Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-07-27

A rival to the Sea Serpent has made its an.
pearance in Canada. Several persons hay.
made declaration Of having seen mons,rous
reptile, which, as stated below, resembles tina,
said TO be found in the island of Ceylon, termed
the Anaconda The following account Of i, is
from the Montreal Herald, the editor of which
paper seems disposed TO give it his frmes, be.
lieE-Ne,c. York Gazette.
LARGE SERPENT.
A gentleman of this city, in the habit of cor.
slant communication with the inhabitants Of
Assumption and its enrirons, has related 70
us the following novel circumstances, which
he derived from the very proprietor of the land
which was the scene of the occurrence.
About ten days ago, awoman, with three of
her children, were gathering strawberries on
the farm Of one Valiant, distant two or three
miles from the village above mentioned Meet
ing with little success, the children asked their
mothers leave 10 go to ;hicket close by, where
they thought they might find the fruit in great
er quantity. Leave being granted, they entered
the wood; but had not been Ions out of sigh,
before they reappeared running with all their
might and in grea, alright, as if flying from
some danger. Being asked what had happen.
ed, they described, in their own imperfect way,
that they had seen some living ard monstrous
thing on a tree. This account excited the mo
theirs curiosity SO strongly as 10 induce her, in
spite OF feeling Of apprehension, TO return
with them and see what it was. She accord
ingly accompanied them, but what was her dis
may wher she behold an enormous serpent
curIed spiray round tree, its tail resting on
the ground, and its head waving above the top
mos, foliage, as # looking around for, or watch
ing the motions Of some intended prey. 1t is
not easy 10 imagine the terror OF the little hu-
man group. 81 arcely had they strength to re-
tire, and tell the neighbors What they had seen.
Now, Jean DaptiSle, like all Of French ex-
traction, neither wants courage nor the spirit
of enterprise; accordingly, three men set out,
one OF whom, armed with q musket, was eau
tiouSly to lead the way, steal on, and, if posi-
bic, disable the monster, After which the others
were 10 assist IN putting an end Ia him. They
entered the grove & looked around, but in vain
nothing was TO be seen, and they almost be-
gan TO suspect that the woman's Imagination
had converted the twirted trunk OF tree, and
rotten branch waved by the wind at is TOP,
into reptile whose existence in Canada was
unknown. Recollecting, however, that some.
thing similar had, it was said, occurred near
the falls o. Laquarro river, they resolved, as a
last resource, that the musket should be fired.
10 start 1t If arking near, of which, however.
they had little expectation. |, was according.
y discharged, when 10! 2 tract Of tall grass not
far from them was violently agitated, and with.
ing through IL with, as il seemed 10 them, the
velocity Of a racc-hoyse, appeared an enormous
serpent, whose body, occasionally rising, dis
closed bulk as large as that of water.bucket,
causing in it, flight a leaf-like rustling sound,
and leaving behind long wake Of waving grass
Hurrying through the tract, il crossed plough
ed field, through which its passage was only to
be traced by lineal coud of dust, entered
wood and disappeared.
After recovering from their surprise, and
some conjectdres concerning its length, i, struck
them that it might be toIerabIy ascertained from
the height of the tree where it had at first been
seen. Having accordingly measured it, they
found it to be thirty feet; adding therefore to
The straight line Of the tree Two iflhs, to equal
the spiral line Of the reptiles body, the latter
may be fairly estimated at fifty feet. Some
time previous to the occurrence, several sheep,
seven COWS and horse, had disappeared, and,
it was supposed, become theprcy of bears; but,
as no remains Of even their bones have been
found, it is now considered probable they must
have been swallowed entire by this serpent, af.
ter the manner Of the East India Boa Constructor.
so well described by Button ard Goldsmith,
and more lately in some Of the European pa
pers.
! he first inquiry that presents itself on this
subject is whether the account is true: of this
we cannot doubt, as ii is VIGOROUSLY affirmed By
the seven persons whom we have mentioned as
having seen the creature and who can scarcely
be supposed to have combined in the fabrca.
ton and propagation Of a fiction that could not
be suggested by ordinary ideas nor concoc,cd
by rustic imaginations: nor does its singulari,y
afford very strong presumption against its
truth, since almost every year discovers things
of the existence of which the present genera
ton had no idea, not even additionally, and the
American sea serpent is an appropriate and re-
cent precedent in its favor.
DRAINING OF THE