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IIUK1I IMI liUiSW. l• -•* - .■ .. • ' •• N '* .»wA Careful Observer^. A'cconnt of tlie Sea Serpant Recently; Seen in Maine;'-i?t .A- . /VIPeak’s Island Letter to the New York Tri-bune.j , . „ i .Premisihgat Portland harbor la not a, watering place lu want of summer visitors, I trust you will bear with me when I state that the veritable sea*~ serpent has been seen in this locality. I,have bad a long conversation with Mir. S. Beckett, of Portland, who has actually seeu it. Mr. Beckett is an elderly citizen of good standing iu the community, and I must say - that his narrative impressed me as that of a truthful man.. I understand that he has given some attention to the*study of natural history; acid he is evidently a careful observer. On the eveningf July 6,;he was crossing from Cape Elizabeth to Portlands by the bridgeof the road connecting those jdaces,ruuy befor The * .band;M.aS(and! cerni strict to ex moreividiiiWasformthe lorga Grar mast Cioiii Botl and|; cipli (.Th prod* quau tract factu the 1 parti granjampa piatnidc h is glated cial I artic tftroi mehiufactwhich passes oyer an arm of the sea.The hour was- a little before eight o’clock. The skies are bright with twilight here at a much. later hour, than in more southerly latitudes.—His attention was attracted by a group of boys who were looking at some object upon the north side , of the bridge. On reaching them he saw ah animal, which he is quite certain appeared to be of'tbe serpent kind, swimming just under the sur face of the water in curved lines and; with a horizontal motion. The head; of the serpent rose quite to the sur I face, and resembled that of a sealT** • more nearly than that of any other* are8: animal. He says also,' that it reminded him of a bull dog.The head and neck were frequently upon the aur face, while the body was generally » few inches below it. The' neck for about three feet - from the head was much smaller than the bodvi which appeared to be at least six inches in diameter, ; and in* the largest part “as large,” he says, ffiis a man’s hat.” v*1The opportunity for observing this, animal was such that its size and ran* tion could be noted perfectly, as it fre quenfcly came withiu 20 feet of t he bridge and remained iu the immedi* iite vicinity for 20 minutes. (When Mr. Beckett proceeded to the city theT^1'” animal still remained there^ ThereJ seemed to be joints (throughout the length of the animab about two feet WPwithagen ware a cei vex a distr othe Tfa the lt;deedtudecorpbpeiredulattecumcourapart, or as mauy as eight or ten in-rrbtbtto. t Ironail, the effect of which was to pro-duce little ripples or wavelets in the “Av water above the- body* while swimr miug around. These ripples or wavescrossed the body at right angles so. |that whichever-way the auimal.turued the ripples followed or attende/I , him.The cause of these ripples Mr; Beckett was unable to ascertain, but throughout its entire length the body of the auiniai could be seen between these waves. * rThe boys were con tiuually- throwing jA^ such small objects as they could find 8Cat upon the fridge htithfe serpent,yin#. J# on one occasion* wiiduVii co^siderabl^MWbillet of wood seemed-^fo strike him, ^ra he made a plunge, producing a foam I Pj®* around him iu the water. . He. then '*.%wintliaiadvwenfc off to' a'^distance of 100; feet*on more, but soon returned to the bridge.' pPP The tide was at.this;time;falling, and S°Vdhe animal kept its head' directed to- 8?8 ward,,the bridge mainlyilthqugh .mov-ihg in curves backward and forward, gly and occasion ally, making a complete,v;Y circle; -and, when itf thls positibh;tfVe‘ diameter of the circle wa9 estimated-at about twelveTeet. From thisr and pv jother.parefuTqbsbrvations, the lengtH fTOof the serpent was supposed not to be181' less than thirty feet.,?The animal was a[drk- color, and‘had nothing that(was observed in the shape of fins, feet or. mane. HisShead was lif^g^abovethe water wbenliiej woc^V , •IS Atpasurawas throwtra''ver:smooth and glossy, like that of a seal.itTtlie time; was within ten* rofcciiDi is i bacaer.iThe water afeet of the rail of the bridge, and during a considerable part of the time while Mr. Beckett made his observations was about five fathoms* * * *Although tliis animal was thus'seen by.many other persons at the time mentioned;: there weferthdBe td'whqtn^lle^the facts?wcufe related ijrh’p were |dis^|tie posed to Bl incredulous, andJ anhg them Mr. Rhodes of Portland, who has a place of residence on the Nonesuch river, in Scarborough, was quite inclined to laugh al;_tho idea. of7,tbe existence of such an animal. But heVi himself has since that time,had ocea*-'* sion jib change his: views. ! He stated that about three weeks siace, or some time diiriug the last weekTtf Ju]y, he | pj rose quite early/and weut out with ;'a | q. bucket to get rsome salt water, when he actually saw an animal exactly corresponding to the description given by Mr. Beckett. Although seen by him at a greater distance than by Mr. Beckett, he judged the animal to be at least twenty feet long, having a head like that of a seal, and with apparent roughnesses on the back?'at equat'distances. j ;The naturalists here are divided in opinion on the subject. Some vehe-mehtly deuouhce the whole thihg as an absurdity, declaring that it was mei»ly a big seal or two, or a shoal ofporpblBes that were chasing each hot-BB*U8e5.dnoarhe.Wi• y.caarI,hhidifIt3tmofwibtihCl.isb: h btitlf(
Newspaper Details
Logansport Democratic Pharos
Logansport, Indiana, US
Wed, Sep 10, 1873
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Judith R.
USA 14 May 2018
Other Publications Near Logansport, Indiana
Logansport Daily Reporter
Logansport Weekly Star
Logansport Daily Star
Logansport Democratic Pharos
Logansport Morning Journal
