Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-22
THE SEA SERPENT.

The existence Of an immense marine
monster, of singular appearance and
habits, is again challenging attention.
Skeptics laugh at and scientists discia:m
the existence of the sea serpent, because
no remains OF such q creature have been
found but ridicule and argument we're
alike lost on the men of 1917. who ap-
preached within thirty feet o. the mon
stsr in Gloucester harbos. and saw its
forked dart out the length Of two feet !;
nor would it be easy to convince the
fishermen and excursionists OF 1875, who
have seen the sea serpent, that they were
deceived BY floating sea weed. or the
gambols of thresket, or the sportive
freaks of q school Of horse mackerei.
Within few weeks the sea serpent has
been seen in various localities by crews
of the Gloucester fishing vessels, by the
summer residents st SAampscott and
Cape Cod, and by e1cursionists per
steamer in Boston Bay. It is described
as having a body black on the back. and
a head and neck which it thrust out OF
the water to the distance of several feet.
The sea serpent is not creature OF the
nineteenth century. The ancient and
modern writers agree as to the appear
ance Of the sea serpent-its extreme
length, his black or brownish color, the
fms or protuberances upon his back. and
his peculiar horselike head. Gloucester
NAV be said to be the headquarters Of
the sea-serpent on this side CT the ocean.
It was here that he was seen as early as
1859, according TO Josslyn, when q
visitor from New England was told
&" of a sea. serpent, or snake, that lay
coiled up like a cable upon a rock at
Cape Ann. A boat passing up with
English aboard, and two Indians. they
would have shot the serpent: but the
Indians dissladed them saying that il
he were not killed out~right they would
all be in danger Of their lives" 1t was
here that fifty eight years ago. in August,
1917, the ses- serpent was repeatedly
seen: and it was here that same season,
tine best evidence Of the existence of
such monster was sdGuced to the
to the capture of a young sea-serp.nt.
This creature was killed by a farmer
near Good Harbor Beach, with pitch
fork, and after being Oh exhibition for
a few days at the house q Captain
John Beach, was carried 20 Boston and
examined by a committee OF the New
England Linen Society. who prououn-
ced it to belong to the same species as
the great sea-serpent. 1t is described
in the Register of October l, 1917. as
'.about three and q half feet in length,
and three inches in circumference with
thirty.two protuberances on the back.
The head was bruised, but the knotty
were perfect
On the l4th of August, 1917, the sea-
serpent WAS approached by boat with
in thirty feet, and on raising his heab
above water was greeted by q voilsy
from the gun of an experienced sports
man. The creature TUNED direetlp to-
ward the boat, as il he meditAted an
attack. but sunk down and soon re-
at about q hundred yards
distance on the opposite side Of the
boat. The appearance of the sea monster
as he appeared on that day was the
object of painting by Jack" Beach,
which We still in e1istancs, and a copy
of which. by Josepe Davis. preserved in
the Rodgers family, We have seen. The
surrounded BY boats is the
principle feature Of the foreground and
in the background appears . good
of that portion Of the
town as seen from the harbor the
principle objects Of interest being the
old fort, the windmill, the old First
Parish Church, with its spire and
clock. and the Independent Christian
Church. An interesting feature of the
picture is the representation of poplar