Page 285 of the Guild Ledger - SCP Foundation

A woodcutting, commiſsioned to depict the capture of the dread beaſt, with a great number of aſsailants upon the flesh of its back.

AN ENTRY for the expreſs Purpoſe of addition to the Guild Catalogue of Phenomena. Should the Poſsibility ariſe that this document fall into the hands of a non-member, the poſseſsor is required by Guild Charter to deſtroy it completely by fire.

THIS PAGE documents an occurrence on the date the ſeventeenth of March, the Year of Our Lord 1785, at the harbor of Boſton, Maſsachuſets Commonwealth. On the morning of this day, a ſingle fisherman, whoſe name remains unmention’d herewith, returned to Port with a number of ſtrange wounds upon his veſsel and perſon. He was extremely frightened, shouting that an incredible beaſt of six-and-a-half rods had devoured a great quantity of Ships and had injured him thus. He deſcribed it as a whale of un-natural proportion, with a thouſand gnashing teeth and multiple tumor-like protruſions. After this report, many young men armed with muſkets and pikes embarked to deſtroy the Creature.

THE BEAſT approach’d the harbor and caus’d the deaths of the armed men with great rapidity, meanwhile bellowing in loud and beleaguered tones. The Harbor Batteries were fired upon’t with no effect. The Whale-Beaſt appeared to be not injur’d by normal means. By the Grace of God, Guilds-man Sir James F. was preſent and was able to act in the circumſtances. It was only thru the ingenuity of Sir James F. that the Creature was captured. He caſt a great quantity of fish into the harbor, drawing the creature near. Sir James F. then gathered the Sailors at hand, who flung down anchors from the dock. The anchors were caught upon the fleshy parts of the back of the Beaſt, acting as if fish-hooks. It ſtruggled piteouſly, and men climbed the mount of its back and ſtruck it with blades, until the time at which it was ſubdued by direct and cloſe cannon-fire.

SIR JAMES had theſe anchors fixed to a galleon, by which means the Creature was dragg’d to a bay eight miles to the North, at a location undiſcloſed herein. It remains there, chained to a cliff-face, whereupon it feeds on fish. A troupe of armed men is ſtationed to maintain the impriſonment of the Beaſt, warding off paſsers-by on foot or Sea. Should the Whale-Creature attempt to break free, theſe men fire upon’t with cannon and muſket until it is ſubdued, so it may be re-chain’d.

THIS TEXT conſtitutes page two hundred and eighty five of the ledger of the Guild for the Retrieval and Documentation of Abnormal and Otherwiſe Un-Chriſtian Phenomena.