    ,,*APT] ,,XVIII
  ,,! ,,P\LPS
  ,= S"EAL "DS ! ,NAUTILUS KEPT (F F !
,AM]ICAN COA/4 ,EVID5TLY X DID N WI%
6RISK ! TIDES (! ,GULF ( ,MEXICO OR (!
SEA (! ,ANTILLES4 ,APRIL #AF?1 WE SI<T$
,M>T9IQUE & ,GUADAL\PE F A 4T.E ( AB
?IRTY MILES4 ,I SAW _! TALL P1KS = AN
9/ANT4 ,! ,CANADIAN1 :O C.T$ ON C>RY+ \
8 PROJECTS 9 ! ,GULF1 0EI L&+ OR HAIL+
"O (! NUM]\S BOATS T COA/ F "O ISL&
6ANO!R1 0 Q 4HE>T5$4 ,FLI<T WD H BE5 QPRACTICA#1 IF ,N$ ,L& _H BE5 A#     #DDG
6TAKE POSSES.N (! BOAT )\T ! ,CAPTA9'S
K4 ,B 9 ! OP5 SEA X CD N 2 ?"\ (4 ,!
,CANADIAN1 ,3SEIL1 & ,I _H A L;G 3V]S,N
ON ? SUBJECT4 ,= SIX MON?S WE _H BE5
PRISON]S ON BO>D ! ,NAUTILUS4 ,WE _H
TRAVELL$ #AG1JJJ L1GUES2 &1 Z ,N$ ,L&
SD1 "! 0 NO R1SON :Y X %D -E 6AN 5D4 ,WE
CD HOPE NO?+ F ! ,CAPTA9 (! ,NAUTILUS1 B
ONLY F \RVS4 ,2SS1 = "S "T PA/ HE _H
2COME GRAV]1 M RETIR$1 LESS SOCIA#4 ,HE
SEEM$ 6%UN ME4 ,I MET HM R>ELY4 ,=M]LY
HE 0 PL1S$ 6EXPLA9 ! SUBM>9E M>VELS 6ME2
N[ HE LEFT ME 6MY /UDIES1 & CAME NO M 6!
SALOON4 ,:AT *ANGE _H -E OV] HM8 ,= :AT
CAUSE8 ,= MY "P1 ,I DID N WI% 6BURY ) ME
MY CURI\S & NOVEL /UDIES4 ,I _H N[ ! P[]
6WRITE ! TRUE BOOK (! SEA2 & ? BOOK1
SOON] OR LAT]1 ,I WI%$ 6SEE "DLI<T4 ,!
L& NE>E/ U 0 ! >*IPELAGO (! ,BAHAMAS4
,"! ROSE HI< SUBM>9E CLI6S COV]$ ) L>GE
WE$S4 ,X 0 AB ELEV5 O'C :5 ,N$ ,L& DREW
MY ATT5;N 6A =MIDA# PRICK+1 L ! /+ ( AN
ANT1 : 0 PRODUC$ 0M1NS ( L>GE S1WE$S4
  8,WELL10 ,I SD1 8^! >E PROP] CAV]NS =P\LPS1 & ,I %D N 2 A/ONI%$ 6SEE     #DDH
"S ( ^! MON/]S40
  8,:AT60 SD ,3SEIL2 8CUTTLEFI%1 R1L
CUTTLEFI% (! CEPHALOPOD CLASS80
  8,NO10 ,I SD1 8P\LPS ( HUGE DIM5.NS40
  8,I W N"E 2LIEVE T S* ANIMALS EXI/10
SD ,N$4
  8,WELL10 SD ,3SEIL1 )! MO/ S]I\S AIR 9
! _W1 8,I REMEMB] P]FECTLY 6H SE5 A L>GE
VESSEL DRAWN "U ! WAVES 0AN OCTOPUS'S
>M40
  8,Y SAW T80 SD ! ,CANADIAN4
  8,YES1 ,N$40
  8,) YR [N EYES80
  8,) MY [N EYES40
  8,":1 PRAY1 MI<T T BE80
  8,AT ,/4 ,MALO10 ANSW]$ ,3SEIL4
  8,IN ! PORT80 SD ,N$1 IRONIC,Y4
  8,NO2 9 A *UR*10 REPLI$ ,3SEIL4
  8,IN A *UR*60 CRI$ ! ,CANADIAN4
  8,YES2 FR ,N$4 ,9 A PICTURE REPRES5T+
! P\LP 9 "Q40
  8,GD60 SD ,N$ ,L&1 BUR/+ \ LAU<+4
  8,HE IS Q "R10 ,I SD4 8,I H HE>D ( ?
