth, picked up rotting specimen, slashed deeply with cutlass wound How the former had come by its death impossible And last day of June, Mr Egbert Caine, an artist, bathing near Newlyn, threw up his arms, shrieked, and was drawn under friend bathing made no attempt to save him, but swam at once shore last fact extraordinary raid deeper sea Whether really the last horrible creatures , , premature But believed, and certainly it hoped, that returned now, and returned for good, sunless depths middle seas, out of so strangely and so mysteriously arisen