The “Monster” Again
Bro. Milando Pratt has just reached this city from Rich county. While traveling on the borders of the Lake, to the south of Fish Haven, on the evening of last Tuesday week, in company with Thomas, son of Elder C.C. Rich, conversation turned on the “monster,” in whose existence Bro. Pratt had never believed. They each said how gratified they should be by a sight of his scaliness. They had not traveled far before their attention was attracted by an unusual commotion in the waters of the lake, and looking in the direction they presently saw the head and a portion of the body of a creature larger round than the body of a man, the head resembling somewhat the pictorial representations of the walrus, minus the tusks. The portion of the body out of the water was about ten feet long. Several shots were fired, but missed the creature. It swam away in the direction of the east side of the Lake, its track being marked by a wavy, serpentine motion. Its entire length was apparently about forty feet. The young men had a view of this denizen of the deep for about fifteen minutes.
Bro. Pratt informs us that one enterprising citizen, determined if possible to capture one of these animals, has a large rope, to which is attached a very strong hook well baited, tied round a stout tree, so that we shall no doubt hear before long that the Bear Lake “monster” is caught at last.
[Deseret News, Aug. 3, 1870]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Aug. 2006]