“it is over thirty years ago,” said uncle elk that evening to the listening boy scouts who were gathered in the bungalow, “that the whole country was thrown into excitement by accounts of a stupendous sea serpent which was repeatedly seen off the isle of shoals. you know that returning mariners have brought home stories of encounters in distant seas with similar monstrous reptiles. the reputation of many of these men for truthfulness, 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 unreasonable 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 astounded 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 drawn 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 tapering 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 temerity 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 incurring any peril, for whoever heard of a sea serpent attacking a ship? it may crush a small boat in its prodigious jaws, as the hippopotamus 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 ardent, he would reappear and the excitement would be greater than ever.
“picture the piazza of the hotel, the upper windows, and even the roof swarming with people, nearly all with small or large glasses pointed out over the water, searching and waiting minute after minute for a sight of the terrific creature. maybe after the scrutiny 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 exclamations would follow. the serpent was in plain sight of every eye. the fore part was upreared three or four feet, and the most powerful binoculars revealed the enormous eyes and vast mouth, while at varying distances to the rear could be seen bulging curvings of the stupendous body, as thick as a cask. its hideous 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 reposing, occasionally disporting 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 resentment 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 shudder 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 frightful 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 amazement of the awe-smitten listeners, two young women, pretty of feature and with mischievous 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 horrid 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 dissuaded, 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 lark 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 tremors 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 oars swayed until probably a couple of hundred yards separated the boat from that awful undulating monster. the young man ceased toiling and laid his hand upon the revolver in his hip pocket.
“‘you are not near enough to reach him,’ said one of the misses.
“‘i am best on long shots,’ he replied with another glance at that fearful head.
“‘why, he has seen us! he is looking this way!’ exclaimed the other.
“‘are you sure of that?’ he asked with chattering teeth.
“‘yes; he’s coming toward us! isn’t 193that splendid? all you will have to do is to wait until he is near enough and then shoot the horrid thing through the head as you said you would.’
“but the young man had heard enough. he whirled the boat around and rowed with might and main, never pausing until he reached the wharf, when he sprang out, and amid the laughter and jeers of the spectators rushed to his room, which he kept until the time came for him to leave the hotel.
“the sea serpent was seen at intervals all through the summer. it did not make itself too cheap, and a week or more would pass without its showing itself. it was observed late in the season, but finally disappeared for good. the appledore house was crowded as never before, and ran to its fullest capacity for the two following summers because of the general expectation that the sea serpent would show up again, but it never did, and in due time became only a memory or was forgotten entirely.
“when you land at the dock at boothbay harbor and come up the slope to commercial street, turn to the left, walk only 194a little way and you will come to the large grocery store of simpson and perkins. in the upper hall of that store, as it used to be, the sea serpent of which i have been telling you was born and attained its full growth, preliminary to its removal to the isle of shoals.
“the author of its being was william wilson, who died about ten years ago. he was an english sailor, who in middle life gave up the sea and settled in boothbay harbor, where for years he was the only rigger in the little town. he possessed great natural mechanical ability, and it was said of him that he could make anything. he was unusually skilful in plain and fancy sewing and in constructing all sorts of knickknacks. he turned his attention to house painting and in that developed real artistic taste. in short, he was a jack-of-all-trades and good in each.
“one day a stranger who had heard of wilson’s versatility came to him with a proposition that he should construct him a sea serpent, for which he was willing to pay two hundred dollars. he explained its purpose and impressed upon the artist the 195necessity of keeping the thing an absolute secret,—since the discovery that it was a fake would defeat the very object of its being, which was to build up business for the hotel at the isle of shoals.
“wilson agreed to construct the sea serpent in accordance with his own ideas of what it should be. his employer was quite willing to accept this proviso, for he knew the man’s ingenuity and so the verbal contract was made.
“wilson had a partner in the work, a swede named robert alson, who is still living. these two used to saunter upstairs into the long hall which was their workshop, lock the door and devote themselves to the task, upon which they spent their spare hours throughout the winter. like a true artist, wilson would not hurry, and gave careful attention to the smaller details,—a fact which accounts for the perfect success of the extraordinary fraud.
“the sea serpent was exactly thirty-five feet long, and for convenience of shipment was made in three sections, which overlapped and could be readily sewn together. the material was strong canvas, painted a 196black color, with proper proportions. the tail tapered, as did the neck, the largest part of the body being about two feet in diameter. the head, eyes and mouth were not exaggerated, as would have been the fact with almost any amateur at the job. it was stuffed with cork and oak shavings, so nicely adjusted that it would float partly on or just below the surface, with the curving neck lifting the hideous head two or three feet above the water. the small waves gave a lifelike motion to the thing, which made it seem to be moving slowly through the water, when in fact it never progressed forward or backward, for its position was held immovably by an anchor.
“when the serpent was at last completed it was securely boxed and shipped to portsmouth, six miles from the isle of shoals. then it was towed at night to the right place, anchored and left to do its duty, which, as i have told you, it succeeded in doing to perfection. it is strange that the imposture was kept up for month after-month, and that it was seen and inspected by thousands, and yet no one really penetrated the clever deception. it was towed 197to the anchorage at night, and taken away again the next night to a secure hiding place. those who had it in charge were too shrewd to overdo the trick. when the attention of the crowds threatened to become too warm, the serpent disappeared and was not again seen for a week or more. the general belief was that it had gone out to sea, but after a time some strange attraction drew it back into the field of vision of the swarms of visitors to the appledore hotel. as i said, the sea serpent disappeared for good in the autumn and this particular one was never seen again—that is, in its native element. i do not know what ultimately became of it.”
at this point in the narrative uncle elk paused, and it could be seen that he was smiling behind his beard.
“i now want to say something to you in confidence. you must be sure not to repeat it in the hearing of others. i gave you the names of the two men who built the sea serpent, but i have good reason to believe a third person had a hand in it. if you will question keyes h. richards, the proprietor of the samoset house on mouse island, you will find that he knows all about it. i once asked him point blank if he did not have something to do with its construction, but i could not draw a direct answer from him. therefore, i retain my suspicions.
“last spring the twin brothers, asa and bige carter of boothbay, persuaded themselves that they could make a tidy sum of money by introducing a new sea serpent to the public. after they had completed it, they decided to make a preliminary test by bringing it to gosling lake and trying it on you boy scouts. they let me into the secret, and though much interested, i discouraged it. they lacked the artistic cleverness of wilson and the trick was sure to be detected and quickly exposed. i met them on the shore of the lake and saw them tow it out a little way, and anchor it. it was not properly balanced, and while the body sank, the head rose to within a foot of the surface, but would not come any higher. when those two tramps happened to look over the edge of their canoe, you may perhaps imagine their terror at sight of the gently swaying monstrosity that 199seemed on the point of crushing the boat or them in its jaws. never again will they be so overcome with blind panic.
“this incident, together with my earnest persuasions, induced the carter boys to give up their scheme and to take away their sea serpent and consign it to oblivion.”
