Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1877-05-05 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CAPTURE OF THE SEA SERPENT.  The Glasgow News publishes a circumstantial na.rative by a resident at Obau, from which, if it be true, it appears that the sea serpent has at length been actually captured at that place. Under date of the 27th ult., the correspondent writes :—" A most extraordinary event has occurred here, which 1 give in detail, having been eye-witness to the whole affair. I allude to the stranding and capture of the veritable sea serpent in front of the Caledonian Hotel, George-street, Oban. About four o'clock on Tuesday an animal or fish, evidently of gigantic size, wad seen sporting in the bay near Heather Island. Its appearance evidently perplexed a large number of spectators assembled on the pier, and several telescopes were directed towards it. A careful look satisfied us that it was of the serpent species, it carrying its head full 25 feet above the water. A number of boats were soon launched and proceeded to the bay, the crews armed with such weapons as could be got handy. Under the directions of Malcolm Nicholson, our boatman, they headed the monster, and some of the boats were within thirty yards of it when it suddenly sprang half length out of the water and made for the open. A random fire from several volunteers with rifles seemed to have no effect on it. Under Mr Nicholson's orders, the boats now ranged across the en. trance of the bay, and, by the screams and shouts, turned the monster's course, and it headed directly for the breast-wall of the Great Western Hotel. One boat, containing Mr Donald Campbell, the Fiscal, had a narrow escape, the animal actually rubbing against it. Mr Campbell and his brother jumped overboard, and were picked up unhurt by Mr John D. Hardie, sadler, in his small yacht the Flying Scud. The animal seemed thoroughly frightened, and as the boats•closed in the volunteers were unable to fire more, owing to the crowds assembled on the shore. At a little past six the monster took the ground on the beach in front of the Caledonian Hotel in George-street, and his proportions were fully visible. In his frantic exertions, with his tail sweeping the beach, no one dared approach. The stones were flying in all directions ; one seriously injuring a man named Baldy Barrow, and another breaking the window of the Commercial Bank. A party of volunteers, under Lieutenant David Menzies, now assembled, and fired volley after volley into the neck, accerding to the directions of Dr Campbell, who did not wish, for scientific reasons, that the configuration of the head 'should be damaged. As there was a bright moon, this continued till nearly ten o'clock, when Mr Stevens, of the Commercial Bank, waded in and fixed a strong rope to the animal's head, and by the exertions of some 70 folk it was securely dragged above high-water mark. Its exact appear ance as it lies on the beach is as follows :—The extreme length is 101 feet, and the thickest part is about 25ft. from the bead, whieh is llft, in circumfbrence. At this part is fixed a pair of fins, which are 4ft. long by nearly 7ft. across at the side. Further back is a long dorsal fin, extendina for at least 12 or 13 feet, and 5 feet high in front, tapering to 1 foot. The tail is more of a flattened termination to the body proper than anything else. The eyes are very small in proportion and elongated, and gills of the length of 21 feet behind. There are no external ears ; and as Dr Campbell did not wish the animal handled till he communicated with some eminent scientific gentleman, we could not ascertain if there were teeth or not. Great excitement is created, and the conntry people are flocking in to view it. Mr Duncan Clerk, • writer, formally took possession of the monster, in the rights of Mr McFee, of Appin, and Mr James Nicol, writer, in the name of the Crown."  Henry de Tourvillo, who, it will be remembered, was charged some time since at Bow-street Police-court with the murder of his wife in the Tyrol, and who was subsequently handed over to the Austrian authorities under our Extradition Treaty, is to be tried by a Special Commission, appointed for that purpose by the High Court of Justice in Austria, in June next.