The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-09-09


only with much more vigor than any
whale we nave ever seen.
The tail was vertically fattened
and compressed, and thus we'll adapt
ed for swimming The diameter of
its body at the thickest part, which
was almost the middle, must have been
fully ten feet, tapering to about six
leet diameter at head and tail; and,
judging from the length of our ship, it
must have been fully 100 feet long.
It's skin appeared to be covered with
large and very thick scales, or shields,
and from head to tail it was very pref
tily marked with bands of pale yellow
and very dark green; however, it
would be better to add that these colors
were so happily blended on the under
meath that it looked as if line of pale,
very pale, sea green, was the color
from head to tail. Its eyes were placed
well on the side Of the head, and, in
color, looked as if two enormous rubies
had been placed there.
"Now, as this monster approached
the scene of the late conflict, its motion
was rapidly accelerated, and lis head
kept about six feet above water. The
scales on the side OF tie head appeared
to stand well out as does cobra's hood
when the serpent is very much
alarmed.
''The small fish, small as compared
with this monster, scattered right and
left, the ouly laggard being the huge
shark, which must have been wounded
by the alligator. This unfortunate was
seized in an instant by the snake, and,
being lifted well out of the water, he
was shaken as terrier shakes rat,
for. fully one minute, when we saw the
head and tail part of the poor shark
drop INTO the water, the middle section
disappeared down the serpent's gullet.
"The breeze having gradually fresh
ened we soon ran out OF the muddy
water, and the last we saw of this huge
serpent it was finishing its breakfast
in very leisureiy manner.
Such is the history written, particu-
larly this history of sea serpents. 1
looked upon Captain Peabody and he
looked upon me. So far as sea serpents
went + saw that it was not in his gen.
tie nature to damn with faint praise.
I tried to divert his mind from the
subject and to ask him about other
things-other snakes. He commenced
to tell about the fifty miles OF poor,
cheap, tawdry little snakes, and then a
blue eyed, golden haired little fairy of
six happy summers came tearing into
the cabin like a mad little irework. I
asked Miss Claire, for that is her name,
what she thought of the snakes, and
she gave answer unreservedly:
Great, horrid beasts!' she said.
Glow long were they, little girl2"
ooh, they were long, so long," and
she looked around the cabin to find
something long enough to compare
them to. And failing she strobe along
the carpet ten mighty strides, and,
looking up triumphautly, gave that
distance as their length.
Mrs. Peabody, sweet faced lady
smiled. She preferred to have Claire
and the Captain tell the story. The
Captain continued.
''There was no current, he said,
land but little wind. There was no
sea, just an oily swell. And after en-
tering that snake pack don't know
what else TO call it-as far as the eye
could see there was twisting. writh-
ing maze of serpents.
s'Then night came on, and blue,
glossy green and velvet black they
coiled and swan, and every track was
flash of golden fire"
The captain did not say that, but an
other Ancient Mariner did, and the de-
scription fits what he did say. When
the shadows fell, he says that the sea
was alive with phosphorescent light
from the myriad of water snakes
flashing through the blue.
Daylight came again, with the ship
making her same languid progress.
And all around the snakes were coil
ing. He fred rifle at one and saw
the water stained with blood, but the
others SWAN on, unheeding and IN
fearing.
To get away. from snakes for awhile
! asked the captain about weather. He
told me about typhoon, with low
flying clouds and tumbling seas and
how his ship was decorated with COM
posants during a thunder storm IN
those far aWay seas.