Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-02
STAYS BEYOND RANGE OF RIFLE
SHOTS
Discovered by AngeIeno and oId-TIme
Beach Resident, 1t Is Watched
by Big Crowd from
Pier

OCEAN PARK, Sept. 1.-The dread sea
serpent which has visited this beach at
odd times during the last five years has
again been seen.
This year he was rather late arriving,
as usually he makes his appearance DUR
ing the early summer months and shows
up once or twice during the season.
Until yesterday he was not seen during
the present season by any of the old in
habitants, who have learned to watch for
his appearance, and 1t was thought he
had hied himself to new shores and had
tired of the pasture grounds of the
shores of California.
Early yesterday morning, however, he
was sped a short distance off the horse
shoe pier by Ed Mathews, a local resi-
dent, and George Franklyn, visitor
from Los Angeles who hau come to
Ocean Park for an early morning fish
ing.
News that the giant serpent was of
shore sped rapidly and soon the rail OF
the pier was lined with curious throng
who watched the antics of the huge
creature as it swan back and forth on
top of the waves.
At no time did it come near enough
to the pier for any of the spectators to
get a shot at it with a rifle, despite the
fact that one was brough for the pur-
pose.
Watch All Day
For nearly twenty minutes the creature
disported itself before the eyes OF the
spectators, and then swan away sea-
ward. All during the day curious per-
sons who had missed seeing the creature
in the morning paced the beach In the
hone that 1t would return, but they were
disappointed.
.'The first Ting which attracted my at
tention was when a huge head bobbed up
above the surface of the wather, said
Mr.. Franklyn last night
''This head was about the size OF keg
A great mouth was cut across the lower
part of it AM cleaning teeth could be
seen.
~ had with me a powerful pair of
spyglasses and l turned them toward the
creature. From where I was standing
the eyes appeared to be as large as base
balls and to protrude from the head.
..The creature was about thirty feet
long and was striped.
Running along its spine was great
fin, while two other fms protruded from
its sides. With these fins the serpent
lashed the water about it to foam as
it swan back and forth.
sI could not at first believe that L was
seeing anything real anu iuRpSu eii
lenzes of my glasses in astonishment. AL
last I handed them to Mathews and Tor
several minutes he stood gazing at lie
creature.
Secure Weapon
1--WE then called to other persons VINO
were some distance away and several Oh
them ran up. They, too, were astonisned
at the appearance of the strange SER
pent. AT last one man said 1T was pos
sible the creature mignt swim near the
pier in time and youth who was present
ran to his home a short distance away
and secured a rife.
For ten minutes longer we stood
watching the serpent hoping it would
come close enough to give us shot at
it. but it did not do so and at last IL
turned and swan rapidly away, its head
rising several feet above the surface or
the ocean as 1t went.
.I have never believed in sea serpents
before this time and have always thougnt
that they were the product of some fanci-
full persons imagination.
IT know different now and believe tnat
the ocean is inhabited by many strange
creatures about which our most noted
scientists and students know nothing