Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (City of Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1853-1857, 1855-09-04

Aul0 P0At Va AAA0 SSSssssy 20 w. w..
element. The immense snake, with vari-
ouss descriptions OF which the papers have
been crowded for tw o weeks hack, is NJ lengtln.
captured. You have undoubtedly heard "a
The articulsrs OF his appearances. the many
LUsUs NATURAL of this character III iaAe
but four miles long and not quite three quar-.
ers of mile in width. At any rate il has
never been doubted. Daniel Smith, an ola
whaleman, came here about two weeks since,
after hearing of the appearance Of the crea-
ture. and while here had the good fortune 10
see him. He Immediately sent to New 'f :,
for an old shipmate of his and his "irons,
and On Friday last 10th arrived, with har-
poems, cordage and every requisite to eaten
a monster. Many strangers who are stopping
at the Walker house in This city, attracted 10
this part of the country by tue excitement
in regard to the monster, and who had oD-
taiEed no glimpse OF him, laughed al them
for their pains but they kept on with their
preparations in site of sneeTs and leefs'
Boats have been stationed all over the lake
for upward of eight days. and the two whale
men had sharp look out kept all the time
Inside watching themselves.
This lake has several outlets, the largest
Of which ruus through this village and final
lv empties into or becomes GeLesee River
In the vicinity # this outlet be was seen 6rst,
ard on Sunday he came TO the surface, dis
PLAYING about 60 feet Of his long, simmons
BODY. remaining, however but q very few
moments. The heats were on the watch all
Sunday night The whalcmen had ,2toH-
of strong whale-line in their boat the end of
which IAN ashore and fastened TO tree.
IA Al L. inn ia
alert The shores were lined with toWn's-peo-
pie and strangers, and every body seemed
very much excited About 9 O'Clock the an
imal made lis appearance between the
whalemen's boat and the shore, revealing
twenty or thirty feet Of his length II lay
auiscent upon he surface, when the whale
mems bat moved slowly toward HIM
Smith of Covinston posing Lliy-Iron IN
the air, Ga Ljlly-iron is a pateT. harpoon,
a heavy cutting knife being attached bJ the
middle 10 the end OF the ion by nvet. As
soon as the knife enters the body of an
animal, ths movable blade turns at right
an les to the wound, and being entirely blunt
and fat on one side II Is impossible II eXtEl-
cate it except by cutting out-) When they
had got about til feet from the animal Tue
iron whistled through the air aad went deep
in; o its body. In moment the whole length
Of the monster was Iashihg the air, at
bound revealing his whole enormous length,
and then makii the water boil IN every d.
recton, he described rapid, fosning circles
and ares Of les, with such swift ess the
eve could scarcely follow him. Then he
darted of ia another direction toward the
Upner part Of the lake. the suddeuHess of
his movement almost dragging the boat I'M
der water Line was gradually given him,
and IF or the space If half IN hour, 1t WAS
! lain thai his strength was almost exhausted
The whalemen then came ashore and grIdu-
ailv hauled the line in, The body was within
hity feet f the shore, when renewed life ap-
peared TO have been given him, and with
+. nc dart he carried De"~Iy oil VhS 4aas o~*.
This was his last great effort tie was slowly
dragged ashore, amid the widest excitement
ard tumult ever known IN the vicinity OF
Silver Lake. Four or i've ladies tainted up
on seeing the monster, who although ashore
was flashing his body into tremendous folds,
and then strait htening himself OFT IN his az
onv. with noise and power that made the
earth sremble around him. The harToou had
gone entirely through a thick muscular part
Of him about eight feet from his head
The snake or animal, Is nifty nine feet i've
inches in length, ard is most disgusting
looking creature. thick slime covers his
hideous length, quarter OF an inch thick,
which after being removed, Is almost instant
" r.placed by oxidation. The body OF this
creature is variable in size. The head is a
bout the size of full grown CATS; within
eight feet of the head the neck gradually
swells up 10 the thickness OF foot in dl-
ameier, which continues for fifteen inches,
end then tapers down the other way, con-
stantly Increasing IN size, however, as i re-
celes from the head, until the body # the
monster has q diameter or two feet III
the center, giving gTth OF over six feet
lt then tapers of toward the tail xhich ends
in a fin which en- he expanded in the shape
of fau Until il is three feet across, or clos
"a in a sheath Along the belly, from the
head to the tail, are rows q Tins, foot in
length--rot opposite each other, but al;ern-
atelv rlaced. The head is most singular
affair. The eyes are very large, white,
staring and terrific. Attached TO the edge
of the upper and lover lids which are ike
those Of a human being, transparent film,
or membrane is seen, which, While it pro-
tects the ave Of the animal, docs not interfere
with its yi,ion 1t has no nostrlls or & lis,
apparentlv The mouth Of This serpent, or
whatever IT may tie. IS ubdefneath--ls al
most a counterpart Of the mouth Of fish
called a sucker, possessing the same valyu-
lar power, purs up-but it can be stretch
ed so a, to take 10 body of The diameter of
discovered A hard tony substance extends
in tu o raralle lines around the upper and
lower n art OF the head. HIS colpr is dus-
k brown on the sides and back, Tut under
meath the belly is of dirty white. 1t is sim
uous Ike 81 axe, but has along its back, and
on each side, row of hard substance, knob
like in shope--the largest raised four inches
from the surface oil the body, extending from
head to tail.
The news of its capture spread like Wild
fire. and before night hundreds and hundreds
OF people from the neighboring towns and
villages had collected 10 see this wonder.
The Animal still has the harpoon in him.
1t passed through the muscular portion oftbe
back and touched no mortal part. He lies