PICTURE2 B ! SUBJECT REPRES5T$ IS TAK5 FA LEG5D1 & Y "K :AT 6?9K ( LEG5DS   #DDI
9 ! MATT] ( NATURAL HI/ORY4 ,2SS1 :5 X
IS A "Q ( MON/]S1 ! IMAG9,N IS APT 6RUN
WILD4 ,N ONLY IS X SUPPOS$ T ^! P\LPS C
DRAW D[N VESSELS1 B A C]TA9 ,OLAUS
,MAGNUS SP1KS ( AN OCTOPUS A MILE L;G T
IS M L AN ISL& ?AN AN ANIMAL4 ,X IS AL
SD T ! ,BI%OP ( ,NIDROS 0 BUILD+ AN ALT>
ON AN IMM5SE ROCK4 ,MASS F9I%$1 ! ROCK
2GAN 6WALK1 & RETURN$ 6! SEA4 ,! ROCK 0
A P\LP4 ,ANO!R ,BI%OP1 ,PONTOPPIDAN1
SP1KS AL (A P\LP ON : A REGI;T ( CAVALRY
CD MANOEUVRE4 ,LA/LY1 ! ANCI5T
NATURALI/S SP1K ( MON/]S ^: M\?S 7 L
GULFS1 & : 7 TOO L>GE 6PASS "? ! ,/RAITS
( ,GIBRALT>40
  8,B H[ M* IS TRUE ( ^! /ORIES80 ASK$
,3SEIL4
  8,NO?+1 MY FRS2 AT L1/ ( T : PASSES !
LIMIT ( TRU? 6GET 6FA# OR LEG5D4
,N"E!.S1 "! M/ 2 "S GR.D =! IMAG9,N (!
/ORY-TELL]S4 ,"O _C D5Y T P\LPS &
CUTTLEFI% EXI/ (A L>GE SPECIES1 9F]IOR1
H["E1 6! CETAC1NS4 ,>I/OTLE HAS /AT$ !
DIM5.NS (A CUTTLEFI% Z FIVE CUBITS1 ORN9E FEET TWO 9*ES4 ,\R FI%]M5       #DEJ
FREQU5TLY SEE "S T >E M ?AN F\R FEET
L;G4 ,"S SKELETONS ( P\LPS >E PRES]V$ 9
! MUSEUMS ( ,TRIE/E & ,MONTPELI]1 T
M1SURE TWO Y>DS 9 L5G?4 ,2SS1 AC 6!
CALCUL,NS ( "S NATURALI/S1 "O ( ^!
ANIMALS ONLY SIX FEET L;G WD H T5TACLES
TW5TY-SEV5 FEET L;G4 ,T WD SU6ICE 6MAKE
A =MIDA# MON/]40
  8,D !Y FI% = !M 9 ^! "DS80 ASK$ ,N$4
  8,IF !Y D N FI% = !M1 SAILORS SEE !M
AT L1/4 ,"O ( MY FRS1 ,CAPTA9 ,PAUL ,BOS
( ,HAVRE1 HAS (T5 A6IRM$ T HE MET "O (
^! MON/]S ( COLOSSAL DIM5.NS 9 ! ,9DIAN
S1S4 ,B ! MO/ A/ONI%+ FACT1 & : DOES N
P]MIT (! D5IAL (! EXI/;E ( ^! GIGANTIC
ANIMALS1 HAPP5$ "S YE>S AGO1 9 #AHFA40
  8,:AT IS ! FACT80 ASK$ ,N$ ,L&4
  8,? IS X4 ,9 #AHFA1 6! NOR?-EA/ (
,T5]I6E1 V NE>LY 9 ! SAME LATITUDE WE >E
9 N[1 ! CREW (! DESPAT*-BOAT ,ALECTOR
P]CVD A MON/R\S CUTTLEFI% SWIMM+ 9 !
WAT]S4 ,CAPTA9 ,B\GU] W5T NE> 6! ANIMAL1
& ATTACK$ X ) H>POON & GUNS1 )\T M*
SU3ESS1 = BALLS & H>POONS GLID$ OV] !S(T FLE%4 ,AF S"EAL FRUIT.S         #DEA
ATTEMPTS ! CREW TRI$ 6PASS A SLIP-KNOT
R.D ! BODY (! MOLLUSC4 ,! NOOSE SLIPP$ Z
F> Z ! TAIL F9S & "! /OPP$4 ,!Y TRI$ !N
6HAUL X ON BO>D1 B XS WEI<T 0 S 3SID]A#
T ! TI<T;S (! CORD SEP>AT$ ! TAIL F !
