St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-09-09
THE SEA SERPENT'S HISTORY.
Frona the Game ANN Adpertiser.

Numerous attempts are being made
to explain away the sea serpent by
stories of horse mackerel and black
fish and immense bodies of floating
seaweed having been mistaken for the
sea monster; and the probability of
optical illusions at the distance at
which the sea serpent has been seen
by late Cape Ann observers is pointed
out. But it should be borne in mind
that when the historical sea serpent
visited Gloucester harbOr in the sum-
mer of 1917 it was approached within
the short distance of 80 feet, when it
raised it's head in plain view, and was
fired at by an experienced sportsman,
at which it turned upon its pursuers,
but sank down and passed under the
boat, making its appearance again
about 100 yards distant. The deposition
of 10 reputable citizens who saw the
monster at distances varying from ~
feet to $50 yards agreed practically as
to the size, shape and movements OF
this wonderful creature, and do not
differ substantially from the state
ments concerning the monster seen off
Rockport the past few weeks.
Nor should we lose sight of the baby
sea serpent killed with pitchfOrk by
a farmer near Good Harbor beach late
in the summer of 1917, which was ex-
hibited for few days at the house of
Capt. John Beach, after which it was
carried to Boston and examined by a
committee of the Linn8au society,
who pronounced it to belong to the
same species as the great serpent seen
and described earlier in the season. 1t
was about 3 l-2 feet in length, three
inches in circumference, with 81 well
defined prOtuberances on the back.
The Massachusetts historical cOllec-
ton contains mention of "sea serpent
or snake that lay coiled up like cable
upon a rock at Cape Ann" in 1859.
Nearly two and q half centuries have
since passed away, and while the sea
serpent has been a frequent visitor to
the New England coast, its haunts and
habits have remained as deep mys-
terry as ever. 1t has ever been the
fashion to deride the idea of the exist
ence of such monster. But no amount
of argument or ridicule could ever
convince the men and women of 1917
that they were the victims of hallu-
cinatiOn. They lived and died in the
firm conviction that they had Witness
ed the gambOls of veritable serpent
of the sea off Pavilion beach. Nor
would it be easy to persuade the fish
ermen and mariners and yachtmen and
landsmen who have from time to time
since witnessed similar phenomenon,
that their eyes were deceived.
Our GAINESVILLE correspondent re-
marks in another column that "the
sea serpent is rarely if ever seen by
old fishermen" The statement is not
warranted by the facts. Mr.. Ames
Story, veteran fisherman, gave a
clear description of the huge monster
which came in unpleasant proximity to
his dOry. Mr.. Joseph Lee, an old time
Manchester fisherman, while lying at
anchor off Kettle Island, August Is,
1917, in the schooner Hazard, saw his
snakeship about $50 yards distant, and
getting into the boat went as near him
as he thought prudent. SO impressed
was he with the sight that Oh arriving
home he made a drawing of the Curl
Gus fish, and wrote out description
of it, which are still preserved in the
Lee family. Capt. Samuel L. Fears, a
veteran Gloucester fisherman still liv-
ing, while going to Boston in the good
schooner Phoenix in March. 1910, saw
what was taken for drifting spar, but
on attempting to secure the prize was
surprised 10 see it elevate its head and
thrust out a long tongue. In August,
1875, sea serpent was seen in various
localities by the crews of Gloucester
fishing schOoners, and the same month
the crew of the schooner Emily Holden
of Portland discovered sea serpent
off Matinicus, and on attempting to
run it down struck aft of the fin, when
with the quickness of flash it dived
and brought it's tail around against the
stern of the schooner with slap that
made the craft shiver and set the
crockery spinning in the galley.