Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-11
The Great Sea Serpenf-Its Latest A p
pearance-A Sea Captains Yarn.

pearance-A Sen Captains yarn.
The good ship Scottish Bride, two
months out from Bordeaux, which arrived
| at New York on Sunday, was freighted
with the story of large marine mon
ster, which the Captain, as there is no
duty on such merchandise, was enabled
! to unfold without delay and made mani
fest without the assistance of the Gus
tom-house oficisls) to a wondering re-
, porter, as followeth:
When about two hundred miles off
Delaware Bay, on the edge of the Gulf
Stream, in $50 l6> and longitude 74' g.,
the weather grew suddenly calm, and
they saw the great sea serpent.
CAPTAIN ALIENS STATEMENT.
Captain Allen is bluff seameu, who
has followed the ocean as profession
for the last ten years. he is the very
type of an American skipper, and all the
staten ents he makes in regard to the
serpent are worthy of belief. he states
that on the 23d of November, when in
the position above set down, he descended
to his cabin about noon. He was just
about eating his dinner, when his Sec
ond mate descended the cabin stairs, and,
in an excited manner, told him his pres
ence was required on deck. Thinking
the ship had sprung leak, or that some
other dire mishap had befallen them, he
dropped the tempting morsel before him,
and rushed up. When be arrived on
deck he found the crew assembled on the
starboard side of the vessel, looking with
swe-strcken faces into the water. Not
knowing the meaning Of their strange
conduct, he also went there, and 9. sight
met his eye, the memory of which will
never fade.
During the morning the weather had
been rather clustering. The wind had
been blowing from "ali quarters at the
same time. But now there had come q
calm, and the water was quiet, and as
clear as glass, although the sky was
covered with dark, heavy clio nds, that
threatened to burst forth into q deIuge at
any moment. Upon approa ching the
side of the vessel the Captain saw In the
water beneath monster such as he had
never seen before. 1t was about twenty
five feet in length, and portionately
thick; its head was very large and fiat,
while at each side, on the extr eme edge,
were ses two bright, scintillsting eyes,
which, he says, looked dangerous and
wicked. It's back was covered with large
scales like the crocodile, about three
inches in length, which hook I'd together
and formed an impenetrable armor. It's
belly was tawny yellow color and alto
gether hideeus. 1t was accompanied by
q smaller specimen of its own species,
which may have been its offspring. This
was but few feet in length, but in shape
aud color closely re5embled the larger
one.
With the usual superstition that always
takes hold of this class, they regarded
the serpent with sort of religious hor-
ror, and all the efforts of the Captain to
have them make some attempt to capture
it were abortive. They looked upon it as
something supernatural, and we're not
disposed to meddle with it. The thing
was about four feet from the vessel, was
living but few feet below the surface OF
the water, and was easily descernible to
all on board. The Captain gave orders
to have o boat lowered to attack the
monster, but in the meantime the atten-
ton of the smaller one was called to the
presence of the vessel 1t raised few
inches above the surface, aud then went
toward its larger friend, and seemed to
tell 1t of the circumstances but what
ever transpired between them, the larger
one raised its head as though to investi.
gate it's surroundings, and then, with an
easy motion, it went head downward,
and with its body described circle like
a hook, its tail raising out of the water,
which, the Captain says, tapered of to a
point
The calm that had beset the vessel in
the morning now gave place to strong
northwest breeze, that as night closed
around burst into storm, accompanied
by vivid lightning and rolling thunder.
The ship was tossed about by the relent-
less waves, which ever and anon broke
over her with great fury, and during the
whole of this fearful night the sailors
would not 90 on deck without lanterns,
such was their fear Of meeting the mon
ster. Now aud then they would 90 to
the Captain and ask his opinion on the
probability Of that occurrence, and be
being no wiser than themselves, would
laugh at their fears, and bid them 90 to
their work. About morning the storm
died away, but until the following day, |
when they came in sight of land, the
brave men entertained an unexpressed
dread of the temperance of the mon
ster.
Capt Allen thinks that the monster
came from the regions of Florida, where
he has often heard of similar creatures
from other shipmssters. and by following |
the warm current of the Calf Stream il |
reached the position where be found it.
In his opinion it is deep water animal,
and be accounts for its appearance so
nesr the surface BY the fact Of the dark
day, and the monster not knowing how
high up be wsa
The New York Erening Post says:
"Mr. Richardson left no will. He was
worth sbont seventy fvs thousand dollars.
His interest 10 the Tribune alone was