BODY1 &1 DEPRIV$ ( ? ORNA;T1 HE 4APPE>$
"U ! WAT]40
  8,9DE$6 IS T A FACT80
  8,AN 9DISPUTA# FACT1 MY GD ,N$4 ,!Y
PROPOS$ 6"N ? P\LP ,8,B\GU]'S
CUTTLEFI%40'0
  8,:AT L5G? 0 X80 ASK$ ! ,CANADIAN4
  8,DID X N M1SURE AB SIX Y>DS80 SD
,3SEIL1 :O1 PO/$ AT ! W9D[1 0 EXAM9+ AG
! IRREGUL> W9D+S (! CLIFF4
  8,PRECISELY10 ,I REPLI$4
  8,XS H1D10 REJO9$ ,3SEIL1 8WAS X N
CR[N$ ) EI<T T5TACLES1 T B1T ! WAT] L A
NE/ ( S]P5TS80
  8,PRECISELY40
  8,_H N XS EYES1 PLAC$ AT ! BACK ( XS
H1D1 3SID]A# DEVELOP;T80
  8,YES1 ,3SEIL40
  8,& 0 N XS M\? L A P>ROT'S B1K80  8,EXACTLY1 ,3SEIL40               #DEB
  8,V WELL6 NO (F;E 6MA/]10 HE REPLI$1
QUIETLY2 8IF ? IS N ,B\GU]'S CUTTLEFI%1
X IS1 AT L1/1 "O ( XS BRO!RS40
  ,I LOOK$ AT ,3SEIL4 ,N$ ,L& HURRI$ 6!
W9D[4
  8,:AT A HORRI# B1/60 HE CRI$4
  ,I LOOK$ 9 MY TURN1 & CD N REPRESS A
GE/URE ( 4GU/4 ,2F MY EYES 0 A HORRI#
MON/] WOR?Y 6FIGURE 9 ! LEG5DS (!
M>VELL\S4 ,X 0 AN IMM5SE CUTTLEFI%1 2+
EI<T Y>DS L;G4 ,X SWAM CROSSWAYS 9 !
DIREC;N (! ,NAUTILUS ) GRT SPE$1 WAT*+ U
) XS ENORM\S />+ GRE5 EYES4 ,XS EI<T
>MS1 OR R FEET1 FIX$ 6XS H1D1 T H GIV5 !
"N ( CEPHALOPOD 6^! ANIMALS1 7 TWICE Z
L;G Z XS BODY1 & 7 TWI/$ L ! FURIES'
HAIR4 ,"O CD SEE ! #BEJ AIR HOLES ON !
9N] SIDE (! T5TACLES4 ,! MON/]'S M\?1 A
HORN$ B1K L A P>ROT'S1 OP5$ & %UT
V]TIC,Y4 ,XS T;GUE1 A HORN$ SUB/.E1
FURNI%$ ) S"EAL R[S ( PO9T$ TEE?1 CAME \
QUIV]+ F ? V]ITA# PAIR ( %E>S4 ,:AT A
FR1K ( NATURE1 A BIRD'S B1K ON A
MOLLUSC6 ,XS SP9DLE-L BODY =M$ A FLE%YMASS T MI<T WEI< #D1JJJ 6#E1JJJ     #DEC
LB42 !1 V>Y+ COL\R *ANG+ ) GRT RAPID;Y1
AC 6! IRRIT,N (! ANIMAL1 PASS$
SU3ESSIVELY F LIVID GREY 6R$DI% BR[N4
,:AT IRRITAT$ ? MOLLUSC8 ,NO D\BT !
