The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-10-06
Th. SILVER Lake ..sn.an.. :.

A gentleman is now in the city who has had
the good fortune to see the mOnstrous creature
that inhabits the shores and has its lair in tho
crystal depths Of Silver Lake. His story is
such as will bring conviction to every listener
that there does exist in that Lake q creature
not yet described in the natural history Of the
State, and that in all human probability it be-
longs to the family Of Snakes. Mr. S., the per-
son from whom tie information is derived, Is q
highly respectable mechanic. residing in this
city, whose full name and residence be wishes
to keep incognito, for the obvious reasons that
thousands Of curious persons would be flocking
to hear the strange tale, and to put questions
to resolve their doubts and incredulity. While
returning from the West, be stopped last week
at the beautiful village Of Perry, near Silver
Lake, in Wyoming county, in this State where
his wife's uncle, j. n. Hallet, Esq, resides
highly esteemed citizen of that place, as is
vouched for by the editor of the Washington
Times. On Tuesday afternoon, Mr.. Hnllet,
in company with Mr.. S., went down to the
Lake, partly to enjoy stroll, and partly in
hopes that they might see the monster TINT has
appeared swimming on the surface Of the Lake.
They went to o platform which has been
erected on the eastern shore of this Lake, and
commands a full view Of the surface. Here
they found two men who have been engaged by
The Experiment Co., got up for the purpose
Of capturing the monster, and awaited his ap-
pearance. 1t had been now q week since aiiy
one had seen the snake, and ii was supposed
that II was either engaged in digcsting o full
meal, or that it had been alarmed by the struc-
ture which had been erected, and the other
preparations for capture on the shore, for snakes
are notoriously timid and suspicious creatures.
Some distance of there was q man, an old resi-
dent, who had gone prospecting among the
rushes at the outlet Of the Lake, where it is
thought the snake is won't to retire occasionally
for concealment, food, or digestion, or all three
together. Silver Lake is q fine sheet Of water
three miles long, and about three quarters wide
at the broadest part having an inlet and out
let both fringed with rushes, and is evidently
one Of the relics Of that vast inland sea which
overspread the western part Of the State of
New York, some Of tho deeper portions of which
are indicated by this and the other lakes Of the
region. The depth in one pnrt Of Silver Lake
is said to be uniathomable Why may not this
monster belong to one Of the antetleluvian tribes
that traversed the waves of the ancient luke
like the megalossauri and the plesiosauri Of
what DR.. Buckland calls the Oolitic Sea?
10 return to the snake. Mr.. Hallett, Mr..
8. and the two watchmen were standing on the
platform gazing on the placid waters Of the
Ilake, which the setting sun wns bathing in q
food Of the metal whence it derives its name,
when 10 "a dark object raises itself from waves,
four feet or more above the water--it is the
snake. Their hearts Auttere.l. Mr.. Hallctt
watches it through glass, and Mr.. S. sees it
moving rapidly along the shore for more than
thirty feet, moving down toward the outlet,
when itsuddenly turns and swims swiftly across
the lake.. After about minute, Mr., Hallett
handed the glass to MIR. s., who saw the head
distinctly, then about a foot out the water and
looking Us big as an ordinary hat. He marked
q dark line beneath the water, extending about
i fifteen feet from the head, ind then portion Of
the back ont the water, apparently considers,
bly, larger in bulk, and four feet in length, and
then q wake like that Of the body Of y snake
stretching out forty'or fifty feet behind. Ink
party watched the motions of the creature I'M.
til It grew dark II would generally swim
about minute on the surface, aud then 20 uri
der. The motion was swift, easy and undula
ting, resembling in appearance the swimming
Of water snake. Mr.. Hallett first sow th,
monster, and pointed him ont moving over th,
water. His affidavit, and those of the two en-
/ ployees Of the Experiment C0mpanylwill b
published soon, and coiroborate the statement
Of Mr.. ,'h sa9 e 3i.sqss is.. iitltls ~
/ /, The old man who selected the rushes IS u,
I spot whence to observe the monster, has live
/ in the vicinity for over twenty -four years, an
J had remarked that when the Indians inhabite.
, the county in considerable numbers M nevve
ssx one bathe inthe waters of Silver inc
tasf sts9Tsi ~ Isss Jag ezt :! Ssss.- ~ Askyds.