The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-20

that he for one believed more in the thing
than he had before. As to how great that
previous belief had been he did not say.
Professor Edwards in the first part of
his lecture had thrown on the screen pic
lures of sea monsters as represented in
years past. He explained in his talk that
while he spoke of sea serpent the So
called and oft-repeated sea serpent could
not be a big snake. but some other kind
Of monster Gf it was anything). AS back
as far as Job mention is made of a great
leviathan, and accounts of some great
things are found in all early histories.
ne myth seemse to have come from
sperm whale and another from the squid.
Even the Indians had belief in monster
serpent, and thought one lived in the grea
lakes and broke up the ice in the winter
when it became irritated.
Professor Edwards gave a long list of
dates when the great sea serpent has been
reported and related some of the circum-
stances. They stretch from 1859 down into
1903. A bishop, Commodore Preble, crews
Of British warshps and many persons
have made the reports. A noted appear
ance was at Gloucester and Nabart. Mas
sachusetts. in 1877, when hundreds of rep
utable citizens saw something and testified
to it. 1t is estimated that from GO 70 700
persons saw it. and people even drove
along the beach in crowds. keeping UP
with it as it swan along of the shore
Professor said there was no doubt that
something was seen at that time.
Another case was in 1S4S when the whole
crew of a British warship saw one and re-
ported a sober and scientific account of II.
The neighborhood of Nahant. Gloucester
and Sw2mpscot seems TO be the most IA
vored. for several reports from each have
been made.
In 1899 800 passengers OF the steamer
New England declared that when two
days out Of Boston they saw the sea ser
pent. describing it forty TO fifty feet
long. eight feet in diameter and snorting
out spray. The last report of it was May
So 1905. II IS noteworthy, said Professor
Edwards. that the thing has been report
ed nearly always in ne summer or fall,
and practically always in III northern va
tiers one year between Halifax and Clou-
cester the next time of Norway. perhaps.
1t is always described as black OF brown
ISL. with eyes in the upper part of the
head, swimming at a speed of five or six
knots. carrying lis head out Of water. gem
orally with name. and proceeding with
a humping motion like 4 caterpillar. \
curious appearance vas one reported in
ISaS and 1899 in Swedish lake. where. IL
was declared huge animal had been
seen number OF times and had been
watched through glasses for long periods.
Finally a newspaper sent q neminent nat
uralist to investigate. and he reported as
his conclusion that several monsters. from
SIX to forty-fva feet long. had certainly
been seen in the lake.
Professor Edwards said that probably in
all the many cases reported something
had been seen. Tor it is impossible to be
Heve all these people were liars The uni
versal declaration that the thing proceed
ed with an undulating motion does away
with the theory % lis actually being 3
big snake He showed that the stories
might arise from the appearance e q
manatee. a big stringrsy, q gigantic squid
(one was caught with arms and body loo
feet long, a bsskilg shark. wf8ies o.
school OF PROPOSES 4 few years ago
what was called the Florida monster vas
found near ST Augustine. with arms near
Is Io3 feet long The bsskiug shark grows
70 forty feet long certainly. There - n
known limit to the growth % fishes. and
Professor Edwards said there <as 10 Tea-
son why enormous ones Nigh, nos be iiv-
ing somewhere st the bottom Of the sea