THE SEA SERPENT SURPASSED.

Evening Star, Issue 4293, 29 November 1876, Page 4

THE SEA SERPENT SURPASSED.

The 'Nichi-nichi-shinbun' has a wonderful account of the ascent to heaven of a water snake near the village of Ni-irri-mura iu the Province of Chikuzen, Japan. A large snake ascended to heaven from the lake Itachi, where he had lived for many years. The following report, containing a full account of the event, has been presented to the Provincial Governor by the Kucha. The letter is headed "The ascent to heaven of a large snake.—Reported with respect. To-day, I, Moriruasa, and seven others were attending to our usual business in the district office. About 1.12 p.m. the office boy, by name Heisuke, ran in and informed us in great haste that just then a snake was ascending to heaven. We asked him, < Where 1 ' in a dubious manner. He replied, ' You can see it before the front gate.' Each of us started from his chair, and to our great wonder Ave found the boy's words were true. The white clouds flew high in the air. We saw one dark cloud, under which half the body of the snake was visible. It was about 540 feet in length, and the end of its tail was seen about 180 feet high in the air. The body was about 3 feet in diameter iu its largest part and the point of the tail was about l\ feet in diameter, 'ts movement seemed like that of the rolling waves. For about five minutes this serpent was creeping into the cloud. It was seen no more again. It was just like a small snake creeping on the ground. No wind was blowing at the time, and no rain fell. But the dark cloud turned round on itself. In iifty minutes it ascended up high into heaven, and the white clouds dispersed in all directions gradually. We write the above account of what we have really seen, without the slightest stretch of imagination. We report this respectfully.— SUYENAGA-MORIMASA."