The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-01-08

DESCENDANT OF THE ORIGINAL s'sRA
sARPIENr.n
A Problem for Agsssis.

There yesterday came to our ears from so
authentic q source as to leave no reason to
doubt its credibility. the discovery of a river
monster in the Mississippi at this point, OF
huge dimensions and strange form. We
have read of such monsters as the following
in Culver and Agassiz, but never, until yes
terday, encountered an individual who had
actually seen one alive. A Mr.. Day, OF
New Boston, farmer by profession, vas on
a visit last week at Mr.. Harris farm near
Gilberttow in Scott county. Inc TWO
,sn,,emen went ont together for q days
amor, Of fishing through the ice. Two large
air holes had been made, one some distance
below the other in direct line. A slight
shin ner of ice had spread over each air
hole from the previous evenings freezing,
which was easily broken. Mr.. Day sta
toned himself at the upper hole with his
hook and line, and Mr.. Harris at the lower
one. They had been stationed at their re
spective positions about half an hour with
out either catching anything, when Mr.. Day
left and ran hastily towards his compan-
ion. He reached him and shouted like An
insane man, The big river dog Let's try
and catch him = when suddenly the
head of something, apparently huge
eel, protruded several feet above the
lower air hole. Mr. Day and Mr.. Harris
both instinctively plunged their hands in
/ 4 IL
hard struggle, in which both were in dan
ger several times of being precipitated in
the water, they succeeded in getting the
creature out on the ice. 1t was fully eight
feet long and must have weighed over q
| hundred pounds. A description of the cres-
| ture in which both Of the men agreed liter
ally We here subioiR. II had a thin, wide
tail, with translucent edges, ss if made of
| glue. Its tail was about nine inches in
| length. At the commencement of It's body
were two short feet, webbed Ike those Of a
frog, and not at all proportioned to the size
of its body, which WAS about two feet in
circumference. Its body was about FIVE feet
long, and at the other end of its body were
two more short feet. smaller than the hind
ones. 1t had a long neck, terminating in a
head somewhat similar to that of a snake,
but having two large, well.set eyes, which
| both gentlemen testify were full and lus
| trous, and had the kindly, intelligent ex-
was of q Shiny appearance, like an eel or a
cat fsh, and it's back was of that dirty trans
parent green color observable in fish Of cal
and bull pout species. Its belly was white
Both the gentlemen were numb with cold
from dsbbling in ice water, aud stood blow
ing their fingers and slspping their hands
round their bodies aud staring IL
speechless astonishment at the monster
they had dragged out. TIE big lizard il
the meantime commenced exhibiting sign,
of not liking it. He CARED several times con
vuIsively, showing plentiful area Of guile
down which had doubtless gone counties,
myriads of ninnows. All of sudder
while his eap,ors were staring at him, ht
gave two or three sudden twists OF his body
fore they could prevent it, slid downinto tbs
river and WAS soon out Of sight. 1t is ,
pity that the gentlemen we're so negligen
as to allow him TO remain near the edge a.
there is thus lost to science valuable speci
men of what is doubtless a nearly or quite
extinct species. All the foregoing facts ar
| youched for nv these two cred Bile gentle
man, who are determined if possible tt
secure the monster and forward it TO Prof
AgassiZ