An interesting sea serpent story came my way a few days ago. From
the Jonesboro Evening Sun of May 11th 1905
MODEL OF CHINA`S
DRAGON
Head of sea serpent recently captured displayed in
Honolulu
Honolulu is the possessor of the head of a real sea
serpent. The intact bones of the curious head are on exhibition in the window
of a store in that city,and hundreds of curious people crowd around the place
waiting to get a glimpse of the strange object,says a recent report to the
New York Sun. William Herbert Melton Ayres brought to Hawaii what is probably
the first head of a serpent to be placed on exhibition. He came to Hawaii
seven years ago ,later went to Shanghai and a short time ago he returned to
Honolulu
quite unexpectedly .
He walked into the office of the Bulletin and
asked if that paper cared to have a story about a sea serpent. He was asked
not to slam the door in going out. Nothing daunted, Ayres again descended on
the office,bearing a large carpet bag. Depositing the package on the
sporting editor`s desk he insisted upon opening it,and revealed to the
surprised gaze of all the bones of the head of a huge sea monster. The
jawbones measured about four feet, the head being a couple of feet wide.
There were 160 teeth, 80 upper and as many lower. The specimen was utterly
unlike anything seen as far as the records go. Ayres stated that he had
purchased the head from a Chinese fisherman who had found the body of the
serpent washed upon the shore, the body measuring 78 feet, apparently having
been killed by some passing steamer.
Ayres believes that the serpent thus
discovered is a descendant of the monster which inspired the dragon upon the
flag of China. (Remember this is long before the flag the Communists adopted
in 1949.)
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3 comments:
Where is this from/b Is there a photograph?
Where is this from/b Is there a photograph?
There is a photograph... he - William Shakespeare Herbert Melton Ayres was my son's Great-Great-Grandmother's adoptive father -- and quite an interesting character in Honolulu and the world (part of the Boer Wars, Spanish War, Shanghai writer for the Bund and on and on).
The Pacific commercial advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands), 16 Feb. 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
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