Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-09-06
From .the Boston Traveller.

just at present August lo1 the prominent
topic Of conversation in this region, have
thought you might like to hear something
about it from me.
cater the subject assumed form some
thing more than mere joke, | felt good deal.
of interest in learning what there really was.
of truth in the assertion that such an animal
had been seen. You may recollect man by
the name of -, chairmaker in Genesee.
This man was in the practice, twenty years
ago, of cutting flags in Silver Lake, for chair
bottoms. AT that period he reported that he
seen monster snake there, and that his men
were frightened. and that he would never cut
flags there any more. The subject was talk
ed of at the time, but as Mr.. - was
talking man and was not very good authority,
it passed away. When the Indians lived ct
Sauakie Hill, Ia point between Moscow and
Mt Morris, on the Genesee River, there
was an understanding among them that
great snake was in Silver Lake, and they re-
fused to fish there, on that account. This
fact of the Indian belief was well known at
the time. .,..
johnny John IAN old Indian,) has been
here this summer, and makes the same state
ment about the Indians refusing to fish in the
lake. Another story, which circulated many
years ago, was that boy ten years old, sent
by his mother to the lake for water, returned
much frightened, with the story that there
was great snake there. His mother went
back with him and came home frightened, as
her son had been, saying there was snake
there as large as barrel This too disd
away, and, if remembered at all, was con-
sidered misconception. Others now say
they have seen something of the sort for
several years, but did not wish to incur the
ridicule attached to statement Of it.
"Mr. - and myself spent day last
week with our friends Mr. and Mrs. -, at
Perry village. Rather to my surprise, |
found that Mr.. - entirely believed in the
existence of monster of some kind. He
said there could be no doubt of it, if men
we're to be believed who were perfectly relia-
Bile in other matters. We rode out to the
lake, and | was entirely satisfied that nc
honest, intelligent man could be mistaken as
to the nature of any object seen on the sur
face of the lake within fifty rods of him, the
lake is so free from distractions.
"On Wednesday, of this week, the 'phe
nomenon' was seen at six o'clock 10 the after
noon, at fifteen rods distance. with a bright
sun. Mr.. - of Perry, says he believe.
the enclosed statement as fully as if he had
himself seen the animal. The endorsers are
among the most respectable men in Perry
n An old whaler is watching the lak'
with harpoon and tacking."
1t is not necessary to believe the parties tt
these statements wanting in intelligence OIL
veracity. The preoccupation of the mine
with a theory colors naturally the phenom
ena actually occurring.
venture to suggest that the occasiona
disporting Of a family Of otter--a mothe
and half a dozen Of her nearly mature of
spring in train-the head of the mother nov
and then elevated above the water to lool
out for danger-the chasing of each other b,
the juveniles in curves around the parent
and the splashiug in the waterfall of whicl
are familiar to hunters that these be take
as hints to aid future observers. 1t is wei
known that families Of this animal are to b
met with in various parts of the State of Ne,
York, and it is not all improbable that tn
care with which Silver Lake was avoided b
the Indians, was appreciated ard acted upo
by the otter, when driven from their othe
haunts in the neig hborhood. H.
The following is an extract from the extr
OF the Wyoming Times referred to above
THE following statement made bv Edwi
Tanning, of this village, and duly atteste,
accompanied as it is by the endorsement o
several prominent citizens, as to Fauniuo
character for truth and veracity, cannot B,
confirm and strengthen the very general b
lief that there is monster in Silver Lake
in fact, the evidence in regard to it is undi
puted in any quarter, and the candor and ST
certify of witnesses unquestioned.
81 went up to Chapip's Landing, Silv
Lake, about 6 o'clock Wednesday evepin
!, the 18th (Aug.) inst. remained there Mo
Is minutes, and then walked down the $40
Of the lake past the old sail boat Frolic
to the point of the jutting promontory !;
( remained there and looked at the birds Ayi
e around the foot of the lake. On gIanci
: my eye across the lake to the westward
a the range Of the mouth Of the inlet, and abo
t Is rods from where | was standing, mo
!, ster Of a serpent rose out of the water, e
8 hibiting at least eight feet of the forwa
I; portion of his body above water. In fl
: seconds he disappeared. In about thr
e minutes after he again came to the suria,
: about the same length being exposed to vie
: as before. He remained on he surface
7 the water at least three minutes maxi
/. evolutions similar to those of snake
: turned his head and forward portion OF |
: body, and appeared to be looking around hi
7 The third time he came up, he apparen,
u sported upon the water,-drew up his No
D as snake does on the ground-dove do,
10 MS head portion, and projected portions
his body out Of water, as though full Of ioiu
These movements were continued nearly ba
II an hour.
a His body was as large as large barr,
d his head about foot in diameter at
IS largest part. He spouted water from 4
:, mouth at least four feet high, and Il wo,
8. fall back upon him like the play Of wa
It from fountain. His length should TIL
|, was at least one hundred feet. called
Mr.. Sharpsteenls men who were working
the field, but they did not come. I relat
+ the circumstance to them as l return,
% When | called to Mr.. SIS men the Serpe
y was playing on the water. My calling
t them did not stop his sport. 1 remain
9 there until he disappeared and did not aga
q come up. The sun was shining at the tia
1 was on the east side of the lake and s,
d the Serpent as distinctly as I ever saw al
p thing in my life. He was about La or
t rods from me-was of a beautiful dark gre
color, and appeared perfectly smooth.