Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-08-30
The Monster Snake Taken.

Perry Village. N. Y, Aug. IS, 1855.
This part Of the country is wild with excite
menL The immense snake, with various des.
eHPtiOns Of which the papers have been crow
ded fCrtwO weeks back, is at length captured.
You have undoubtedly heard all the particulars
Of his appearance, the many doubts and sneers
as TO the existence Of 'lusus naturae' Of this
character in q lake but four miles long and not
quite three-qaFters Of mile in width. At any
rate il has never been doubted. Daniel Smith,
an old Whaleman, came here about two weeks
since, after hearing Of the appearance Of the
creature, and while here bad The good fortune
to see him. He Immediately seat to New
York for an old shipmale of bis and his irons,
and on Friday last both arrived with harpoons,
cOrdage and everything necessary to catch
monster. Many strangers who are stopping at
the Walker House in this city, attracted to
this part Of the country BY the excitement in
regard to the monster, and who had obtained
no glimpse Of him, laughed at them for their
pains; but they kept on with their preparations
in spite Of snsers and jeers. Boats have been
stationed all over the lake for upward of eight
days, and the two whalemen had sharp look.
out kept all the time beside watching them
selves.
This lake has several outlets, tAe largest of
which runs through the village aud 6nslly emp.
ties or becomes Genesee River: In the vicin-
ity of this outlet he was seen hrst, and on
Sunday he came to The surface, displaying
about 80 feet Of his long, sinuOus body. re.
naming, however, but very few moments
The boats we're on the watch all Sunday night
The whalemen had 300 feet Of strong whale
line in their boat, the end of which run ashore
and fastened to a tree. On Monday morning
everything was on the alert. Tie shores
were lined with towns people aGd strangers.
and everybody seemed very much excited
About 9 O'Clock the animal made his appear
ance between the whalemen's boat and shore,
revealing twenty or thirty feet of his length.
Tie lay quiescent upon the surface. when the
whalemen's boat moved slowly toward him
Mr.. Smith Of CovingtOn posing Lnly-iron
in the air, IA Lilly-iron is patent harpoon, a
heavy cutting knife being attached By the mid.
die to the cid of the iron by rivet. As loon
as the knife enters the body of an animal this
movable blade turns at right angels to the
wound, and being entirely blunt and fat on
one side it is impossible to extricate it except
by cutting out.) Wien they had got about
ten feet from the animal the iron whistled thro'
the air and went deep into his body, in a mo.
ment the whole length Of the monster was
lashing the air, at bound revealing his whole
enormous length, and then making the water
boil in every direction, he described rapid,
foaming circles AID acres Of circles, with such
swftness the eye could scarcely follow him.
Then be darted of in another direction to-
ward the upper part of the lake, the sudden
ness of his movement almost dragging the
boat under water. Line was gradually given
him, and after the space of half an hour, il
was plain that his strength was almost exhaus
ted, The whalemen then came ashore and
gradually hauled the line in. The body was
within fifty feet of the shore, when renewed
ife appeared to have been given him, and with
one dart he carried nearly all the line out
This was his last great effort, He was slowly
dragged ashore, amid the widest excitement
aud tumult ever known in the vicinity Of Sill.
yer Lake. Four or FIVE ladies tainted upon
seeing the monster, who although ashore was
lashing bis body into tremendous folds, and
then strengthening himself out in bis agsny,
with noise and power that made the very
earth tremble around him. The hsrpoon had
gone entirely through thick muscular part Of
him about eight feet from bis head.
The snake. or animal, is fIty-nine feet five
inches in length. and is most disgusting
looking creature. A thick slime covers his
hideous length, a quarter Of an inch thick,
which, after being removed, is almost Instantly
replaced by exudation. The body of this Gre
ature is variable in size. The head is about
the size Of full grown calf's; within eight
feet of the head the neck swells up to the
thickness of foot in diameter, which contin-
ues for fifteen inches, and then tapers down
the other way, constantly increasing in size,
however, as it recedes from the head, until the
body of the monster has diameter of over
two feet in the center, giving girth of over
six feet. 1t then tapers off toward the tail.
which ends in fin which can be expanded in
the shape of fan until it is three feet across,
or closed in sheath. Along the belly, from
the head to the tail, are double rows of fins, a
foot in length--nOt opposite each other. but
alternately placed. The head is most singu.
liar affair. The eyes are very large, white,
L staring and terrific. Attached to the edge oI