The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-07-17
A TOUGH STORY.
a Water ,lsnstep that Devewred a
Deer, n Kifie, and n Bark
Canoe.

have noticed that in your paper
has been published imperfect descrip-
tions OF strange water animals, OF huge
size, being seen ia the CoOsa. That
monsters of which we can ind no name
I in animal history were in that river
many years ago, there can be no doubt,
| If the tradition of one who was killed
at tho head Of the Ten Islands, st.
Clair County, he true. IL is said that
in 1916 and 1877, when North Alabama
was first being settled by the whites,
there came TO that county from Carroll
ma, Jacob Green, the father of Mr.. Abe
Green, his son.in-law, Mr.. Wood, aud
perhaps Mr.. Dill and Jeremiah Collins
father of the Rev. Jesse Collins, now
OF st. Clair, all Of whom afterwards set
tied in that county. When they first
came on their tour Of inspection in
search Of new home, they were at
tractsl to Fort Strother. on the Coosa,
ia consequence of its being the spot
where Gen. Jackson, in the Creek war,
had nine militiamen and one captain
shot for mutiny in his army on its
march into the Greek Nation, on the
opposite side Of the river. That place
IL but few miles below the head Of
the Ten Islands. and is opposite TO
some Of them. They, as all other per
sons coming into the country at that
time. brought with them ire arms for
their protection.
Daring their visit in search % homes
they were induced 20 go on the islands
To ascertain il they or any oi them
were OF sufficient size 10 make a settle
ment. IN order 20 reach them they
procured Indian canoes, made OF the
bark OF trees, in which TO cross over
tIa water on 20 tue islands. These
bark canoes wJrc very small crafts. on
y Of sufficient size 10 carry one, or not
more than two persons Having pre-
pared themselves for tho inspection OF
the islands, they set out, and on APP
proachiug one, they saw a strange AMI
NAL OF immense size and length, about
the color of a catfish, bat more in the
shane Of snake, which seemed 10 have
duitei up on N edge OF small island,
aud vas partly out of the water making
, movements and comfort o1s as II II was
ia the agonies OF death. They ap-
preached il. IL was partly covered by
water aad partly on dry land, but was
of snch enormous size and strange
shape as 10 battle all their ide $ OF snch
! animals or their names ia the whole
animal Kingdom, but that was certain
ly water animal Of the snake genus.
After watching It's movements and
holding a short consultation, a LeY de.
ternnined to kI ID II bullets would DO
so. They then approached more closely
| to ID aud fTe several rounds, until they
discovered that it was dead. Then
/ they went 20 Il for close examination
to ascertain what IL really was, and
| discovered, from the sharp protuber-
ances arl unevenness OF ia body on
Que side, aud the eveunoss Of the other
7 that there must be something ia it.
| When they discovered that they had
never seen or heard or read OF such an
animal. they proceeded with their tom
| ahawks aud butckuT-kniycs % open IL,
and i'm doing so 90 their utter amaze
meut an1 surprise, they found IN II a
/ bark cauoe, the horns aud skeleton of
I "A large deer, the skeleton OF an Indian,
I also az old rifle gun such as the In.
lians Of that day used, and bow and
! arrows. From finding the nbove-nam-
| ed articles IN II, aud their appearance,
they concluded that some weeks pre-.
vionsly an Indian had killed deer,
put IL into his canoe an !. while crossing
| the river the monster had swallowed
the canoe. with the Indian, deer, and
other articles IN IL. The aesb Of the
Indian aud deer had been digested,
bat the canoe, the gun, the bow and
arrows. and the bones were so indiges-
tible as 10 sicken the monster and SO
euleeble II that il had floated 10 where
they had found 1t, and could not escape
/ them.
When others came 10 the country,
\ aud this adventure was told them, they
we're incredulous, and pronounced the
whole story to be lie. Those who
! had destroyed the monster became
more sensitive, and declined speaking
OF Il any more, although they knew ~
10 bo true. - Gadsdon (Ga.) Times