July 22, 1910
Sea Serpent Taken Off Nova Scotia
Seven Foot Monster Sold To Boston Museum of Natural
History
Has his majesty, the great and mighty sea
serpent permitted himself to be captured, after countless years of tumbling through the
sea, and frightening the wits out of enthusiastic amateur fishermen, to say nothing of
proving a great asset for summer hotel keepers along the Atlantic coast?
The sea serpent was brought to Boston
yesterday from Yarmouth on steamer Prince George.
The monster was seven feet long, with a
flattened head over a foot long, and its great mouth filled with a toothlike structure.
On its back was a dorsal fin composed of 28 spines, nearly a foot long, and
connected by a thick, almost transparent skin. A huge, fan-shaped tail helped propel
the marine monstrosity when it was alive, for be it known that the se serpent was dead.
A Boston commission merchant was the consignee
of the fish, which had been carefully crated and shipped to Boston. The merchant did
not appear to be overjoyed when he was presented with the freight bill and also learned
that he would have to pay customs duties.
there was a bargain sale of a sea serpent and
it was bid in by an Atlantic avenue fish dealer for 25 cents, with the understanding that
he would pay the duty and freight. The dealer, in turn, disposed of the curiosity to
a representative of the Museum of Natural History, where casts will be taken and it will
probably be mounted.
The monster was captured after a terrific
fight by four fishermen off Baccaro, Shelburne county, N. S. It is said that 30
years ago a similar specimen was brought to Boston, but no one could be found yesterday
who had ever seen anything like it.
One of the oldest dealers declared it was a
species known as Alepido-saurus ferox. Others were of the opinion that it was a saw
fish, which lives in 150 fathoms of water and is dreaded by every other fish that swims.
The sea serpent flourished around this
locality several years ago, but the unbiased witnesses who got a glimpse of him solemnly
asserted that they saw more than 100 feet of length, with other portions of the great fish
buried beneath the surface of the water.
The New England specimen of the sea serpent
has not been seen around here for years. He usually made his presence known to
fishermen who went out for a day's outing in a small boat, with a bait and other things to
keep up their courage and enthusiasm in case the fish failed to bite.
He was the subject of many thrilling stories,
both of prose and verse, and many of those who saw him formed what they called the Sea
Serpent Club, which flourished for many years and for some time held annual reunions at
Marblehead. |
