“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 thither 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 record 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 that 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 a 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 necessity 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 black
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 to 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 seemed 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.”