Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-10
A RIVER SEA-SERPENT.
The Appalling Spectacle Which
was Seen in the Hudson.

KINGSTON, N. Y, August 80. "A
dozen or more men and boys were bath
ing and swimming in the Hudson a short
distance north of Kingston Point, where
the steamer Daniel Drew was moored,
Sunday afternoon, about 2:9O o'clock.
They were sporting and splashing in the
water when one of the boys attracted
attention by shouting loudly: "What's
that (? See, it's snake All eyes were
soon cast upon it, then rapidstrides were
made for shore. Some, not satisfied with
getting out of the water, rushed naked
several hundred feet before venturing to
look around. Others, more cour-
apeous, stood and looked in.
tently at the movements of the strange
object in the water. The sea serpent,
for such it was believed to have been,
was on the west shore of the river, be-
tween Coddington's dock and Kingston
point. 1t was making its way south.
The peculiar creature is variously de-
scribed by persons who witnessed it.
Among the number is Captain Robert
Brush. of the schooner Mary Ann. He
saws when be first noticed it its head
was erect about five or six feet out of the
water. and it resembled South Ameri-
can water snake, although considerable
larger. On the line of its eyes it was
about twenty inches thick. The por.
tion of its body visible was between fifty
and sixty feet in length, the greater por'
tion being above the water. AT dis
tance of eight or ten feet the body
was raised above the water, making
openings sufficiently large for rowboat
to PASS under. Eight feet back of the
ewes a long, narrow fin appeared, which
extended along the entire top of the
BODY the entire length visible. The
throat was about two feet long, OF a
light slate color, with many brown
spots. Every movement of the serpent
caused a rufiiing of the water consider.
able distance. 1t would entirely disap.
pear under the water and reappear sew
eral hundred feet off. Charles Addison
des cribes it as, in his opinion, beng one
hundred and twenty-five feet long and
at least four feet in circumference at the
largest portion. 1t had Shiny appear.
ance, and the surface of the water, after
the reptile passed, was covered as il
with oily matter elected from the ser.
pent. Occasionally it opened its mouth,
which was quite large. Its eyes ap'
peared abont the size of hens egg.
Some of the small boys, upon being
interviewed, stated that they thought it
was large seal. They had never seen
nor heard of such long thing in the
water before. Twice between Codding.
toms dock and Rhinecliff ferry it dashed
the water with its tail, causing the
waves to rise as if made by q passing
steamer. Less than half an hour after
the supposed serpent passed Kingston
point the fire broke out which destroyed
the steamer Daniel Drew, and many su
perstititious persons have an idea that
the strange object was forerunner O.
the catastrophe. Specials to the Worto
correspondent tonight from various
points lower down the Hudson STATE
that its passage was noticed along tn
river on its onward course towards thu
sea. 1t is believed to have been thu
same one that was seen in the Hudson
in the vicinity of Sing Sing three o.
weeks ago.