The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-19
CAPT. DALTON'SSEA SERPENT
GLARING At MIN WITH An EYE IBOUT
As BIG As A SAUCER.

Mistaken for sunk EN- wreck, II, with BIg.
F1at Head Erect, Giided away " BROAD
Daylight OF Greenwich Point, In the ssund.
Daniel Dalton sailed in the Beagle with
Can't lafterward Admiral Fhzroy and Charles
Darwin. author OF the famous theory regarding
tho origin OF species, on an exploring expcdi-
ton in the South Pacific and elsewhere. He
has read the two reports OF tho expedition pub
lished by Capt Fitzroy and Mr. Darwin. and he
claims TO have learned how to report natural
phenomena as we'll rs how TO observe them.
Admiral Fitzroy. In 1869. established the first
system Of storm warnings in England but with
that Dalton had nothing to do. He now has
command Of a vessel. the stanch sloop Jano
Eliza He ia more than 90 years OF nge.
and is short and stout in build His
weather beaten face beams with candor.
Under his chin is ridge Of gray whis-
kers. and his eyes are blue and truthful.
The Jane Eliza was tied up along tho south
side OF Pier o. East River yesterday. and Capt
Dalton sat in weather-worn hat and ovorcont on
the side OF the hatch. watching the process OF
loading. long red and white comforter was
wound many times around his neck. and the
ends used up In knots in front. Ho was afraid
at first that fun would be made OF his story; but
when he was assured that The Sun wanted
only the exact truth. no willingly led the way
down into his snug and warm cabin whore he
proircred the stool to his guest. he himself find
ing seat on n bench which extended all along
the sides Of the cabin. several feot in length.
Now put it down just rs I tell you" tho
Captain said. Tho Jane Eliza started from
the foot Of Harrison street. Brooklyn. on Jan.
q 1879 loaded with 200 bushels Of salt con-
signed by J. p & G.. c. Robinson TO S. T. Mer-
win Son. New Haven. You will remember it
was the time when the big New Years storm
was blowing along the coast. When we got as
far along in the Sound as Greenwich Point
near whore Tweed's club house used TO be-
sailing under close reefs Il was on deck. my
son Frank was at the helm, and my son Will
liam was walk ing along the side which left Joe
down below doing the cooking. William sung
out to me. and says:
Pop anything sunk hereP
So No.. says ! but we're in deep water here
and you won't touch 1t II there IT,
by George! says he. there's the sea SER
pcnii;, .-,, W, .,,--
east southeast nj the time and he the serDentl
vas healing wcst-southwcst, toward Captains
Island. We had approached each oiuer at an
angle, and our bow must have passed over his
Did you fool any shock ?"
first noticed was when heard William sing
out, BY George! Then saw ten feet Of big
more than nfty feet AWAY nj the time. 1t WIS
about minute. | Judge that Frank and Viii
liam and had TO t4lko observations of him. We
called Joe, but he couldn't leave his cooking in
time 10 gct sight Now. IL you'l take down
the description. Ill head was Just Ike that Of
q snake IL was Hat on top. aud u foot and n
hnli broad. Ia color It was black. with green
spots. The LETT Eye which WIS the only one we
could see. stuck out OF his head like frogs
" How large was it 2"
About, as h.g ~ decent sized saucer AS
he went along. lac Kind u turned his head and
kelt that eye On u. This was "a brogd day
lshi. at o'clock IN tho ah"rn'on., The eye
showed angry, bu' he never turned on us or
showed isht. could have rui bullet through
the eye us wall ~ not. or | could have thrown "A
narpoon into his body. hut | never curry fire.
arms. ana I'm not q whaler ~ ! used T. bo
Th" hcnd was about three feet long. At least IL
hogan t. taper down about that distance from
tho Up of the nose. THIS smaller pirt con-
uuucd for about ten frt and was held up en-
tr,ly out ~ water. After that II began o. swell
all ut once until il wus ~ largo a. a barrel We
could So" that about twp-thiri- oi this part WIS
under water ~ he Kind of rolled IN the waves.
and on"-thiri was ont NJ water. We couldn't
Sc any Of the resi- oi him.
How long do you think the serpent was =
49, We'll. now. you guess and III guess and
I'il guess that he couldn't have been less than
The reporter guessed twenty feet more. juds.
INK froia the sis OF the head and body. and
Cart Dalton. Thought that tho serpent might
well he my feet long. He had put the length at
the smallest figure h. could conscientiously
In what way did he disappear 2 was next
We'll, after he had kept his eye on Us for
about Quarter OF minute, he dipped hi
ton wrigglcd his hand slowly toward the noorl
with KIND ~ easy waving motion"
And didn't his tail rise out OF water when
his head when down
No because hu WAS u snake
Why not. because he WIS a snake z"
49, Snakes you must understand have no fns.
They have Ia move themselves with their tails
So that IL their tails get out VI water they are
lost. II" HAD tu Keep his tail under. II IL had
been u shark or porpOis". IL would have
showed liz tan for certain. This Is demon-
sirntion. I've seen lots Of sharks and porpoisrs
ana All Kinds ut son creatures in my trayr all
over the gllbr. and | know tina. this was a
rend IN IuH Sun that on Friday Aug. -. 1877,
serpent rps" up out OF the Sound about TWEEN
~ feet. and was bigger around than barrel at
TINS very SHOT thHi II near Captains Island. II
wL- seen 10y gentleman AMI ludy who were
sailing neUr Captains Island Lighthouse.
II his-ed and rourcd. \ frw days after
wurd capt Weeks, the two men nj the wheel,
and others on the steamer bridgeport felt her
nat something on her sihraoard quarter II
shook the whole boat. William Gamble the
deck watchnun. heard something like u hiss
ana H DARK, ana then something hlncN ro-e up
as high AS tho ilnGpolr and wont down again.
That WIS just on Captains Island too and last
seen again 10y somebody elise
, Can't Dalton drew u picture OF tho animal he
hui seen with the Reporters pencil. II some
what rcsemblod the head OF u seal In con-
structing the eye he first drew a large round
cipher and secured It MI black with the point ot
the pencil. HIS two stulwart SONS. who consti-
tutc his two mites. ana the crew cQrrObOrute
every word e their fathers story.
Inc Jane ELIZA VIII sci sail tomorrow from
Ter y, lWdH with SAT- for New Haven. Can't.
Dalton has decided TO carry neither gun nor
hurpuon.