Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-24
THE GREAT NAME SNAKE
Inc Calais Times Tells Of q Serpent
Fifty Feet Long.
authoritative Statement from Mr.. f., Hail
VINO Discovered the Monster,

One day recently, says the Calais Times
Mr.. Hall and Mr.. William Libbey of ST.
stephen, were laying out logging chance on
iahd OF William Duren, and in hunting for a
certain bunch of spruce UNEXPECTEDLY came
OUT on Chain Lake. 1t was beautiful day.
with only slight breeze ripping the water.
and they stopped on the shore to take their
lunch. Mr.. Libbey soon noticed a peculiar
noise, which seemed at first to issue ont of
the woods, and next came from the direction
OF a cove above. Mr.. Hall could not for
time hear the noise to which lis attention was
called. but when he did finally distinguish the
sound he remarked that a crew of men must
be repairing the dam above. Just then there
appeared in sight around the point a mile
away, an object which they took for men in
skin, but soon discovered to be an enormous
snake. With its head elevated six feet above
the water, it came swiftly down the lake. fac
ing the sun, until it reached position lust
opposite the men, and distant less than half
mile. 1t then stopped short, throwing the
middle part Of its body out OF the water in an
arch, also six feet high. Its head, which it
had before kept turning in the direction
OF one shore and then the other, was
pointed for moment in the direction of
MIR. Hall and his companion, who stood mo-
tionless. After this inspection it suddenly
Strengthened out again. and passed bv and
down into the outlet. Its speed was about a
mile in five minutes, or twelve miles an hour.
and its appearance while in motion is thus
infinitely described: From its head to the
k,.A IL
more of its form was under water. then some
twelve feet Of its back appeared above the
surface to the height of above sixteen inches
the remainder of its greater length was hidden
from view, and, as the propelling power was
necessarily attached to the last named part.
its entire body ''could not have been under
fifty feet long, and more likely was over sixty
feet The head at the broadcast place could
not have measured less than two and one half
feet across, and the upright portion of its
body. though, of course, by no means the
largest. was las big pork barrel" When
last seen in the outlet it had left the water
and was passing over distant point Of land
covered with granite boulders, among which
were tough bushes. The erect part then
Cooked like a man that would weigh three or
four hundred"
Mr. Halls theory is that the serpent trav-
that its chief food consists of deer. On the
day named, lit was hungry, and having
smelled Us, came out of the woods after a
meal" Coming down the lake lit passed bv
the scent, borne on the wind, and when it
finally got where the sun would permit it to
see us. we stood so still it took US for stubbs
on the shore, and proceeded on" Mr.. Hall
says the Times was incorrect in stating that
he saw large scales on the snakes back. He
saw nothing of the kind and if it had scales
they could not have been distinguished half
mile off, nor did he say, as one paper deliber-
atelv reports, that 1t had eyes ''as big as
saucers" He could tell nothing about its
eyes. Then again, the monster was not
enlightened by shoal water or some
other cause" rs it never approached di-
rectly toward him. Finally, he and his
companion were not ''terror-stricken.
They stood still. knowing that neither shoal
water nor flight to the woods would save
them, if the serpent kept the scent and was
bent on mischief. 81 had plenty of time"
SAYS Nr Hall, if worse came to worst, to cut
and sharpen sapling dozen feet long. and
at close quarters, | should have plunged the
pole down his throat, and have let Mr.. Lib
hey kill it with an axe. knew better than
to have attacked him with the axe first
Mr. Hall says that any man on the st.
I
above described ''boa constructor. in the face
of what his eyes and those of MIR. Libbey
have Just witnessed, is not clear headed.
This is not the first time this snake has been
seen. Old Can't. Levy saw it many
wears ago and others of the Passa-
maquadly Indians have seen it in the Big
Lake at various times. Every member of the
tribe knows of it and believes in it. Mr..
John Williams and crew of men saw 1t at
the mouth of Little River twenty nine years
ago ard his description attracted much atten-
ton at that time Mr. Williams mistook
part of the snakes body for an immense log
living across the boom, and upon advancing
to see how the log got there, the brute moved
away and in going across the land made
broad deep furrow in the grass and soil OF
the meadow. Mr. Hall now regrets that he
ever said anything about the snake as there
are so many fools among men who disbe-
lieve and dpride He thinks some plan to
capture the snake. by trying live horse on
the shore of the lake as bait. NAV prove
successful. and all will then see th't his de-
scription was carefully kept within the actu-
al truth.