Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-03-25
THE WHAT Is IT - oUTDoNE.
About twentY.fiye miles from this cid

AUOuI twenty-five HllIeS from tnlS city,
says the Vicksbnrg Herald, March /, is a
small stream known as Bear Creek which
empties into the Big Black River. For
some time past strange stories have been
told by the negroes of an extraordinary
animal seen near this creek. These stories
were laughed at and dcrided by the citi-
zens, no one believing in any such state
ments. This extraordinary creature had Of
ten suddenly presented himself among the
negroes in the early twilight, causing great
CONSERVATION among them. He is describ-
ed by the negroes as being about eight
feet high, each eye, in their language, as
large as hens egg, with no nose, and no
upper lip, his two eye teeth as large as a
mau's thumb, extending down over his
chin about eight inches; his right foot
points directly to the front, and his left to
the rear. and the measurement of the track
is Just twenty-three inches in length; his
finger nails are five or six inches long the
hair on his head-which is stiff and wiry
sweeps the ground as he walks, and is
parted in the rear and brought down in
front, on each side of his singuarly form
ed chest, which is not round or fiat but is
angular like fowls. The hair on the
body of this singular being is very stiff,
and grows to the rear, parting at the angle
of the breastbone growing back and uni
ting with long stiff growth on his spine,
which extends back one foot like the spi-
nal FIN of fish, or the bristles on the back
of boar-the hair on his arms is parted,
and grows in the same way, making long,
thick brush on the back of the arms ex-
tending from the shoulders to the point
of the middle finger. The same pcculiari-
ty is observable on his legs. No white
person has ever seen him till recently, when
he was discovered by a hunting party
Several gcntleman-acquaintances of ours
met on last Thursday week, with a
view of bear hunting in this swamp
They were accompanied by about fifteen
well trained bear dogs. They prepared
early in the morning, and when about
commencing, their attention was attracted
to an unusually large track in the soft soil :;
upon examination it was discovered that
the track was being constantly reversed
In an instant the stories of the negroes oc-
cured to the party, and at once it was
determined to follow the creature which
had made this track. The dogs were in
stantly called and encouraged to follow the
track, which they did promptly. The
gentlemen, mounted upon good horses,
found but little difficulty in keeping well
up with the bounds. In few minutes an
object was presented to their view which
sent chill in the heart of every member
of the party. They had unearthed the
nondescript. A being-apparcntly human
suddenly arose from his lair. turned
and for moment stood in silent inspec
ton at his pursuers, and then instantly,
with yell truly terrible, wheeled, and
with the speed of the fastest horse, rushed
away before the dogs, This wild and ex
cited chase was continued for nearly ten
miles, when at last the terrible monster,
foaming with rage, was brought to bay
upon the bank of the Big Black, and turn
ing with fury unparalleled, it seized the
foremost dog with both hands, and by the
exercise of superhuman muscular strength,
buried its long talons into the body of the
howllng brute, and literally tore the dog
asunder. Dropping this,it instantly seized
the next, and sent its two immense tusks
through the head of the doomed dog
One ofthe hunters, becoming alarmed for
the safety of the party, drew his revolver
and fired twice at the monster, but evi-
IDENTIFY without effect other than to fright
en- it by the report, when, turning with a
hideous yell, it plunged into the river, d.
wing and remaining under water fully five
minutes, when it suddenly sprang into the
air, screaming equal to regiment of SOL
diers. 1t finally swan to the other side
and disappeared in the neighboring forest,
since which time it has only been seen
twice by white persons, Several attempts
have been made to capture it, but up to
the present time without success. What
this strange creature is no one can conjec
tire. The gentlemen with whom we have
conrersed represent it as black man,
over six feet high, but in other respects
resembling, to great degree, the descrip.
tion given by the negroes. 1t has broken
the negroes from attending Loyal League,
at night in that section of the country.