PRES;E (! ,NAUTILUS1 M =MIDA# ?AN XF1 &
ON : XS SUCK]S OR XS JAWS _H NO HOLD4
,YET1 :AT MON/]S ^! P\LPS >E6 :AT
VITAL;Y ! ,CR1TOR HAS GIV5 !M6 :AT VIG\R
9 _! MOVE;TS6 & !Y POSSESS ?REE HE>TS6
,*.E _H BR"\ U 9 PRES;E ( ? CUTTLEFI%1 &
,I DID N WI% 6LOSE ! OPPORTUN;Y (
C>E;LLY /UDY+ ? SPECIM5 ( CEPHALOPODS4
,I OV]CAME ! HORROR T 9SPIR$ ME1 &1 TAK+
A P5CIL1 2GAN 6DRAW X4
  8,P]H ? IS ! SAME : ! ,ALECTOR SAW10
SD ,3SEIL4
  8,NO10 REPLI$ ! ,CANADIAN2 8= ? IS
:OLE1 &! O!R _H LO/ XS TAIL40
  8,T IS NO R1SON10 ,I REPLI$4 8,! >MS &
TAILS ( ^! ANIMALS >E RE-=M$ 0RENEWAL2 &
9 SEV5 YE>S ! TAIL ( ,B\GU]'S CUTTLEFI%
HAS NO D\BT _H "T 6GR[40
  ,0? "T O!R P\LPS APPE>$ AT ! PORT
LI<T4 ,I C.T$ SEV54 ,!Y =M$ A PROCES.NAF ! ,NAUTILUS1 & ,I HE>D _! B1KS   #DED
GNA%+ AG/ ! IRON HULL4 ,I 3T9U$ MY "W4
,^! MON/]S KEPT 9 ! WAT] ) S* PRECI.N T
!Y SEEM$ IMMOVA#4 ,SU45LY ! ,NAUTILUS
/OPP$4 ,A %OCK MADE X TREM# 9 E PLATE4
  8,H WE /RUCK ANY?+80 ,I ASK$4
  8,IN ANY CASE10 REPLI$ ! ,CANADIAN1
8WE % 2 FREE1 = WE >E FLOAT+40
  ,! ,NAUTILUS 0 FLOAT+1 NO D\BT1 B X
DID N MOVE4 ,A M9UTE PASS$4 ,CAPTA9
,NEMO1 FOLL[$ 0HIS LIEUT5ANT1 5T]$ !
DRAW+-ROOM4 ,I _H N SE5 HM = "S "T4 ,HE
SEEM$ DULL4 ,)\T NOTIC+ OR SP1K+ 6U1 HE
W5T 6! PANEL1 LOOK$ AT ! P\LPS1 & SD
"S?+ 6HIS LIEUT5ANT4 ,! LATT] W5T \4
,SOON ! PANELS 7 %UT4 ,! CEIL+ 0 LI<T$4
,I W5T T[>DS ! ,CAPTA94
  8,A CURI\S COLLEC;N ( P\LPS80 ,I SD4
  8,YES1 9DE$1 ,MR4 ,NATURALI/10 HE
REPLI$2 8& WE >E GO+ 6FI<T !M1 MAN
6B1/40
  ,I LOOK$ AT HM4 ,I ?"\ ,I _H N HE>D
A"R4
  8,MAN 6B1/80 ,I REP1T$4
  8,YES1 SIR4 ,! SCREW IS /OPP$4 ,I ?9KT ! HORNY JAWS ( "O (! CUTTLEFI%    #DEE
IS 5TANGL$ 9 ! BLADES4 ,T IS :AT PREV5TS
\R MOV+40
  8,:AT >E Y GO+ 6D80
  8,RISE 6! SURFACE1 & SLAU<T] ? V]M940
  8,A DI6ICULT 5T]PRISE40
  8,YES1 9DE$4 ,! ELECTRIC BULLETS >E
P[].S AG/ ! S(T FLE%1 ": !Y D N F9D
RESI/.E 5 6G (F4 ,B WE % ATTACK !M )!
HAT*ET40
  8,&! H>POON1 SIR10 SD ! ,CANADIAN1 8IF
Y D N REFUSE MY HELP40
  8,I W A3EPT X1 ,MA/] ,L&40
  8,WE W FOLL[ Y10 ,I SD1 &1 FOLL[+
,CAPTA9 ,NEMO1 WE W5T T[>DS ! C5TRAL
/AIRCASE4
  ,"!1 AB T5 M5 ) BO>D+-HAT*ETS 7 R1DY =
! ATTACK4 ,3SEIL & ,I TOOK TWO HAT*ETS2
,N$ ,L& SEIZ$ A H>POON4 ,! ,NAUTILUS _H
!N RIS5 6! SURFACE4 ,"O (! SAILORS1 PO/$
ON ! TOP LA4]/EP1 UNSCREW$ ! BOLTS (!
PANELS4 ,B H>DLY 7 ! SCREWS LOOS$1 :5 !
PANEL ROSE ) GRT VIOL;E1 EVID5TLY DRAWN
0! SUCK]S (A P\LP'S >M4 ,IMMLY "O ( ^!
>MS SLID L A S]P5T D[N ! OP5+ & TW5TYO!RS 7 ABV4 ,) "O BL[ (! AXE1       #DEF
,CAPTA9 ,NEMO CUT ? =MIDA# T5TACLE1 T
SLID WRI7L+ D[N ! LA4]4 ,J Z WE 7 PRESS+
"O ON ! O!R 6R1* ! PLAT=M1 TWO O!R >MS1
LA%+ ! AIR1 CAME D[N ON ! S1MAN PLAC$ 2F
,CAPTA9 ,NEMO1 & LIFT$ HM UP ) IRRESI/I#
P[]4 ,CAPTA9 ,NEMO UTT]$ A CRY1 & RU%$
\4 ,WE HURRI$ AF HM4
  ,:AT A SC5E6 ,! UNHAPPY MAN1 SEIZ$ 0!
