Bilk - no 023 - 1988 07

Magazine Overview

BILK is a magazine that explores unusual phenomena, cryptozoology, and fortean events. This issue, number 23 from July 1988, features a cover headline that prompts reflection on cultural interpretation of phenomena: "Depends all on your cultural background, doesn't it?". The magazine is published in Germany and costs DM 15 for 6 issues.

Key Articles and Reports

CHINA: Dragons and Lost Valleys

The issue details discoveries in China related to dragons and unusual creatures. In the Nanping region of Sichuan province, a scientist discovered a "lost valley" with 108 lakes, including "Dragon's Lake" (Wolonghai) and "Long Lake" (Changhai). On October 12, 1984, Chen Xianhuan observed a 3-meter long "miracle animal" with a horse-like head and a body resembling a dinosaur or rhino. This observation is attributed to the Institute for Environmental Protection of Jiuzhaigou. A separate report mentions an article in "China im Bild" (March 1988) about China's first dragon, discovered in a 6000-year-old grave at Xishuipo, Henan province, which included three skeletons and a 1.78m dragon model made of shells.

Dragons and Beliefs

An article in "The Spiegel" (May 1988) is mentioned in relation to Reagan's belief in astrology, and it references Lon Nol, the former head of government of Campuchea. In 1972, Lon Nol's troops reportedly saw a horse in the sky, which was interpreted as an omen. Lon Nol's secret service investigated, and two weeks later concluded it was a cloud. "Pursuit" magazine is cited for a theory that European dragons might be based on sightings of surviving hippos. Roy Mackal's new book, "A Living Dinosaur," is mentioned, focusing on alleged dinosaur species in Africa, with a high price of $20. A "Newsweek" report (May 1988) based on a survey from "Current Anthropology" indicates that many US students seriously believe in creationism, with 53 percent in the southwest believing cavemen battled dinosaurs. A brief mention is made of a dragon sighting in Denton, Texas. The issue also references a "land dragon of León" and the "cuélebre" legend from Asturias, described as a large snake with a cock's head, a protector of forests that can also destroy crops.

Bibliography and Other Reports

The bibliography section includes references to Bob Rickard on Meurger's book, the Storsjø hunt, and a cryptozoological conference in "Fortean Times". A report from the "Inverness Courier" (Feb 1959) describes Hamish Mackintosh and two others seeing an 8ft headneck with a hump off Brachla. German magazines "PM" and "GEO" are noted for articles on CZ, Nessie, dinos, ABSM, and the yeti.

ISIS: Mermaids

Annette Mimstedt of Paderborn, Germany, has created the world's largest china figure of a mermaid, measuring 1.7m tall and weighing 150 pounds. It took her 11 months to complete, and she is an artist, but the figure is not for sale.

LEVIATHAN: Sea Monsters and Seals

In Spain, a 79-year-old farmer in the Gulf of Biskaya encountered a sea-monster with a black head that tried to throw him out of his boat. It was later identified as a seal that had befriended a local boy and now plays the role of a legendary dolphin, becoming a tourist attraction.

KRAKEN: Octopus Sighting

In Greece, at Zakynthos Island, Gregory Pissas found an octopus with 9 tentacles.

USOS: UFOs and Submarines

Reports include a "boomerang shaped" object sighted in the sky 150 km off Beira, Mozambique, on February 11, 1988, which went dark when a BOEING 737 approached. The Swedish navy fired depth charges and anti-submarine grenades at underwater intruders off the coast of Oxelosund and Gothenburg in June 1988. Navy spokesman Kari Hansson stated that the targets were identified as underwater cliffs, and the navy had detonated underwater mines or fired depth charges on eight occasions in the past week. The issue suggests someone should write a book about this, comparing it to the hysteria at Loch Ness or UFOs.

Bibliography: Ufology and Earthlights

References are made to "The Ley Hunter" (Winter 1987/88) for an article on Pennine earthlights and a UFO over the Torside Reservoir. The same issue mentions an article by Andrew Collins on Mount Athos, Greece, where a strange pillar of light was observed. "Der Spiegel" (May 1988) is cited for an interview with Mr Gustafsson on mystery subs in Swedish waters.

MARINE LIFE: Whales and Trenches

Reports on marine life include American navy seamen saving a sperm whale entangled in a net in the Indian Ocean, a beluga seen in the Baltic Sea, and a school of 20 whales destroying a 30-ft sloop in the Atlantic, an event described as extremely rare. The issue also notes information on life in mid-ocean trenches like the Nazca Trench and around undersea volcanoes in the Caribbean, as well as a "seal invasion" on Norway's northern coast while seals in the North Sea are dying.

FORTEANA: Pyramids and Frogs

The German pre-astronautics magazine "Mysteria" is noted for an article by W J Langbein discussing the legend of subaquatic pyramids in Rock Lake, Wisconsin, which divers have reportedly spotted, though archaeologists reject the evidence. A rain of frogs and sand in Cirencester, UK, in summer 1987 is also mentioned.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of BILK demonstrates a consistent interest in the unexplained, the anomalous, and the fringe. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting and presenting diverse accounts and theories, encouraging readers to consider different interpretations of events, as suggested by the cover headline. The magazine draws from a wide range of sources, including international newspapers, specialized magazines, and academic surveys, to compile its reports on cryptozoology, UFOs, and other fortean phenomena. The inclusion of bibliographical references suggests an effort to provide further avenues for reader research.