Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-02-07

girth. II was In color much like the
conger eel; and the head, from the
mouth being always open. appeared
to be the largest part of its body. II
Ia curious that the whale, that lives
on tho smallest food OF any fish in
the ocean, should itself be but a meal
for another monster; for think 1t as
feasible that the serpent swallowed
the whale as that boa-constrictor
can consume whole bullock.
I am aware that few believe in the
existence OF the great sea serpent.
People think that rs so many vessels
are constantly on the ocean it would
be seen oftener. But the northeast
coast OF Brazil. noted for its monster
reptiles, Is peculiarly adapted for the
growth Of sea monsters. The tenn
perature OF the air and water IL sell
dom below 80, the shore for thous-
and miles is bordered by coral wall
or reef, and numerous banks and
reefs extend for considerable dis
lance from the land, while there are
strong and various currents and no
ports; so that ships for business or
pleasure seldom go near it. 1t was
unexpected circumstances led me TO
the home OF the sea serpent, and j
think ii may be allowed that the SER
pent retains some portion of that
cunning mentioned i'm scripture. AT
least II has wit enough not to leave a
good feeding ground and secure home
TO go wandering about the ocean like
a fish, and be tortured and captured
for mans pleasure or profit. ] think
Cape San Rogue is a landmark for
whale s leaving the South for the
North Atlantic. The warm water j.
also good for its breeding; and If the
Crystal Palace Company or some en-
terprising Barnum, offered suitable
reward for its capture, l am sure a
steam whaler with suitable hooks
baited with some animal and steel
wire lines, would effect its capture
while following profitable whaling
business.
Iwrote thus far little thinking |
would ever see the serpent again;
but at z a. IN. July 10, in the same
latitude and some eighty miles east
ofSan Rogue, ! was astonished to see
the same or a similar monster. IL
was throwing its head and about
forty feet of It's body in horizontal
position out Of the water as ID passed
onwards by the stern-of our vessel.
/ began musing why we were so
much favored with such strange
visitor, and concluded that the band
OF white paint, two feet wide above
she copper, might have looked like
a fellow-serpent to it, and no doubt
attracted It's attention. II was put
ON TO keep the vessels side clear and
free from barnacles, which ii does
remarkably well; and If the agita-
tors about the deep load line gain
their wish, ii would be both useful
and practical to mark the vessel
thus, in place OF disfgariDg it with
plague spots that would be constant
ly rubbing off. 1.-THE ship owners,
with two competent surveyors, so
decide, much misery, uncertainty
and perpetual lawsuits would be
avoided. While thus thinking,
was startled by the cry OF there 1t
Ii again." and short distance to
ieewsrd, elevated some sixty feet in
the air, was the great leviathan,
grimly looking towards the vessel.
As was not sure II was only our
freeboard ii was viewing, we bad all
our axes ready, and were fully deter
mined, should the brute embrace
the Pauline, to chop away for its
backbone with all our might, and
the wretch might have found for
once in its life that it had caught
Tartar. This statement is strictly
true, and the occurrence was wit
messed bysmy officers, half the crew
and myself; aud we are ready at
any time TO testify on oath that ii is
so, and that We are not in the least
mistaken.