The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-03-25
GheqtttelIigsrlter,
THE SEA SERPENT.
The Rlrrest STONY Eyer Told,

The Biggest Story Ever Told.
From he EtV York Herald.
The Saladin Ind few provisions on
board but was only scventy.fivc miles
from Hampton Roads, bearing south.
southeast, and the Captain, unlike the
Bombay's Captain, thought Of performing
an Office Of humanity and save those who
might be clinging to IN ugly wreck. Pro.
gress was made toward the point Of inter.
est for few minutes when 1t was plainly
evident that tho SalAdin was overhNuling
A HUGE PIscAToRIAL PIRATE,
which they soon saw was the most re-
mArkabIc specimen Of murine serpent
probably ever seen since prc-Adamitc
man. The good Saladin sailcd on, steer.
ing due cGst. CommOtiOn rcigned on
board. Tie Captain exclaimed, us this
o dream, is this drcamS !"
The scamcn who had just been released
from the bondage Of q profound sleep
thought It was, for there dead ahead sat
AN ENORMOUS FISH LARGER THAN A sHp,
looming up in comparison with the Sala-
din as St. Peters before u village parSon.
age. The serpent was making Roadway
about two knots IN hour and the SalRdin
was rapidly Overhauling her. At half
past seven A. NJ, the schooner hove to
with the monster twenty feet on her star.
board quarter. Then all hands strained
their eyes from their sockets TO see
HOW TIE MONSTER LOOKED
aud would behave. It was now in plain
sight, with every portion clearly visible.
lis architecture was accurately measured,
md the serpent was found 10 be 100 feet
long, with q body forty feet in length and
n tall Of sixty feet. But the most curious
feature Of the monster was an immense
body Of hard Gristle matter twelve feet in
height, forty feet In width, with tho same
length, which was entirely void within,
forming q large
BLADDER-sELAPED BALLOON,
which, filled with air, buoyCd the serpent
on the water, and seemed to bo an agent
whereby It could keep tue surface and
commit its deprGdations either upon com.
mercO or upon the harmless inhAbitant Of
its own element. This oval buoy had
regular ridges running from tho apex
ahead-fOr this ladder preceded the body
of the tlsh-tO where 1t Joined the main
body. These ridges extended fore and
at, ut intervals of four inches, with u reg.
ular height Of two inches, and gave to the
surface tile appearance Of tho net work Of
balloon. The bladder portion was
elastic, and yielded to tho movements Of
the sea, and was two inches thick, but Of
a hard, dense, impenetruhle character
that would resist knife Or bullet. On each
side of this tMting dome were two heavy
paddles each five feet long, By which the
monster made progress. This part dc.
scribed may all DO considered as
ONE OF THE MOST SURPRISING WONDERS
Of the piscatorial world. The fish proper,
which was but NJ Nppendago tailed on to
this bl0wn.up bladder, consisted Of n
heavy iishy substance, with brown sides,
and about ten feet from the dome were
two eyes. Que on either side Of u large
horn. ....
From this point the fish tapercd OF to
lOrked tail Of material aS heavy and
hard rs iron. Captain Slocum declares
the Mil would weigh 100 pounds to the
cubic foot, ind forks Of the tail stood
horizontally in the water, but submerged
four feet, the rest Of the monster sitting
lightly on the ocean wave. Captain SlO-
cum ...M.....
FEARED TO FIRE AT HER,
to disturb her in any way, as ono move
ment Of the dOcilO pirate would have
crushed the Saladin to the deep. lie be.
lieyes that the animal has some internal
engine by which she fills her balloon with
air and discharges it vi pleasure, then
sinking out Of sight. Her touch Is poison
and her contact dangerous. She Is like a
sunfsh, but is really new-a balloon fish.
Had the Saladin encountered her itwould
have been "Up in u balloon, boys, up in a
bRlloonw y'.... l.... I.
This discovery Is valuable to science,
and was nadD by men Of entire crcdibili-
ty, and the statements given are by those
who understand the sen anu arc Cntlust-