Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-14

TEMPERANCE OF The LEVIArHAS RE.
GENTLY SEEN IN THE MISSISSIPPI.
81. Louis Globe-Democrat.l
About three weeks ago the Globe.
Democrat contained an accounted avon.
derful aquatic monster which was seen
In the Mississippi river, near Quaran-
tine Station, opposite the Government
dixie. The strange reptile was de.
scribed By q number Of persons who
saw it as having . head similar 10 that
OF q dog aud the bill of . pelican,
Ii: ough which II spouted q stream Of
water in the manner of q whale. It
was observed to disport itself in the
water for ten minutes, aud then 10 dis
appear from view. The monster was
reborted to be all the way from thirty
TO one hundred feet in length. Or
course, there were q large NUMBER Of
people ready TO discreditthe story, not
w~ithstanding It was duly attested by
many credible witnesses, prominent
among whom was Mr.. Eagan, one CT
the EMPLOYEES OIL the dixie works, well
known for his probity of character.
Though a sharp lookout has been Kept
By the people living in the vicinity, no
sign cfthe curious animal has been dis.
covered since It disappeared, and even
those who felt certain they had seen 1t
began 10 suspect that they we're the vic.
tins Of a too lively imagination. But
a circumstance happened last Wednes'
day which no longer permits doubt that
such a monster does inhabit the waters
Of the Mississippi, and that 1t Is Of even
more
FEARFUL PROPORTIONS
than we're at first attributed to it. On
that day a German farmer named Jacob
Erst, living ten miles below Ste. Cen
evieye and fifty miles below st. Louis,
was riding along the river bank, when
he discovered an unusual and singular
object stretched out on the sands. close
by the waters edge. The river bank
at this point Is very low, starting at the
edge of the water with q wide sand'
bar and extending at least 100 feet be-
fore reaching the low bluffs that serve
as outer banks. Erst first took the OBJ
ject 10 be an immense cottonwood log
or tree that had been washed ashore BY
the last food but seeing that 1t moved
be soon discerne1 that II was an ami
mate being Of the most monstrous di'
menSions. Somewhat overcome by
fear aud excitement he galloped away
in haste, and, reaching a neighbort
house . few hundred yards distant, re
lated his discovery. Upon q brief con
sultation Il was decided that the neigh
Dor and his two grown sons and MI
Erst should 60 back with guns and SCI
whether the monster was real or fan
cied. Arriving at the spot indicated
the reptile was discovered still stretch
ed out on the sand, aud not more thai
q hundred feet from where the me
stood. It was the merida n OF day, an
the sun poured down lie hottest rays.
THE MONSTER
lay in the sand, summing himself, an
: evidently oblivious TO all surround
! ings. A hasty survey was taken by ID
party, and it was agreed that It was
least seventy feet In length. The heat
as described originally by Raglan, VIZ
shaped much like that Of the dog, bl
Mr., Est maintains that II bore a sti
greater resemblance 10 that Of the 81
e lion, though several times larger. II
pelican shaped bill was also observabl
and this was estimated 10 be five feet
= length, being very sharp aud point'
aud having the appearance Of an II
mense horn or tusk for use In ofenSi'
: warfare. The body was the size Of
II -four barrel and covered with brow
= shiny scales-as large as ahuman han
" Along the neck was also observed 4
= name, long and tangled like that Of
= horse. 1t had six legs, and on ca
y side q huge fin or paddle. The tail W
!, long and gradually sloping 10 the en-
\, which was set off with Il spreadln
= fan.like fin, and the edges of the Il
- were indented so as 10 give 1t the sci
~ blance of q double.edged saw. Dec
i, Honally the monster shifted his pc
- ton, as If to get more comfOrta5
q fixed, moving the feet carefully 81
&c one at a time, and swinging the I
y, around in q way that threw the d
sand in all directions. The horses Il
got a sight OF 1t reared aud plunged
they had 10 be taken TO the ear q
tied, the men relurniEg 10 make furtt
observations. For ten minutes I
monster lay like
q. AGIGASTiC LEvtATHAS,
rs with bis short, angular legs ouistretC
en- aud his immense tail wiping the 50
ste like q mammoth broom. With this
ig ception no portion Of his body NOV
lie and be gave forth no sound save al
ot c~assional puff, loud and sonorous, sir
or lar TO that Of the sea COW, The n
b. watching it hallowed at different tim
lie. hoping 10 arrest its attention, but it
lie not deign to turn its eyes in that dir
nd ton. A rifle shot, fred by one of
OF young men, James Stevens, lad
lt, more effect than If ii had been a dy
lie Of water, the bali glauciug of aud f
to ing FAR out into the river. Finally
al. men concluded 10 descend tue ha
ls, and approach it from the rear. I
let they did with great caution, but
th not proceeded more than thirty (
hit along the sand when the monster,
les the first time, discovered that cnem