The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-10-19
MUD MERM,NDS.
stvsAss Humanilke Creatures That Live
In the Ohio River.

In the Ohio River.
On the Sand bar In the Ohio river
near Vevay, Ind, reside two nonde-
script creatures horrible In appearances
and habit. They are amphibious in ma
ture and resemble In appearance huge
lizards with human features When
partly submerged in the yellow waters
OF tho Ohio, they are strangely like hui
man beings. OF what species of animal
they are no one knows, for 1t is impos-
sible to get near eiiough to them to Judge
correctly. The sand BIZ p question at
low tide is covered vi $huge logs and
stumps of trees, known in the river yer.
nacular az snags. They have been do.
posted by the government snag boats
engaged in keeping the channel clear,
When the water is high enough to GOV.
or these snags, the creatures make their
home among them. When tho water re-.
cedes, they disappear into some unknown
lair and wait for a rise.
From indications they appear to be
carnivorous. Among tho snags are to be
found wagon loads of mussel shells,
fish bones and other debris of animals.
When the river goes down, these shells
and other articles disappear only to be
succeeded by a fresh lot This is evil
dence to those who have watched the
coming and going of the strange things
that they live upon such food.
1t has been about four years since
they were first noticed about Vevay.
Tho fisherman who saw tho strange
heads protruding from tho stream had
never heard OF mermaid, and his de-
scription was such as to cause the be-
lief in the minds of tho better educated
that, after all, the old myth might be
true in some degree
Somebody's since, Captain ]. NJ Ozler
of Covington, KY, who is in charge Of
travelling art exhibition, came to this
place to make arrangements for an en-
tertainment. He heard of the strange
mermaids and paid their haunts sever
al visits in the hope of being ablo to
get glimpse of them. In this he was
successful, ing so far as to get pen.
Gil sketch Of the male amphibian. Seat
ed on the bank, he watched it swimming
within 90 feet of the spot where he OBJ
served its movements.
From notes taken on the ground the
description as furnished by Mr.. Ozier
states that the beast is about feet III
length and should weigh about $50
pounds Its general color is yellowish.
The body between the fore legs resembles
that of a human being Back Of the
point in no way resembles tail. The
legs, four i'll number, resemble the arms
and legs of the human. The fore legs
are shorter than the hind pair and are
used in the same manner as arms. The
eXtremities resemble hands and are
webbed and furnished with sharp claws.
On the back and oneithird of the way
around the body appears mass Of strag-
Cling, coarse hair. The skin below the
fore legs is thick and resembles elephant
hide. On the arms and about the face
and neck it is of finer texture and
brighter yellow color than the rest Of
the body.
The head Of the nondes6ript beast is
the most romarkable part of its makeup.
1t is devoid of hair and is strangely like
that Of human being. Its ears are
sharp pointed and stand up like those of
dog. There is no intelligence in the
face, which in contour is like that of an
idiot. Mr.. Ozier declares that it re-
sembles to a great extent the freak
known as Zip, or the What is-it, which
was exhibited first by P. 7. Barnum. In
swimming it seems to move without an
effort and does not cause much commo-
ton in the water. Only its head and a
part of the slightly arched back are
shown while swimming. When fright
ened, instead Of diving like duck or
making quick flop, the strange beast
sinks from view like a stone. 1t is ex-
ceedingly timid in nature, fleeing at tho
first approach of human being. Gin
cinnatii Enquirer.