Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-17
BIG SEA MONSTER
WITH -FOUR LEGS
Dog-Sized Head, FinIess, Fur
Coated and a Good
BOunder.

No one Is asked to believe this yarn.
The author OF 1t himself says SO. for 1t l.
about new and altogether astonishins;
sea monster seen on the west coast OF
Tasmania-a four-legged thing with "A
dog-sized head. a well groomed fur coat
ana lively bounding habit OF travel
ing. 1t disappeared in the sea But L.
begin
The story is told by Mr.. Hartwell Con
der, the Tasmanian state mining engi-
neer, and printed In Australian papers
just received in this country. Mr.. Con-
der, who is engaged in Official prospect
ing IN the little known country betwcen
Macquarie Harbor and Port Davey. was
SO impressed by the thing, as vlviuly de-
scribed to him by two OF h companions,
that he hurried the news along to hea :
quarters over the telegraph wires. The
monster, he confesses at the very start,
was so strange that the men VINO saw il
and l myself anticipate quite cheerfully
the smiles and increduiity OF those who
read this account" He adds philos Jrhi-
cally. NO one is asked 10 oelleve ii.
'Ihe amman, ne proceeds to relate,
was seen by Oscar Dawes, foreman pro-
spector. and ms MAZE. ". liarrls, who
known botn OF them for d considerable
number Of years. ana can guarantee Az
soiuteiy their sobrety. intelligence and
accuracy. They We're walking a!ons tho
coast April ~, just before sunuomn on
a calm day, with small waves rolling ia
ana breaking on the shore, when at a
distance OF about half a mile tney no
iced dark object under the dunes
winch surprised tnem b. showing Signs
of movement.
They advanced toward ii, and finally
came WITHIN gunshot. " nun ABOUT forty
yards or 1T rose suddenly ana rusned
down into the sea. -AIIer getting ouL
acout thirty yaros it stopped turned
around, showing only the mead above five
SECONDS, anu tnen Withdrew under the
water and disappeared.
THE characteristics are summarized As
follows:
1t was fifteen feet long
ii mad a very small head, only about the
size or the head of kangaroo dog.
1t had thick. arched neck. passing
gradually into the barrel OF the body.
II had no definite tail and no fins.
IL was furred. the coat i'm appearance
resembling that of a horse of chestnut
color, well groomed and shining.
II had four distinct legs
1t travelled by boundingJi e. by arch
ing its back and gathering UP it's body. SO
that the footprints of the fore feet were
level and also those of the hind feet.
1t made definite footprints. These
showed circular impressions. with a di-
ameter tmeasuredD OF Rine inches.
There was no evidence for or against
webbing. The creature Travelled
very fast. A kangaroo dog followed it
hard in its course TO the water. a distance
of about seventy yards, and in that dis
lance gained about 30 feet. When first
disturbed ii reared up and turned on it's
hind legs. Its height, standing on the
four legs, would be from 3 feet o inches
to feet.
Both men are quite familiar with seals
and so-called sea leopards that occur on
this coast. They had also seen before
and subsequently pictures of sea lions
and other marine animals, and can find no
to the animal that they saw.
Such are the Details concludes Mr.
Gender. when the humorists have en-
JOY ed themselves at our expense the men
Of science may be able to connect this ac-
count with others whics. Gave come for
ward from time to time of strange beasts
In our oceans. That no imprint was taken
Of the footprints and no marking-out
made of the form I'm the sand no one re-
grets more than we do. The next lido
swept over them. and they are gone"