The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-29
The Great Maine Snake.
AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT FROM MR.. Z. HALL
WHO DISCOVERED THE MONSTER.
IFrom the Calais Times.l

The Great Hnine Snake.
AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT FROM MR.. f. HALL,
WHO DISCOVERED THE MONSTER.
from the Calais Times.I
On Friday, November 4th, Mr.. Hall and
Mr.. William Libbey, OF st. stephen, were
lsvinr ont a logging chance on the land OF
William Duren, and IN hunting for Ger
tain bunch Of spruce unexpectedly came
out on Chain Lake. II was beautiful
day, with only a slight breeze ripping
the water, and they stopped on the shore
To take their lunch. Mr.. Libbey soon
noticed a peculiar noise, which seemed
vt first to issue out OF the woods, and
next came from the direction Of a cove
above. Mr.. Hall could not for a time
hear the noise to which his attention was
called, but when he did finally distinguish
the sound, he remarked that 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 a skitf. but soon discovered
to be an enormous snake. With its head
elevated six feet above the water, it
came swiftly down the lake, facing the
sun. until it reached position just oppo-
site the men, and distant less than half 4
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 been turning in
the direction OF one shore and then the
other. was pointed for minute in the di-
rection Of Mr.. Hall and his companion,
who stood motionless. After this inspec-
ton ii suddenly Strengthened ont again
and paSSed by and down into the outlet.
Il. a ,,,ila In fitsa pnipIItps
or twelve miles an hour, and it, appearance
while in motion is thus infinitely described :
From its head 10 the water was six feet :
the .neXt twenty feet or more OF ITS
form was under water; then some
twelve feet Of its back appeared above
the surface to height OF above sixteen
inches; the remainder Of it, greater length
was hidden from view, and as the propel-
linz 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 broadest place could not have measured
less than two and one-half feet across, and
the upright portion OF it, body, though, OF
course. by no means the largest, was "as
bic rs pork barrel" When last seen in
the outlet it had left the water, and was
passing over Il distant point OF land COW
cred with granite bOulderS, among which
were tough bushes. The erect part then
"looked like Il man that would weigh 300
or 400"
Mr.. Halls theory is that the serpent
travels and lives on land a. well as water,
and that it, chief food consists OF deer. On
the day named sit was hungry, and, having
smelled Us, came ont OF the woods after a
meal" Coming down the lake cit passed
bv the scent borne on the wind, and when
il finally got where the sun would permit
il TO see us, we stood so still it took Us
for stubs on the shore, and proceeded
on" Mr.. Hall says the Times was i'll
correct i'm 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
of; nor did he say, as one paper dclib-
eratcly reports, that it had eyes "as big rs
sauccrs." He could tell nothing about
its eyes. Then, again, the monster was
not enlightened by shOal-watcr or
some other cause" as if never ap-
preached directly toward him. Final
iv. he and his companion were not
"terror stricken" They stood still, know
lllW lllhl iltllilfl Nllbi htt'i h'A ~ N''
woods would save them if the serpent kept
the scent and was bent OH mischief. 81
had plenty OF time" says Mr.. Hall, I'll
worst came to worst, to cut and sharpen a
sapling Il dozen feet long, and, at close
quarters, / should have plunged the pole
down its throat, and have let Mr.. Libbcy
kill IL with the axe. | knew better than to
have attacked him with the axe FIRST
Mr.. Hall says that any man on the st.
Croix who will dispute the existence OF the
abovC-descrbed "bOa constructor" IN
the face Of what his eyes and those OF 1lr.
Libbey have Just witnessed, is not clear
headed. This Is not the first time this
snake las been seen. Old Captain Levy
saw IL MANY wears ago, and others OF the
PassamaWioddv Indians have seen il in
Bic lake nj various times. Every member
Of the tribe knows OF it, and believes
in il. Mr.. John Williams and crew OF
men saw it ut the mouth OF the Litter
river twenty-ninc years ago, and hi; de-
scription attracted much attention ut that
time. Mr.. Williams mstOok 4 part OF the
snakes body for an immense log lying
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 iurrow 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
..foolsr among men who disbelieye and
deride. He thinks some plan TO capture the
snake, bv tying live horse on the shore OF
the lake us bait, may prove successful, ana
all will then see that his description was
coraf,,llv kenf within the actual truth.