The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-09-09
DEATH OF MONSTER.
End of a Strange Creature That
Spread Terror in Florida.
Resembled IA Huge Sea Serpent and
Was believed by the Indians to
Have Lived In the Lower Ever
glades over 100 Years.

Am enormous reptile, more like an ex-
tinct brontosaurus or tabled sea SER
pent than any living creature, was
lately killed by hunter in the lower
Everglades. lie means to send the
skeleton to the Smithsonian institu-
ton at Washington, says a Jackson
vile (Fla.) report in the Chicago
American.
1t has for 100 years not only been n
tradition among the Seminole Indians,
who inhabited the border of Lake
Okeechobee, but it is stated as fact
within the knowledge of some of the
Indians now living that an immense
serpent made its home in the Ever
glades and has carried off at least two
Indians.
The Indians reported the animal to
be snakelike in appearance, with
ears with deer; that it. had only been
seen in the Everglades, and that
when il Travelled it frequently stopped,
raised its head high above the saw
grass to take a view of its surround
ings to discover its enemies or locate
victims, a deer, bear, hog or some 9TH
er animals. If frightened, the Indians
asserted that it glded off at immense
speed.
These stories have kept the venture
some hunter and trapper on his guard
and in state of more or less anxiety,
Notwithstanding they did not give
credence to these Indian stories. Re-
Gently Buster Ferrel, one of the boldest
and most noted of the hunters of Okee-
chobee, who for 20 years has made the
border of the lake and the Everglades
his home, on one of his periodical ex-
petitions noted what he supposed to
be the pathway of an immense alliga-
tor.
For several days he visited the To-
cality win the hope of killing the
saurian, but was unsuccessful in find
ing him. His pride as hunter was
piqued, and his desire to obtain the
hide of what he felt sure to be one of
the largest alligators ever seen in this
section where alligators are noted for
their immense size, grew daily. He
studied some plan to outwit it. A large
cypress stood near its pathway, and
he concluded to climb the tree and
take a stand for his game. He accord
ingly took up his position in the tree.
For two days he stood ON watch with
his rifle ready. Nothing appeared.
He was becoming discouraged, but
determined to give one more day to the
effort.
On the third day, before he had been
on his perch an hour, he saw what
looked to him like an immense SER
pent gliding along the supposed ALI
gator track. He estimated it TO be
anywhere from 25 to 35 feet long and
fully 10 to 10 inches in diameter where
the head Joined the body, and as large
around as a barrel ten feet further
back. The creature stopped within
easy range of his gun and raised high
its head. AS it did Ferret shot at it's
head. Taken by surprise the serpent
dashed into the marsh at a tremen-
dous speed, while Ferrel kept up firing
until he had emptied the magazine of
his rifle.
About four days afterward he ven
tured back into the neighborhood, and
about mile from where he first saw
the monster he saw a large flock of
buzzards, and went to see what they
were after. and there he found the
creature dead and its body so badly
torn by the buzzards that it was i'm
possible to save the skin.
He, however, secured the head, and
has it now in his home on the Kissim-
NEE river. 1t is truly frightful look
ing object. fully ten inches from jaw
to jaw, and ugly, razor-like teeth. He
described the animal as dark colored
on its back and dingy white beneath,
with feelers around it's mouth similar
to a catfish.
He has gone back into the swamp
with the intention of obtaining the
skeleton and bringing it back, after
which he will send it to the Smith
sonian institution in Washington.