The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-09-17
Thirty Feet Long.
A CAREFUL OBSERVERS ACCOUNT OF
THE SEA SERPENT RECENTLY SEEN IN
MAINE.


Promising that Portland harbor is
not watering place in want of summer
visitors, trust you will bear will, me
when / sGate that the veritable sea SER
pent has been seen in this locality. l
have had long conversation with Mr..
S. B. Beckett Of Portland, who has ac-
tually seen it. Mr.. Beckett is au ell
derby citizen of good standing n tn @
community, and must say that his
narrative impressed m 8 that OF a
truthful man. l understand that he
has given some attention to natu
raj history, ard he is evidently care
full observer. On the evening of July 6,
he was crossing from Cape Elizabeth
to Portland by the bridge of the road
connecting those places, which passes
over an arm of the sea. The hour was
little before eight o'clock. The skies
are bright Will, twilight here at much
later hour than in more sontherly lati-
tudes. His attention was attracted by
group of boys who were looking at
some object upon the north side of the
bridge. On reaching them lie saw an
animal, which he is quite certained ap.
peared to be of the serpent kind, swim
ming just under the surface of the wa
ter in curved lines and with a horizon
tai motion. The head of the serpent
rose quite to the surface, and resem-
bled that of a seal more nearly than
that of any other animal. He says al
so, that it reminded him of of a bull
dog. The head and neck were fire.
quently upon the surface, while the
body was generally a few inches below
it. The neck for about three feet from
the head was much smaller than the
body, which appeared to be at least
six inches in diameter and in the lar
gest part Gas large" he says, Gas a
man'shat
The opportunity for observing this
animal was such that its size and mo.
ton conid be noted perfectly, it came
within 90 feet of the bridge and re-
manned in the immediate vicinity for
20 minutes. When Mr.. Beckett pro-
ceeded to the city the animal still re-
manned there. There seemed to be
joints throughout the length of the an
Imal about two feet apart, or as many
as eight or ten in all, the effect of which
was to produce little ripples or wave
lets in the water above the body while
swimming around. These ripplts or
waves crossed the body at right angles
so whichever way the animal TUNED
the ripples follo~ ed Mr.. Beckett was un-
able to ascertain, but Throughout its en-
tire length the body of the animal could
he seen between these waves.
The boys were continually throwing
such small objects as they could find
upon the bridge at the serpent, and on
one occasion, when considerable bill
let of wood seemed to strike him lie
made plunge, producing foam
around him in the water. lie then
went off to distance of 100 feet or
more, but soon returned to the bridge.
The tide was at this time falling, and
tho animal kept its head directed to-
ward the bridge mainly, though NOV
ing in curves backward and forward,
and occasionally making a complete
circle; and when in this position, the
diameter of the circle was estimated
ut about twelve feet. From this and
other careful observations, the length,
of the serpent WAS supposed not to be
less than thirty feet. The animal was
of dark color, and had nothing that
was observed in the shape of fins, feet
or name. His head was lifted above
the water when the. billet of wood was
thrown at him, appearing very smooth
and glossy, like that of q seal. The
water at the time was within ten feet
of the rail of the bridge, and during a
considerable part of the time while Mr..
Beckett made his observations the
serpent came up within twenty feet of
the bridge. The depth of water at the
place of observation was about five
fatlloms.
Although this animal was thus seen
by many other persons at the time
mentioned, there were those to whom
the facts were related who were dis
posed to be incredulons, and among
them Mr.. Rhodes, of Portland, who
has place of les drnce on the None
such rive, in Scarborough, was quite
inclined to laugh at the idea Of the ex
isterce of such an animal. But he him
self since that time had occasion to
change his views. He stated that about
one week since, OF some time during the
last week in July, he rose quite early
and went out with bucket to get some
salt water, when he actually saw an
animal exactly corresponding to the
description gwen by Mr.. Beckett. AL
though seen by him at a greater dis