Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-16
MONSTERS OF THE DEEP.
An Old Sailors Story Ofan Adventure
With sea Serpents.
From The Boston Globa.

From the Boston GlObs.
In 1884 was residing in Yokohama,
Japan, and being in poor health, l was
advised by my physician to try change
OF climate for few months. l accord
ingly engaged as second officer on board
the schooner Alma, tor a voyage to the
North Pacific in quest OF bjcbe de mer and
sharks fins for the Chinese market. We
sailed from Yok ohama March l, 1884, and
on the morning OF March 8 discovered
Perry's group OF islands bearing south
west by south, distance twenty miles.
Thence we proceeded, aud about ~
O'Clock a. m. the next day entered the
harbor of Port Lloyd, where We rehtted
and made preparations for resumiDg our
voyage. We sailed March 20 from Port
Lloyd, bound tor W eeks Island, in lati-
tude "A deg. north and longitude l54 deg.
east, where we arrived a week later,
alters boisterous passage. We found we
could not obtain suitable anchorage, on
account Of the sea breaking over the reef,
and we then proceeded toward W axes
Island, in latitude 10 deg. II min. north,
longitude 166 deg. 30 min. east, after
tedious passage Of fourteen days, and
AFTER trying to ind anchorage for about
eight hours we at last came to anchor on
the edge OF the reef in twenty fathoms or
water, ABREAST Of the entrance 10 the
lagoon. Upon landing we found the spars
and deck house of what proved to be
bark that had evidently been wrecked.
We also found number OF empty bottles
and large pile of ashes, which indicated
that the sbipwrecked crew had managed
to construct condenser. 1t was on this
island we encountered those marine mon
sters l am about to refer to. This island
is about twenty miles long, ana incloses
lagoon about seventeen miles long and
about seven miles in width. After fish
ing about three days we were startled
one morning about ii O'Clock by what APP
peared a cOmmOtion in the water about
200 yards from where we were fishing, and
presently we saw huge head appear
above the water about five feet, which 80
terrified our Japanese that they began to
strike for the beach. distant about $50
yards, when Capt. Boyd ordered them to
return and il they were attacked by the
monster to defend themselves with their
fish spears. The reptile gave them a
defiant look and then took its departure.
much to the satisfaction OF our Japanese
fishermen, who kept beating the water
violently all the time.
On the day following one OF those rep
tiles attacked one of our Japanese, infiict-
ing as light wound on the right leg, Just
above the knee. but he used his spear to
advantage, and succeeded in driving the
monster away, with the assistance of the
other two fishermen. In a few days he
complained Of his leg being sore, and it
continued to swell. L applied such reme-
dies as we had In the medicine chest. This
proved of no avail, and on the sixth day he
died in great agony. On another occasion
Capt. Boyd was attacked by one about 10
feet long. The monster bit through his
boot, but luckily did not rea Oh the flesh,
else the result might have proven fatal.
HENRY BOND,
National Sailors Home, Quincy, Mass,
Sept. s.