The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-05-16
CAPTURE OF THE sEA-sERPENT.
A Serpent Fish Over One Hundred
Feet LOng-Great INSTRUMENTATION
the Thing Was Secured.

The GLASGOW NetcS of recent day
published circumstantial narrative by q
resident at Oban, from which, if it be
true, it appears that the sea-serpent has
1T length been actually captured at that
place. Under date of April 9th the
correspondent writes: "a most extra
ordinary event has occurred here, which
l give in detail, having been eye-wit
ness to the whole affair. l sllude to the
strsnding and capture of the veritabie
ses-serpent IN front of the Caledenian
Hotel, George street, Obsn. About four
o'clock yesterday an animal or fish evil
IDENTIFY of gigantic size, was seen sporting
near Heather Island. Its appearance
evidently perplexed a large number of
spectators assembled on the pier, and
several telescopes were directed toward
it. A careful look satisfied us that it
was one of the serpent species, it carry.
ing its headed fully twenty-five feet above
the water. A number Of boats were
soon launched, and proceeded to the bay,
the crews armed with such weapons as
could be got handy. Under the direc.
ton OF Malcolm Richardson, our boat
man, they head the monster, and some OF
the boats were within thirty yards Of it,
when it suddenly sprsng halt-length out
of the water and made for the open. A
random fire from several volunteers with
rifles seemed to have no effect on it. I'm.
der Mr.. Nicholson's orders the beats
now ranged across the entrance to the
bay, and, by the screams and shouts,
turned the monsters course, and it
headed directly for the breast-wa'l of the
Great Western Hotel. One boat con-
tanning Mr.. Donald Campbell, the Fiscal,
had most narrow escape, the animal
actually rubbing against it. Mr.. Camp
bill and his brother jumped overheard,
and were picked up unhurt by Mr.. John
ID. Hardie, ssddler, in his small yacht,
the Flying Scud. The animal seemed
thoroughly frightened, and as the boats
closed in the volunteers were unable to
fire more, owing to the crowds assem-
bled on the shore. At little past six
the monster took the ground on the
beach in front of the Csledonian Hstel,
in George street, and his proportions
were now July visible. In his frantic
exertions, with his tail sweeping the
beach, no one dared approach. The
stones were flying in ali direction, one
seriously injured man called Badly
Barrow, and another breaking the
window of the Commercial Bank A
party of volunteers, under Lieutenant
David Menzles, now assembled, and
fired volley after volley into the neck,
according TO the directions OF DR.. Camp
bell, who did not wish, tor scientific
reasons, that the CONFORMATION OF the
head should be damaged. AS there WAS
n bright moon, this continued till nearlv
ten o'clock, when Mr.. Stevens, of the
Commercial Bank, waded IN ard fixed II
strong rope to the animals head, and by
the exertlons OF some seventy folk, 1t WAS
securely dragged above high-water mark.
Its exact appearance, as 1t lies on the
beach, is Ms follows: The extreme
length is l0I feet. and the thickest part
is about twenty-five feet from the head,
which is eleven feet IN circumference
At this par, is fixed pair of frs, which
are four feet long by nearly seven feet
across at the sides. Further back is n
long dorsal fin, extending for at least
twelve or thirteen ieet snd tive feet high
in front, tapering to one foot. The tail
is more of flattsned termination to the
body proper than anything else. The
eyes are very small in proportion, and
elongated, aud gills of the length of two
and one-half feet behind. There are no
external ears, and, as DR.. Campbell
did not wish the animal handled till ne
communicated with some eminent scieu-
tifc gentleman, we could not ascertain ii
there " ere teeth or not. Great excite
ment is created. and the cOhntry people
are docking in to view it. This mora
ing Mr.. Duncan Clark, writer, formally
took possession of tue monster, IN the
rights of Mr.. M Fee, Of Appin, and Mr.
James Nicol, writer, IN the name OF the
Crown"