T5TACLE & FIX$ 6! SUCK]S1 0 BAL.ED 9 !
AIR AT ! CAPRICE ( ? ENORM\S TRUNK4 ,HE
RATTL$ 9 8 ?ROAT1 HE 0 /IFL$1 HE CRI$1
8,HELP6 HELP60 ,^! ^WS1 SPOK5 9 ,FR5*1
/>TL$ ME6 ,I _H A FELL[-C.TRYMAN ON
BO>D1 P]H S"EAL6 ,T HE>T-R5D+ CRY6 ,I %
HE> X ALL MY LIFE4 ,! UN=TUNATE MAN 0
LO/4 ,:O CD RESCUE HM F T P[];L
PRESSURE8 ,H["E1 ,CAPTA9 ,NEMO _H RU%$
6! P\LP1 &) "O BL[ (! AXE _H CUT "? "O
>M4 ,8 LIEUT5ANT /RU7L$ FURI\SLY AG/ O!R
MON/]S T CREPT ON ! FLANKS (! ,NAUTILUS4
,! CREW F"\ ) _! AXES4 ,! ,CANADIAN1
,3SEIL1 & ,I BURI$ \R W1PONS 9 ! FLE%Y
MASSES2 A /R;G SMELL ( MUSK P5ETRAT$ !
ATMOSPH]E4  ,X 0 HORRI#6                      #DEG
  ,= "O 9/ANT1 ,I ?"\ ! UNHAPPY MAN1
5TANGL$ )! P\LP1 WD 2 TORN F XS P[];L
SUC;N4 ,SEV5 (! EI<T >MS _H BE5 CUT (F4
,"O ONLY WRI7L$ 9 ! AIR1 BR&I%+ ! VICTIM
L A F1!R4 ,B J Z ,CAPTA9 ,NEMO & 8
LIEUT5ANT ?REW !MVS ON X1 ! ANIMAL
EJECT$ A /R1M ( BLACK LIQUID4 ,WE 7
BL9D$ ) X4 ,:5 ! CL\D 4P]S$1 ! CUTTLEFI%
_H 4APPE>$1 & MY UN=TUNATE C.TRYMAN ) X4
,T5 OR TWELVE P\LPS N[ 9VAD$ ! PLAT=M &
SIDES (! ,NAUTILUS4 ,WE ROLL$ PELL-MELL
96! MID/ ( ? NE/ ( S]P5TS1 T WRI7L$ ON !
PLAT=M 9 ! WAVES ( BLOOD & 9K4 ,X SEEM$
Z ?\< ^! SLIMY T5TACLES SPRANG UP L !
HYDRA'S H1DS4 ,N$ ,L&'S H>POON1 AT EA*
/ROKE1 0 PLUNG$ 96! />+ EYES (! CUTTLE
FI%4 ,B MY BOLD -PANION 0 SU45LY
OV]TURN$ 0! T5TACLES (A MON/] HE _H N
BE5 A# 6AVOID4
  ,AH6 H[ MY HE>T B1T ) EMO;N & HORROR6
  ,! =MIDA# B1K (A CUTTLEFI% 0 OP5 OV]
,N$ ,L&4 ,! UNHAPPY MAN WD 2 CUT 9 TWO4
,I RU%$ 6HIS SU3\R4 ,B ,CAPTA9 ,NEMO 0
2F ME2 8 AXE 4APPE>$ 2T ! TWO ENORM\SJAWS1 &1 MIRACUL\SLY SAV$1 !        #DEH
,CANADIAN1 RIS+1 PLUNG$ 8 H>POON DEEP
96! TRIPLE HE>T (! P\LP4
  8,I [$ MYF ? REV5GE60 SD ! ,CAPTA9 6!
,CANADIAN4
  ,N$ B[$ )\T REPLY+4 ,! -BAT _H LA/$ A
QU>T] ( AN H\R4 ,! MON/]S1 VANQUI%$ &
MUTILAT$1 LEFT U AT LA/1 & 4APPE>$ "U !
WAVES4 ,CAPTA9 ,NEMO1 COV]$ ) BLOOD1
NE>LY EXHAU/$1 GAZ$ ^U ! SEA T _H
SWALL[$ UP "O ( 8 -PANIONS1 & GRT TE>S
GA!R$ 9 8 EYES4

