A SEA SERPENT KILLED.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 107, 3 October 1874, Page 3

A SEA SERPENT KILLED.

From the Pall Mall Gazette.

Everbody will be interested if not glad to hear that the sea serpent lias not only been seen but actually killed, in the Republican River, near Scandia, in Kansas, United States. Full particulars of the death of this formidable creature are given in a letter from a correspondent of the Atchison Champion, written from Belleville, Kansas. The serpent, it seems, was first seen by the toll-keeper on abridge floating like “a huge black log” on the water. Its head, when lifted above the surface, disclosed a glittering row of teeth that sent a thrill through the nerves of a large crowd on the bridge, which assembled on hearing of the unusual spectacle. Both banks of the river were speedily thronged by an excited multitude armed with guns, clubs, and stones, bent on the destruction of the monster. Several shots were fired at him, some of which evidently hit him and made him excessively irritable in temper, for he began to lash the water furiously with his enormous tail, and to emit from his throat as he reared his head a prolonged hiss of fury resembling the sound of a steam whistle. The serpent would probably have escaped but for the happy thought of a Mr A. P. Smith, who arrived hastily on the scene with a fire extinguisher primed with suiphuric acid and other chemicals. This machine was aimed at the open jaws of the monster by Mr Burchfield, Mr Smith’s assistant, and a tremendous dose of the mixture was discharged “squarely” into his throat. The serpent bounded from the water, and after performing “a double flying trapeze” in the air plunged madly to the bottom of the river. He performed this feat several times, and finally making “a straight shoot up stream,” disappeared from the sight of the awe. stricken beholders. It was thought that the creature had taken its departure for ever, but a few days later its carcase came slowly floating down stream, and was dragged out upon the shore, where it became an object of curiosity to thousands. It was perforated by no fewer than nineteen rifle and duck shots, but there is no doubt that the cause of its death was the dose from the fire _ extinguisher. The serpent measures 26ft Sin from nose to tail. Its greatest circumference is 21in; its head is 3ft long, and its jaws have a double row of fangs—thirty-six in all. Its body, which is of a dirty brown color, is covered with scales, and its tail flattened out like that of a beaver. Such was the sad end of an old and respected friend, who will be much missed when Parliament has been prorogued.