The Southport Telegraph

April 26, 1842

“A Lake Monster.’”

A few days ago as two boys named McConnel were playing on the lake shore near Gull Point, they discovered from behind a thicket a huge serpent which they described to be about the thickness of a man’s body, and with a head proportionably large and very glossy, the eyes about the size of a horse’s and very bright. They ran home and told their father what they had seen, who having no gun, sent for Mr. John Church with his rifle, and they were conducted by the boys to the spot. There they discovered him basking in the sun, his head almost four feet out of the water. They judged him to be about 30 or 40 feet long, a dark brown color and a broad ring about his neck varying in hue from the rest of his body.

Mr. Church alarmed him in endeavoring to get a favorable position for a shot, and he put out into deep water, but soon returned, and they followed him from Gull Point to the light house, a distance of two miles, where he finally disappeared.

We have the truth of this from undoubted sources, and we further learn that such a monster has been frequently seen by the people along the lake shore.

Prince Edward Gazette.

“Historic Cryptid Headlines” showcases actual articles involving cryptids that were published within United States newspapers back in the 1800s-1900s. The articles posted here are written exactly as they appeared during their original publishing date.

-The Pine Barrens Institute

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