The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-22
8irElmond Dispatt(1.
THURSDAY. %. 1876.
A Monster of the Desert.
SPECIMENS OF THE SAURIAN SPECIES IN colo
, RADo-A MOST WONDERFUL SNAKE STORY.

SPECIMENS OF THE SAURIAN SPEClES IN COLO-
r RApo-A MOST WONDERFUL SNAKE STORY.
From the Denver News.I -
LAS ANIMAs, June 9.-With an issue OF
the Neons of a week or since before me, IN
which the usual ridicule is made OF the ma
rine monster known as the sea-serpent, In
connection with a BrobdingnaSlan specl-
men of the species said to have been seen
comparatively recently in the Indian Ocean,
l. have but to marvel at the lncreqllllty OF
nv race. You are not willing to acknow-
ledge the possibility of the vast caverns Of
the deep containing denZens which, after
all, are not constructed on much larger
plan than the familiarwhale, while the very
plains that surround your city are the home
of monsters of by-gone ages Within a
short hundred leagues of Denver may now
be found reptile, compared to which the IA
nous African serpent that once kept Rome's
Iegions at bay could not hold candle. With
nv own eyes, hardly forty-eight hours ago,
did behold this terrible creature, the like
of which | could not have conceived to eX-
ist in the heavens above, nor in the earth
beneath, nor in the waters under the earth.
Last evening, just at dark, I was travelling
horseback-wlse along 4 stretch OF country,
about 200 miles east of here, which, for n
long distance, merits the appellation the old
biographies gave this entire region, OF the
Great American Desert. As far as the eye
could reach not living thing or object Gre
ated by the hand of man could be seen. The
solitude was as entire as If cattle on q thou
sand hills were not grazing within less than
fifty miles, and the iron horse did not draw
his heavy freight only just beyond the line
Of vision. On every side the horizon only
bounded the view, and not even where the
sky kissed the plaindid aught but the scanty
prairie grass, already burned to brown under
the rays of the fast summering sun, lift it.
SELF, dotted here and there by innumerable
cacti, from mother earth. And the silence.
Save the quickly. recovering thud of my,
horses hoofs as he loped over the prairie
not a sound was to be heard, and the still
ness was so profound that almost expect
ed to hear the kissing of the sun, which was
on the point of setting, as it quenched its
fire, according to ancient science, in the
Pacific ocean. t;''' ..la.
But the silence and, the solitude were not
for long. AS was about to seek place to
build fire and biyoriac for the night, sud-
denly long trailing form started from the
earth in the very path, Of the setting SUM-
and a queer rumbling cry was borne to my
ears upon the western wind. / at first.
thought it was the initial train of some OPP
position to the Banana Line railway, and
tried to distort the noise. ] had heard into
the whistle of anlocomotiye, but my horse
taught me BETTER Hardly had the sound
died upon the air when an intense trembling
seized his every limb, and with expanded
nostrils and dilated eye he began looking on
all sides as if to find q wayof escape. And
now. the same strange cry was repeated, and
my terrified sight perceived that what ] had
taken to be a railway train was an
enormous reptile, j half serpent, half
quadruped, that was now running, now
creeping, along. the earth, with incredi,
BILE rapidity. :. Although my limbs al
most refused to perform their Office for ter
ror, had turned mechanically to leap on my
horse, Notwithstanding that. ! knew that
the pace the monster was coming was far
faster than that of d horse at full gallop, but
the beast had brokenaway from where's L had
tied him, and was quickly deyouring The
earth with rapid feet, !. Not, however, away
from the coming danger Although destruc-l
ton stared me in the face i almost lost con-
seriousness OF my peril in viewing the strange
scene that followed. AS soon as the terrible
thing perceived that the horse was able to
run alta rate that compelled an inconye nient
degree Of speed to- catch up with him, ne
suddenly stoppedtn his career and Tor mo-
ment remained silent and motionless, and the.
only sound to be heard was that made by the
retreating horse, which was growing fainter
and fainter. Immediately, ere it had become
quite lost to the ear, the cause of the brute's
flight began te5utter sonorous roaring that,
one moment sounded like some british mo-
Their calling her young, and another weird
Imitation OF the cooling of q dove. Hardly
had the sound been uttered when the horse,
which was now almost lost to sight in the
rapidly growing darkness, stopped. Pres
emily he turned around and ,beganfwith has
tening steps to return. The noise still con-
tinued, and even to my human hearing
seemed to have pleading, inviting note
in it. The BrobdiDgnagian beast, too, had
assumed the shape at once of cat ready to
play with her kittens, and Of serpent