Thursday, October 25, 2007

For Those Researching Early American Cryptozoology

Also a reminder that early Republic newspapers weren't necessarily so different from newspapers today when it comes to repeating a good yarn.

From the October 11, 1794 Centinel of the North-west Territory, p. 2:
In February last, a detachment of mounted infantry, commanded by Captain John Beaird, penetrated fifteen miles into the Cumberland mountain: On Covecreek, ensign M'Donald and another man, in advance of the party as spies, they discovered a creature about three steps from them: it had only two legs, and stood almost upright, covered with scales, of a black, brown, and a light yellow colour, in spots like rings, a white tuft or crown on the top of its ahead [sic], about four feat high a head as big as a two pownd stone, and large eyes of a fiery red. It stood about three minutes in a daring posture (orders being given not to fire a gun except at Indians) Mr. M'Donald advanced and struck at it with his sword, when it jumped up, at least eight feet, and lit on the same spot of ground, sending forth a red kind of matter out of its mouth resembling blood, and then retreated into a laurel thicket, turning round often as if intended to fight. The tracks of it resembled that of a gocle, but larger. The indians report, that a creature inhabits that part of the mountain, of the above description, which, by its bgreath will kill a man, if he does not instantly immerse himself in water.
It appears that this may have first appeared in the Knoxville Gazette.

What is a "gocle"?

UPDATE: To my surprise, this isn't the first time that this account has been posted to the Internet! See this account, which indicates the word wasn't "gocle" but "goose."

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