The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-19
WHERE SEA sERPENTS ABOUND.
How They Disport Themselves In thu
. Great Maelstrom.

nov Jney O1sport Tneh1eivoe IN Inv
Great Maelstrom.
Alexander Lewis, an old sea-faring
man, says that sea serpents similar &c
those exhibited in Tacoma are very
plentiful in north and south polar wa
tiers. He tells very interesting story
in 1889 he was a seaman on the Amer
ican bark Oregon, Capt Shields, SAIL
ing from Antwerp, Belgium, to the
Arctic sea, after seals. They passed
North cape, the northern extremity OF
Norway, $50 miles east Of which is the
great maelstrom, the whirling infu.
ence of which is felt at sea distance OF
100 miles from the center. Though the
government Of Norway has made care.
full experiments, il he's been found dam
eerous for vessels to approach nearer
than 50 miles of the center. On the e1'
trerne outer edge of the maelstrom,
Capt. Lewis says, the crew OF the Ore
eon saw numerous sea serpents denti.
cal in appearance, and ranging from
ten to twenty-five feet in length. They
would bob out of the water now and
then alongside the ship, pair of them
being frequently seen together. Occa.
sionally some Of the sailors put off in a
small boat and endearored to harpoon
one, but they never succeeded. The ser
penis were too quick in their move
ments, and had such ferocious look
that the sailors did not care to get toe
close to them
Mr.. Lewis SAWS that two q three
years later. when the Oregon was about
100 miles out of Cattegat, between Den.
mark and Sweden, and entering the
North sea, the entire crew beheld a most
astonishing sight. 1t was sea serpent
about 800 feet long, black in color, and
with big. round eyes that seemed the
size of a washtub, Lewis declares
Around each of his eyes were three
great rings. 1t had dorsal fin extend
ing the entire length of the vertebrae
and a sharp tail. Lewis thinks this was
the greatest sea serpent ever beheld by
man. When deserted it had its head
Is feet out of water, and was summing
itself. The ship put about and made
straight for him. When within about
quarter of mile the serpent went un-
der. Lewis thinks the serpent was 20
feet through at its neck. He saws that
the story sounds so improbable that he
has seldom told it. but that Capt.
Shields, whose home port was Rock
land, Me-, as web as the other sailors.
will vouch for its truth if alive.
Lewis says that it is well known that
the waters pretty well up to the Arctic
sea are warmer than those further
south. For instance, the Goldfish leave
the Digger bank Of the Norway coast in
latitude about 40 degrees every Deem
Der or January and make their way
10 L,ofoten island, in latitude 60, whera
ara caught the greater portion of the
immense numbers of Goldfish exported
from Norway. The fish go north be,
cause the waters about Lofoten island
are warmer than those 30 degrees south,
In those warm waters in the far north,
he says. the sea serpents abound. They
are occasionally seen there by fishing
vessels, and in the summer tina make
their way as far south as the great
Lewis feels sure that the same species
exists In the south polar seas, and be
lieTes that the serpents caught in
canal are wanderers from south
Of the equator.-Tacoma Ledger.