New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-12
PETER b. SIMPSONS J1BBERWOCK.

From The Ventura tcat) Free Press
A newly arrived imm grant, very respectable
looking man indeed, giving the name of Peter
Simpson is authority for story rvalllng the fables OF
the Nbclungen Lied. He says that these things are
facts We give the statement for what il is worth.
lie had removed his famiy-a wife and three i'll
teresting children-from the Esmeralda mining
country in Nevada and, having an excellent wagon
and a good team among his personal effects. besides
some dozen head of cattle concluded-time being nc
obect-to come overland to Santa Barbara County.
OF course he came by Bakersfield and Elizabeth Lake
TasI vcning of the 10Th of July-the moon being then
ncfPits full-thc little party encamPed at the upper
end of the lake, about half mile west of the village
Mr.. Simpson says that he noticed a peculiarly
penetrating odor arsnA from the water 1t seemed to
float above the lake and TO fill the little valley with
vague. undeinable forms of mist. His cattle were
allowed to Craze at large upon the grass covered
piain. About midnight when all were soundly
sleeping beneath the covered wagon Mr. Simpson say
he was awakened by terrible commOtion, which
seemed TO come from ont III the lake There was an
awful roar he said. like the mnt:ering of distant
thunder. &c sompanicd by peculiarly loud, in
descrbabe kissing noise, OF course Mr.. Simpson
rose at and seized his Winchester but he could
see nothing. Far out in the lake what seemed to
be black cloud, and below it the water was scethng
ana boiling.
Seeing nothing to alarm him Mr. Simpson again
sought his blanket. but sooner had he settled to
sleep than there great rushing through the air
of mighty wings. and the wagon WAS lifted bodily
from the ground. carried aboit twenty yards ont INTO
the plain. and dropped. making the wheels a total
wreck. There an immense stampede OF stock. and
the terrified family at once from their recnmbent
over plain and dark torn whzzng the AIR III the
distance The noise OF rushing wings continued,
growing fainter. Then all was STILL
For a moment Mr.. Simpson thought That ne had
cucamped in the path OF cyclone. Thoroughly be-
wildered with rifle in hand he stood listening TO the
great silence which hung upon the desert. when from
out that silence there aiar OF the sound OF a
great conflict. Peter Is. Simpson Is Il brave man. Tor
across the desert he followed that sound. 1t seemed
as though fifty battcrIng rams were rafting together
against the mailed sides of some moated fortress
Arriving AT the summit OF low knoll Mr. simpson
paused and gazed down into little valley below
h-and over all the scene there lell nOou VI warm
Southern moonlight.
The monster had come upon dove of antelope
sles ping in the gulch and ned ~ attacked them.
About ten feet lI.-s where Mr.. Simpson stood fine
buck lay bleeding. bitten clean through at one stroke
OF Tie 7" things" horrid jaw Around another buck
the monsters wings seemed folded while Its long tan.
barbcd at the end played around the ar necessarily
Two other antelope vigorously trying the effect
of their short horns upon the scay sides OF the
monster Mr.. simpsons description of this " thing "
il very succinct: IL about thirty feet long over
ALL 4 should indge he said. and Of a warm. reddish
color with long snout and jagged yellow teeth 1t
had enormous Wings riSseu IKE tnose 81 r;,i p"',
seemingly hard. brbed point From Its head anu
neck fell shaggy name, and its huge eyes CLEANED
like hOrrld fires.
For ten minutes Mr. Simpson stood as one fascinated
by this strange conflict aud them being true sports
man he lifted Lls gun and took shot NJ the monster
lie heard the bullet strike and rebound. Then.
disturbed by tie shot the two anteopes took to Hight
the beast in the grasp OF the monster was translxed
moment LATER and the "tbng rose into the ar,
carving its prey in its mouth AID made for the lake,
where 1t sank with splash that must have been
audible for miles
There was no further disturbance that night. In the
morning Mr. Simpson returned to tho scene of the
conflict and secured the of the dead antelope
lie also picked mp scales which his bullet or the
horns OF antelope have knock ed from the side
of the monster. The scales round, SENT
transparent about the size OF dinner plates and of a
reddish, glazed appearance, somewhat similar to
ground glass. Mr. Simpson still has them in his
possession.