The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-02
Sea Serpent Alleged to Have Been
Seen and Heard by Hotel Guests and
COttagers at Vnwter's Park.
INDIANIANS In MICHIGAN
MANY sUMMERING ON THE SHORES
OF LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY.
Yacht Races This Week-Amusements
at WequetOnsing, PetOskey, Bay
View and Elsewhere.
speeial to the 1ndianapolig journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WAWASEE Ind, Aug. There is sea
serpent in Wawasee lake, and henceforth
this popular summer resort will take rank
with the ultra seaside attractions. The
Wawasee brand is one of the oldest of the
old-fashioned serpents whose pictures may
be seen in certain apocryphal Biographies
and Out-of-date works on natural history.
There is colony of siXty-fiVe students,
both boys and girls from the State Univer-
sify now encamped across the lake, and
they have given up all other studies and
are setting all sorts of traps for the serpent
The Indiana University students have been
coming to Wawasee regularly for several
years to pursue summer course in botony,
birds and bugs. They are under the charge
of a faculty professor, and at the close of
their vacation receive credit for a terms
work. Since the serpent made it's appear
ance they are out securing the lake each
day with loaded cameras to get a snap
shot at his snakeship. The great reptile
has been seen sporting on the beach in
front of Lakeview Hotel, where Judge
Baker of the Federal Court is spending his
vacation, but it's favorite playground is in
the more quiet Groves bay, near Robinson
Crusoe's island, at the head of the lake
The report from Judge Bakers hotel was
taken with grain of salt at first, for it
was from here that the greatest fish story
of the season came last week. when the
judge testified that one of the Lakeview
fishermen, with grasshoppers for bait
caught twenty-three bass between o'clock
and shutdown. This surprising catch was
made after the storm last week and the
next day came the snake story. Lakeview
is the nearest that the serpent has APP
peared to Beer point, where the real article
for first-class snake stories can be obtained
But since the snake gave its acrobatic
performance directly in front of 'Wawasee
Inn, and no one from the inn ever goes to
Beer point, there is left nothing to dsscredit
the story.
Major Durrands cottage, about one hum
dred yards above the inn. Just before sun
down yesterday several young people, on
their way to Dan Ransdelfs newly pitched
camp, noticed long, dark body lying quiz
city in the water, its head near shore and
the tail extending perhaps forty-lve feet
straight out in the lake. 1t could be plainly
seen in the clear water and lay so still that
some declared it to be simply an old tree
trunk which had become water logged. The
slanting suns rays, however. We're reflected
from its sides here and there. if it were
a school of perch sporting near the shore.
The party watched the object for some
time and finally returned to the hotel, still
disputing its credentials for sea-serpent
1t was not long before all question as to
its right to a seat in the annual sea SER
Ut convention was settled. Shortly after
Dark while a half hundred guests were
lounging in front of the hotel great COM
motion among the boats at the pier at
tracted the attention of everybody. The
wind had fallen md there was absolutely
nothing to kick up so much fuss and foam.
w. p, Kappess dinghey was seen to rise
up as If lifted out OF the water by an in
visible hand, one of the little rowboats
" nver and I'D W. W. Pm Mss
bucket jumped out of the water and land
ed on the dock; Now and then a pair of
lights, not unlike two huge fire flies, APP
peared and disappeared while at other
times a phosphorescent streak big as a
telegraph pole and twenty yards long. was
seen writing and twisting while the water
fairly boiled. That the sea serpent had
come could no longer be doubted. Had
suddenly appeared at Wawasee the excite
ment could not have been greater The
hotel was in an uproarr. The dance hall
was quickly deserted and the wildly
speaking guests We're clinging to one an
other on the high bank, some in terror and
others little less than terrified No one
dared go down the steps leading to the
wharf Women screamed properly and
some few ran into the hotel lest the thing
might make run up the bank. After eX-
hibiting its curves among the boats for a
few minutes the great serpent raised its
head as high as a lamp post and made for
deep water: All the while a strange
"squeaking" like the noise made by seals
at feeding time came from the animal. This
developed into something very near to a
Shrek it started across the lake Rob
ert Fishbacks yacht was gently pounding
on the waves directly in its path. The
serpent never swerved. With another I'M
earthly squeal it raised its cleaning head
still higher and leaped right over the
cabin. seeming to pass through the main
sail; lis long phosphorescent body wrig-
gled over and disappeared on the other
side. For an hour after there was a
stencil in the air like kittens breath when
kissing a pup.
There was little dancing that night and
many sat up until nearly daybrsak waiting
for a return visit of the monster which il
did not make. The next morning the first
man out Ben Smith the well-known
lawyer and fisherman from Rushvlle He
saw a hole in the main sail of the Fish
back yacht big enough for stove lid to
go through. Everybody went out TO in
spect the hole before breakfast Robert
Fishback started in at once to repair the
rent. bat was stopped by the guests, who
declare that hole must remain right where
1t is as indisputable evidence of the sea
serpent's visit The hole is still there and
will likely remain there until the end of
Socially last week was a lively one at
were hardly enough hours to carry out all
the plans devised for the pleasure of the
guests. Steamer excursions around the
in great demand. The fishing has been un-
exceptionally fine and some good strings
have been caught. the largest ones by
Judge Eugene II. Bundy. of New Castle, a
veteran angler, who headed his list with
some three-pound black bass. The leading
by Manager Ditton. of the Turkey Lake
Hotel in honor of his guests on Tuesday
evening, The spacious dancing hall was
brilliantly Illuminated and handsomely
decorated. and young and old spent an
evening of unalloyed pleasure i'm dancing
Mr.. David Kahn. of indianapolis volun-
teered as prompter and proved himself
g master of the art, directing the>laucers
and other intricate figures in faultless man.
ner. Among those at the ball were Judge
John H. Baker, of the Federal Court the
Misses De Freese of Goshen. Miss Bundy
of New Castle, Miss Heaton of Knights
town, many of the cottagers and number
of the guests at Wawasee Inn.
LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY.
The Coming Regatta and other At
nl.ai a.IAa frAr- Gnns,n Ill.