The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-28
EEL RIJER'S MONSTER.
A Mans Very One-sided Fight with the VIVA
IsIt OF N California stream.


q. +. Schumacher OF Garberville Cal,
sends the following: As some Of your readers
are somewhat Interested In the, big snake in the
facts for which l vouch myself The snake is
not snake. as reported but on animal some
what similar. have seen II. have fought 1t.
anu conquered. II your readers can imagine
they sc" crocodile an alligator. n lizard. or a
water dog; you can form rs good an idea Of its
looks ms ] can. II Is between eight and nine
feet long. the head is about seven inches broad.
me body Increasing slightly about four feet
, 1Snef we D9ek Is oval. belly HAT color white:
dark spots all over. For about three and hall
feet from the head back the tail begins and
looks rs II it was cut or. leaving tho butt from
one and half 10 two inches across. Tho end
Of the tail IL yellow for about two and a half
feet. with dark rings around H. Two web feet
close behind the head the legs about three
iuches long: the bend is seven inches across.
end shaped Ike frogs black eyes AS large as
twenty-five cent pieces. The animal Whatever
it i, moves Ike AN alligator or crocodile.
times came 10 the last crossing. about two
miles above what il called Myers's Ranch.
across the river 70 see where the outcome was.
and measuring the depth Of the middle with my
eyes was about seven feet in tho river when
my horse SHE'D. Looking down on the of or
LETT side saw strange sight; head. shoulders.
and web feet Of g nonstrous animal, under nv
horses feet Thinking my time had come, and
not having time to think Of any sins spurred
my horse 20 lump from there. which he very
readily did: On looking back. the water being
lett Taking courage. returned toward 1t.
within about four feet fired my single bar
relied pistol nj his head and retreated in haste.
but not too far 70 watch. lis movements. Shortly
after my shot this animal rose. turned over. and
nontcd on top. The current being very still. il
almost remained in the same place. and then il
turned over and went down again. Seeing il
was not ON the fight, / repeated the dose twice
with the same result. but the third time il camo
w II kicked up fearful racket heating the Wa
ter with its tail and splashng It over me. Not
having moro ammunition. withdrew.
some Indians were camped within hailng
distance. when they saw me charging back
and forth In the river and shooting at sniur-
thinR, they came running toward me-. Thrv
happened to have n rife and two bullets. which
they brought To mo The animal was turning
toward me. The first shot fired was II nns
shot. but came short about eighteen inches. |
loaded up ms soon a. possible. by this time tho
beast mad again turned toward me-. and came at
fearful rate, Taking dead aim. fired. At
the crack Of the gun the animal made terrible
plunge and then turned over. its head turning
down stream and floating toward deep water.
Not having any more ammunition. filled my
pockets with rocks. mounted my horse. and fol-
lowed the animal ~ close as prudence would
permit fired rocks AT IT, but it never moved.
The Indians would not 20 near tho water, but
promised that IL II WIS dead, they would skin
the animal Tor mo and save the hide