Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-24
The sea-serpent Aaray.


EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, July 3, 1855.
The sea-Serpent Astrny.
appearance Of the Sea-se,pent in Silrer Lake-The
Testimony Of Fire credible Witnesses
The Wyoming New York; Times relates the
following, and accompanies it with the afiidavits
of two of the parties named, that it is true to
their own knowledge:
Silver Lake is a sheet of water about four miles
long, and from half to three-fourths of a mile
VIDE. The lake is a great place of resort for
fishing parties There is said to be place in this
little lake where the lead has dropped in vain
No soundings has been obtained hence the pre-
sumption, and we admit it as presumption, that
It connects, by some subterraneary passage with
Lake Erie or Ontario, and to draw the figure still
greater, with the vast Atlantic
Friday evening last, as party Of which we
formed one, were disembarking from trip up the
lake, with a hundred pounds or less of dressed
cat fish, Messrs. Charles Hail. Joseph r. Nc
Knight, Charles Scribner and Alonzo Scribner,
accompanied by two boys named George Hall
and John Scribner, were just leaving the landing
on an evening fishing excursion.
They left the landing near Mr. Howe's Pump
Factory, about o'clock, p. M, Friday and
rowed up the narrows of the outlet, where two
OF the party got out and dragged the boat through
As the channel became wider, they took seats in
the boat, rowed steady up the lake and COM
menced iishing The evening was not dark. Both
shores were III view, and stars and clouds APP
peared alternately. About nine o. clock, as the
entire party were fishing, Mcknight, who sat in
the stern OF the boat, called attention to what had
the semblance, though-nuch larger, of a long
tree trimmed off, lying the surface ofthe water
north OF their boat, and dozen yards Off All
looked at 1T, and various suggestions were made
regarding it. 1t appeared to be 80 or 100 feet
long.
However, the party continued fishing, the thing
they saw-be0it tree, log, or what mot-remain-
ing IN the same position for twenty minutes or
half a hour AT about 81 O'Clock it had disap-
peared, when or how, the party had not OBJ
served. In about ten minutes, Mcknight called
attention to the same object between the boat the
party occupied, and the old sail boat g Frolic,"
which lies aground, disabled on the east shore
The centre Of the log, tree, or whatever it was,
was in direct line from the stern of the boat,
and not more than four rods off. After watching
IT few minutes, Mcknight, who was nearest IT,
exclaimed, Boys, that thing moving'
A few minutes more passed, and Hall, noticing
that 1t had and was changing its position, exs
claimed: "See, it is bowling 'round!' and true
enough, SO il was. All looked and saw the same
movement. Its head, it could no longer be called
a log, was not within three rods of the boat, and
as IT approached the waves parted on either sidc
as If boat was leisurely approaching. Scribner,
IN an attempt to cut the rope attached to the an
Choir and boat, lost his knife and pulled up the
anchor. Hall grasped the oars and commenced
pulling vigorously for'the west shore, Mcknight
steering the boat. Scribner took seat with Hall
and assisted in rowing. All this was the work of
an instant, and their mysterious and unwelcome
guest disappeared while it was going forward, 10
the great joy of the party.
But they were not clear of their visitor The
boat had not been propelled more than forty rods
when the strange customer was again visible on
the surface for the third time, TO the northeast of
them, and between the boat and the outlet This
time the visitor was within one rod of the boat,
and the party were making rapid progress towards
the inlet All in the boat saw the creature. 1t
again disappeared.
For the fourth time, when the party were with
in thirtyfve or forty rods from their proposed and
now nearest landing point, the south side Of the
inlet the serpent, for now there was no mistaknp
its character, darted from the water about four
feet from the stern of the boat close by the rud-
der paddle, the head and forward part Of the mon
ster rising above the surface of the water eight or
twelve feet in an oblique direction from the boat
All the boat had fair view of the creature and
concur in representing il as most horrid and re-
pulsve looking monster. All agree as to the
length exposed to view. On the opposite side Of
the boat about a rod and half to the northeast,
the other extremity of the serpent was in full
view, lashing the water with its tail. When the
forward part descended upon the water, il created
waves lnal nearly capslZcd the boat, and suspend
ed regular operations at the oars.
The party reached shore in safety; but fright
ened most out Of their senses. They left the boat
on the side Of the lake farthest from home, and
footed it home some two miles, rather than ven
ture down the outlet, not more than half mile
in length. IL is almost needless to say that they
slept little that night.
One dollar a foot has been offered for the skin
of the serpent, if over sixty feet long.