The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-03-10
The Strange Animal that was Seen In
Lake Michigan.

Captain William erosion, Of the
schooner Mcdius, says the Milwaukee
Wisconsin, relates the particulars of a
novel scene and novel fish, or serpent,
that he saw yesterday while walking
along the lake bluff in the vicinity OF
North Point The day was so bright
and beautiful that the captain took a
troll "a that ncighborhood, taking along
with him a large and very fine marine
glass, with which TO observe whatever
Of interest might offer itself
While gazing of upon the lake, in
speeding the floating ice, the captains
attention was riyeted by peculiar mo-
ton of the water, at "A distance of per-
haps mile from shore. The water
seemed to heaye, AS if from some active
cause directly underneath. Putting the
full force of his glass upon the spot,
The captain waited developments.
Suddenly black object appeared for
an instant, and then sank quietly out OF
sight. Again the object appeared and
disappeared.
The captain thought it probable that
IL WIS u Nti~hr SubAhfi -'Nf
rising and falling with the swell. In
this he was soon undeceiyed, for while
he carefully watched, he saw a mon
strous serpent, half fish, swiftly dart from
the surface, and leap with tremendous
velocity upwards and forwards, forming
a curve which very clearly showed the
size and shape. Long after the head had
again disappeared beneath the waves the
curve was exhibited, showing the ami
NAL 10 be extremely long. The water
was dashed 10 a foam and seemed color
ed with blood, rs though the serpent
fish had been injured in some manner
and was bleeding.
The captain waited long and anxious
" for a temperance of the huge mon
ster, but nothing more was seen of the
new visitor.
The captains description Of the ser
pent is very distinct and vivid, notwth-
standing the shOrtness of the time
granted him 10 take observation. He
saws the head was formed something
like "A fish, but more like a serpent
having a huge mouth with double row
OF teeth. The captain has frequently
seen whales (having commenced his
nautical career on whaler), and he
AYERS that never has he seen such
mouth before. The body was built
closely up TO the head-and in size APP
peared 10 be fully as large as an ordi-
nary hogshead, preserving its shape
throughout, with the exception of the
tail, which was like that Of fish.
The strange mixture had great fins
three i'm number-on either side, and as
he shot up into the air these fins waved
like huge flags. They appeared vari-
colored, and, as the captain asserts,
showed red, white and blue. This APP
parent patriotism was owing to the ac-
ton of the suns rays, doubtless. But
the captain distinctly asserts that he
saw these colOrs, as IL in flag, not
only on the fins, but in stripes on the
body. In fact, he makes the serpent
out 10 be sort of animated barber
pole floating. around, waiting for July
Fourth.
One fact which was fogotten in the
above description j. that the animal
spouted water like whale, throwing
huge column ~ least thirty feet high.
The writer of this article is unac-
quainted with Captain erosion other
than as he met him in the course of this
incident. but Chief Beck knows him
personally. and states that he is a gen
tleman whose word can be implicitly
relied on: and Chief Beck always car
ries a little hatchet TO show that his
own stories can be sworn to. The Chief
has also heard this account of the SER
pent, and is inclined to think il is the
one seen here by George De Laniro in
1776. This, fact in connection with the
red, white and blue, leads to the con-
clusion that the serpent is Centennial