STRANGE MONSTER SEEN IN SOUND

Southland Times, Issue 23839, 9 June 1939, Page 5

STRANGE MONSTER SEEN IN SOUND

HEAD LIKE A DOG, THREE FEET ABOVE WATER (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 8. In a letter to The Evening Post, Wellington, Mr H. C. Christian, of Te Rawa, Pelorus Sound, states: “On Friday last at 1 p.m. I was passing Pippin’s Island, 14 miles from Nelson, en route to the French Pass, in my launch Te Rawa, with my sister-in-law and a young native workman, when we saw what appeared to be the branch of a tree sticking out of the water. It had a somewhat swan-like shape, and appeared to be about Bft or 9ft long. As we got closer to the object we found that it was alive, and it turned its head towards the launch. "We noticed its tail, which protruded about 3ft, and curved back towards the centre of the fish, and was split or comb-shaped at the edges. The head was somewhat like that of a dog, with hair on top and 3ft out of the water. “The most peculiar feature was that when we saw it it appeared to be quite still, although fully two-thirds of the fish was out of the water, and it remained in that position until I turned the launch towards it, and we got within about 40ft, when it submerged. ■ I have been 35 years in this territory and have seen nothing like it, nor have others.”