“It is over thirty years ago,” said Uncle that evening to the listening Boy who were gathered in the , “that the whole country was thrown into excitement by accounts of a stupendous sea serpent which was repeatedly seen off the of Shoals. You know that returning have brought home stories of encounters in distant seas with similar . The reputation of many of these men for , and the fact that more than one of them insisted that their eyes had not deceived them, led a good many to believe what they told. Nor am I prepared to say that some of the accounts were not founded on fact. In the remote past the land and sea were inhabited by creatures of such vast size that our largest quadrupeds are pygmies in comparison. While the land giants became extinct ages ago, it is not to think that the oceans which cover three-fourths of the earth’s surface still hold inhabitants of tremendous growth.
“But leaving all this discussion for the present, I am now about to tell you the true story of one of the greatest fakes that ever thousands of persons and amused the dozen or so who were in the secret. In the summer of 1879—perhaps a year earlier or later—people everywhere became interested in the reports that an enormous sea serpent had been seen off the Isle of Shoals. These stories were repeated so often and so circumstantially that it was evident there was something in them. General attention was to that famous resort, and hundreds of guests visited the Appledore Hotel for the first time and remained for weeks. The serpent was said to be fifty or seventy feet long, its neck, tail and general conformation were so natural in appearance that there could be no doubt of its reality. It was black in color and moved through the water just as a creature of its kind might be supposed to do. The newspapers sent their reporters 188thither and some of them saw it. You may be sure that they did justice to the theme. No one dared approach the monster near enough to make a photograph, for none had the to run the risk of rousing the ire of the monster. Excursion steamers from Boston were crowded with thousands eager to get a glimpse of the terrifying creature without any , for whoever heard of a sea serpent attacking a ship? It may crush a small boat in its , as the of the upper Nile has been known to do,—but a steamer is beyond its capacity. Many of the passengers carried revolvers, and a number had rifles. They begged the captain to take them close enough to give a chance for bagging such royal game, and he was more than willing to oblige, but somehow or other the opportunity did not offer. It was said that so many craft cruising about his haunts scared him off, and he did not show himself for days. Then, when the search grew less , he would reappear and the excitement would be greater than ever.
“Picture the of the hotel, the upper windows, and even the roof with people, nearly all with small or large glasses out over the water, searching and waiting minute after minute for a sight of the terrific creature. Maybe after the had lasted for hours some one would shout:
“‘I see him! Yonder he is!’
“And every glass would be focussed upon the point a half mile or more away, and wild would follow. The serpent was in plain sight of every eye. The part was upreared three or four feet, and the most powerful revealed the enormous eyes and vast mouth, while at varying distances to the rear could be seen curvings of the stupendous body, as thick as a cask. Its head slowly circled about on the neck as if the creature enjoyed the sensation he created. Then he dropped lower in the water, and seemed to be , occasionally himself lazily, but often displaying his terrifying convolutions.
“Meanwhile the news had been telegraphed far and near, and thousands of eager people hurried to the Isle of Shoals for a sight which they would remember all their lives. If they arrived before darkness set in they probably were gratified, for the serpent appeared to be fond of showing itself by daylight, but it invariably vanished before morning and probably would not be seen again for a week, when the former scenes would be repeated.
“Scores took up quarters at the hotel, which they had never visited before, and stayed until the close of the season. Most of these were rewarded by a glimpse or two of the serpent, though a few were disappointed and in their declared there was no such thing.
“Not the papers alone, but many of the magazines contained disquisitions on the bogy of the sea. Startling pictures based on the numerous descriptions were given, and caused many a among those who had to depend upon such sources of information.
“One day a dudish youth loudly announced that any man was a fool who was afraid of a sea serpent. He intended to row out in a boat and to go nigh enough to empty his revolver into the head. Incidentally he let it fall that he had a 191record as a pistol expert, and he invited any one who had the ‘sand’ to go with him for a near view of his fight with the creature that was making a deuced bore of itself.
“To the breathless of the awe-smitten listeners, two young women, pretty of feature and with eyes, volunteered. He warned them of the risk they ran, but they replied that they were not afraid of anything that failed to alarm him, and any way they didn’t believe the creature would get a chance to harm them before their escort would pierce its brain with several bullets. This tribute to the young man’s skill and bravery caused him to set his hat at a greater angle and thrust out his chest still more. Many of the spectators thought it their duty to protest, but the girls would not be , and a few minutes later the boat put off with its three occupants, while every glass or unaided eye followed the movements of the craft.
“This was one of the times when the serpent was in plain sight a half mile away, and the young hero headed directly toward it. The girls laughed and chatted and were sure it was the greatest in which they had ever engaged.
“They noticed that as they drew near the creature their escort showed lees enthusiasm and kept looking over his shoulder. It is not to be supposed they were free from a few themselves, but, if so, they did not allow him to see it. They kept up their laughter and commented freely upon the timidity of the thousands who remained upon the hotel porch and watched the sea serpent from afar.
“More slowly the swayed until probably a couple of hundred yards separated the boat from that awful undulating monster. The young man ceased and laid his hand upon the revolver in his pocket.
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