An Australian Monster 1822

A powerful sensation has lately been created in the town of Liverpool, by a report of a dreadful monster having been seen in its vicinity, and to satisfy the mingled feelings of alarm and incredulity which had spread among the inhabitants, two men came before the Magistrates, and voluntarily made affidavit, that they had seen in the bush, about two miles and a half out of town, a tremendous snake, which, to the best of their belief, was at least forty five feet in length, and three times the circumference of the human body ! ! ! The man who first beheld it, thinking it might be dead, threw a stick at it when it reared its monstrous body five feet from the ground. A third person, who also had witnessed this frightful spectacle, offered to corroborate, on oath, the depositions laid before the Court; but it was judged that two affidavits formed a testimony quite sufficient. Actuated at once by curiosity and alarm, a party of respectable Gentlemen, with attendants, went in quest of this extraordinary object ; but succeeded only in finding its track, which exhibited the impression of immense scales, and fully confirmed the reports concerning its tremendous dimensions. Some have conjectured that it must be a species of crocodile, from a mark in the earth fourteen inches long, which appeared to have been indented by a portion of its jaw. We are informed that every exertion is now making to find out this fearful monster, and to put an end to its horrid existence. For the satisfaction of public curiosity, we shall feel obliged by communications from any of the Gentlemen residing on the spot.