The Republican journal., 1882-03-02
Sea Serpents and Land Serpents

We have become accustomed to the SER
pent atloat-or rather to hearing or reading of
this marine monster. 1t is expected that every
fishing party which carries its supplies mainly
in jug or demijohn will see one or more SER
pents and the announcement OF the appear
ance of a sea serpent off seaside resort is re-
sardcd as part of the advertising programme of
the cnterprising proprietors. But a sea serpent
that travels about on land. making its own
road through the woods, and that disports itself
in the lakes of eastern Maine, is something of a
novelty and no insignificant rival of the baby
elephants. We published some weeks ago an
article from the Calais Times concerning this
strange visitor, and taking into consideration
the failingS of that paper, the natural Inference
would be that this is simply fiat serpent. We are
not disposed, however, to thus lightly dismiss the
subject, nor do we question the honesty of those
who have reported what they thought to be the
trail of the serpent. No doubt they found what
they sought for, and without the aid of demi-
John The imagination is powerful factor i'll
such eases. Sportsmen have been known to lay
low the innocent and unsuspecting bovine when
have been magnificd into bear tracks, and a
timid red squirrel has appeared to the atfrighted
hunter as a loupceryicr As to this serpent
on shore, we might fancy an interview taking
place between one of its discoveries and SYM
pathizng friend. similar to that between Ham
let and Polonius-
liam DO you see yonder cloud that's almost in
shape Of Il camel:
Pol BY the mass, and It's like camel, indeed.
Ham, Mcthinks 1t is like weasel.
Poi 1t is backed like weasel.
Ham, Or like whale?
Poi Very like Il whale.
we must admit that we had set this alleged
serpent down as Il geological myth, but when
TIL always reliable Lewiston journal presented
tho testimony of Il Bethel correspondent to the
effect that ho knows of The big Washington
county snake having been in existence as far
back n 1884 the question began to assume il
serious and scientific aspect. In 1884 the snake
was only - feet long and some eight inches in
dianptcr: but the possibilities of its growth
during the past torty-cight years are almost be
vond computation. 4 snake that couldn't grow
i couple Of hundred feet in length in that time.
and attain thc diameter Of hogshead. would be
1 mighty poor "critttr.
A correspondent Of the Portland Press, whom
We fear i Il di>brlicvcr looks at the question
from bread and butter, or rather, fresh meat.
point of view. He says such an animal aS this
serpent is reported to be would require more
| food than all the woods and fresh water within
| fifty miles Of him would contain. not once in Il
great while. but every day. Such an animal
would levour Il half ton of moose, deer, rab-
| bits. etc., every day. Why, the poor creature
would have 10 take light breakfast, a picked
| up dinner, and 20 >upprre>> to bed at night.
| The same writer further says Of the trail
| Wcll | don't presume to account for it, but |
| suggest that - far a. anything in the story APP
| pears, the trail may have been made by small
| animals in passing from one place of resort to
| another, or in making Journeys through the
| woods. | know that several amphlbl0us AMI
mails as the common muskrat and otter. have
! their ''carrts. 10 say, from one pond OF soft
| bog to another and of course in lapse of time
| those trails will be worn down to several feet
below the out side surface. and especially will the
| trail be- deep where the surface Is soft or rests
| ul,on "A bodv Of water u little below. and these
| trails are often -inuou> like the trail of a ser
| pent, turning now this way and now that to
avoid 4 rock. log, or the root Of IN upturned
| tree. These animals never employ an engineer.
| nor Id thew appear to take what might seem to
i, tie shortest cut or the best route. but when
i trail has been commenced it is followedby the
| next animal without amy Struggling until it be-
| comes the highway over which all like creatures
! Of the forest and the waters will pass. Moose,
| deer caribou especially the first named two.
| have like habits. but generally their paths are
| On borIpr ,sround and do moi make So deep and
| well defined Il trail
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| 80 ii'' II i'i ''i i'ii' iNP0i' 'i'' ''
| Now let lis see what tn" scientists have to say
concerning sea snakes and land snakes Prof
,,,i,,- ,,-;l,, 1,+,,,,,. ,,, .,l,,Io, and co,,.
-h'''i w " 'iH""' " '"'' VI. A'oio7, gu" ~"
| palatlNr anatomy m me Edlhburgh Medlea
school. etc.. has written an interesting paper
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III s.,,.;. +n4i 4,,,
H.. ,.,,.,. t,.;,,... J., t1.a,o,, H., parh
Horatio
lhl" w. '.I9ihi' q " E'ui P,'''o7opnS'
~ i'N0'' = -'''' ','' Wy o'i II, - -
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Jun up ny t,; ,'i ',it ~ ""s W nnina
counsel to his Jury
Firstly: mat many OF the tales or sea ser
l H., ,.iinn"n HI :!nn1l,.nn Ne.
INV especially supported by the want of any
| lntmn .t"r." reason Tor prcNAncatlon.
n"' ~, IL ",+ ~ - ~ - M
caused by inanimatc objects or BY unusual atti-
ttdes on the part Of familiar animals, there re,
th n"A 81 ta ti tG i,. nv f parne
animals. At present unfamiliar or unknown to
science do certainly exist; and
.t tilv VI i|ott
| ion and knowledge, and is most readily ex-
planned by recognizing the fact of the occasion
!" dNfoPmPht OF Ti2''ilIlt he !Ii oL groups
,iiit - r.
| R,,+ n,...r ,nnr. INTERESTING tban the concI,-
connections arc the details published in Nature
! i London scientific publication, respecting "A
| New Underground Monster which have a
| II bn