Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-04
A WINGED MONSTER.
The Very Remarkable Story Told by
Mr.. Peter Il. simpson.
From the Tentura tCal.j free Press.

From the TentUrd teal tree Press.
A newly-arrived immigrant, a very re-
spectable-loOking man indeed, giving the
name of Peter b. Simpson, is authority
for = story riValing the fables OF the Nibe-
lungen Lied. de says that these things
are facts. We give the statement for
what it is worth:
He had removed his tamily--a wife and
three interesting collaboration the Es
meralda mining country in Nevada; and,
having al excellent wagon and good
team among his personal effects, besides
some dozen head of cattle, concluded
tine being no object-tO come OYerl and TO
santa Barbara county. OF course he came
by Bakersfield and Elizabeth Lake. The
evening of July l5-the moon being then
near its tull--the little party encamped at
the upper end OF the lake, about half a
mile west OF the village. Mr.. Simpson
says that he noticed peculiarly penetra.
ting door arising IRON the water. 1t
seemed ~ float above the labe and To Fl Il
the little valley with vague, undt Unable
forms OF mist. His cattle were allowed
to Craze at large upon the gTass-covered
plain. About midnight, when all were
sQundly sleeping beneath the covered
wagon, Mr.. simpson says be WIS awak-
ened by a terrible commotion, which
e.
There was an awful roaring, he said, like
the mutterlng of distant thunder. accom-,
panied by a peculiarly loud, indescTibable
kissing noise. OF course, Mr.. simpson
rose at once and seized his Winchester.
but he coulI see nothing. Far out in the
lake WAS what seemed to be black cloud
and below it the water was seething ana
boiling.
Seeing nothing to alarm him Mr.. Simp-
son again sought his blanket, but no sooner
had he settled to sleep than there was a
great rushing throaeh the air as OF mighty
wings, and the wagOn was lifted bodily
som the ground, carried about twenty
yards out into the plain and dropped.
making the wheels a total wreck. There
was an immense stampede OF stock, aud
the terrided family arose at once from
tEeir recumbent positions, but they only
saw their stock scattering over the plain
aud dark form whlzzing the air in tue
distance. The noise OF rushing wings
L3ntlnued, growing fainter. Then all was
stu.
For moment Mr.. Simpson thought that
he bad encamped In the path OF a cyclone.
Thoroughly bewlldered. with rifle in hand.
he stood listening TO the great silence
which hung upon the desert, when from
out that silence there arose afar OF the
sound VI great conflict. Peter Il. Simp-
son is brave man, for across the desert
he followed that sound. IL seemed as
though fifty battering rams were rafting
together against the mailed sides OF some
mOatcd fortress.
Arriving at the summit OF low knoll
Mr.. simpson paused and gazed down into
little valley below him-and over all the
scene there Tell flood OF warm Southern
moonlight.
The monster had come upon drove Of
antelope sleeping in the Cullen and had at
once attacked them. About ten feet from
where Mr.. Simpson stood a fine buck lay
bleeding, bitten clean through at one
stiose or the "thing's" horrd Jaw.
Around another buck the monsters wings
seemed folded, while its long tail. barbed
AT the end. played around the air inces.
sanity. TWO other antelope were Yigor-
#pnsly trying the effect of their short horns
pom the scaly sides Of the monster. Dir.
eimpson's description OF this ''thing' IS
very succinot: at was about thirty feet
long over all. l should Judge" he said.