The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-06-02
TIKI MARVEL OF THE AGE.
)sath Valley Produces a Gigantic
and Wonderful MOnsteH.
GOw the Animal LoOked-ThsS smith.
sOnIan Institute 60 send out
Party 60 Capture This
Alleged wonder.

The Los Angeles Herald prints the fol
wing:
That marvellous monster which war
zen In the Death valley desert, about a
lilies from DAREett, described in the Err
Imiasr by Z. W. Speer and Henry
irown, Of DaHrett, at separate time
bile on prospecting tours, has ocUas-
Oned a wonderful interest in scientid,
irrles, especially to those who have mad'
Archaeological research. To day Oscar
v. Clarke, who has been spending sonH
ime In DRRgett, and Who has been max
ny geological searches along the coast il
he interest Of the Royal academy Of sci
noes, was on the way to Coronado T.
AXE rest. Mr.. Clarke has made mum
~r Of trips intn the Death valley desert
md was one Of the parties who saw tn
igantic monster. He has sent the resul
{ his experience to the Smithsonian In
Iitnte, with a view to having q part,
ent out here to endeavOr to capture tin
Monster.
THE announcement Of the experienT
i Me, srs. SpeeF and Brown rather anti,-
pated me-" Said Mr.. Clarke. 81 had u
Inc opportunity Of seeing this strange
lenizen Of that mysterious land known
Is Death valley desert, and desire to
,ay that this animal is the most wonder.
nj living proof Of the exact authenticil!
4 the researches made by savants into
he field Of archaeological history.
This animal Is the only really living
ink between prehistoric times and the
resent. 1t lie virtually marvel Of the
we, an eighth wonder Of the world,
marvellous illustration Of the profound
economy Of nature. 1t was six weeks
Igo that l had the pleasure Of seeing
This remarkable animal.
II was some 20 miles from Daggett and
stopped, at 9 O'Clock in the evening, tn
rest, having made some valuable sddi-
lions to my collection Of fossil remains.
Happening to glance to the southwest,
through the hazy heat peculiar to the
iesert, ! saw q strange body moving
,long, about 4 mile away. Invent to-
ward It and was soon both elated and
Mortified by seeing an animal fully 81 feet
long that differed from any Of the known
'Orms Of the present epoch.
at was an immense monster, walking
part Of the time on its hind feet and NJ
times dragging itself through the sand
Ind leaving tracks Of 4 three-tUed foot
md a peculiar scratchy conHguration In
he sand whenever il changed its form oil
OcomotiOn and dragged itself. The fore
in,bs Of the animal were very short, and
t occasionally grasped the nearest shrub
and devOured IL. The thumb Of the three
,,rOnged fore foot was evidently q strong
UnicAl spike that would be q dangerous
%eapOn In attack.
Whenever the animal stood upright il
Aas FULLY IA feet high. The head was n
large rs a good sized cask and shaped
'Omewhat like that Of 4 horse, while the
.Ody WAS as large Ms that Of an elephant,
with long tail extending FROM the hind
quarters something like that Of an Rlli.
-ator.
when l saw the strange animal 1t WAS
IN the edge Of great sinkhole Of alkali
water, u sinkhole. by the way, that my
sudes told he WAS a bOttOniless pit, and
evidently a remnant Of the days When
Death valley was an inland sea. l aP-
preached within 3D. yards Of the monster,
crawling cautiously over the sand, and
Watched il for fully half an hour. Sud-
denly the beast began to below, and the
sound was Of most terrifying and bood-
'urdling character.
ats iinme se eyes, fully as large as
ssucers, projected from the head and
cleaned with wild and fitful fire, while
irUm the enormous mouth al the monster
a stream Of stean.like vapOr was exhaled,
and rs ii drifted toward me the effluvium
was something awful.
The animal was liver-colored, with
hronEe-like spots. The monster dragged
itself to the edge Of the sinkhoIe, lashed
itS tail and finally fell of into . quiescent
condition. left the scene and attempted
to secure the assistance Of my guides IN
an effort to capture the monster, but they
were absolutely terrified and refused to
do anything.
"Frnm what saw Of the animal am
perfectly satisfied that Il Is one Of the
sPecIes Of the iguanodon bennissantensis,
Of the European iurassic, an animal pre-
sentinR many points Of structure In COM
mon with the iguana Of to-day. In fact
that Is the report that | have sent In, and
knowing full well the geologic environ
ment Of the Pacific slope and the very re-
markable and peculiar conditions renard-
ing the Death valley section, I am salts
lied that my deductions are correct and
that there Is to-day living and existing In
the desert Of the Death valley one Of the
most remarkable animals now existing
on the face Of the globe, none other than
one Of the monsters Of the prehistoric
epoch, q wonder Of the centuries.
BOilR. earhunclea. and arnntiona NJ ali