Bilk - no 036 - 1990 07

Magazine Overview

This document is BILK issue 36, published in July 1990. BILK appears six times a year, and a subscription costs 15 DM. It is published by Ulrich Magin in Mutterstadt, West Germany. The issue's main theme is 'BEHEMOTH,' focusing on various reports of large, mysterious creatures and phenomena.

BEHEMOTH Section

Lago Orta, Italy The article begins by describing Lago Orta, Italy, as a place steeped in legends of serpents and werewolves. It recounts a tale from 390 AD where a figure named Giulio, a 'dragon-buster extraordinaire,' used his cloak as a sail to cross the lake, slaying a dragon. A vertebra from this dragon, described as having the diameter of a life buoy, is allegedly on display in the island's basilica. The dragon of Lago Orta is also mentioned in Umberto Cordier's compendium of Italian monsters.

Lago de Cote, Costa Rica This section discusses how the UFO myth has replaced many traditional monster motifs. It presents a typical many-humped lake monster sighting from Lago de Cote, Costa Rica, described with UFO terminology. Two witnesses observed an unusual object on October 25, 1986, around 9 a.m. Initially, they saw three or four postlike cylinders, about three feet above the lake's surface. Later, a series of objects emerged, sticking out about three feet above the water and three feet apart. These dark-colored cylinders (gray or coffee-colored) disappeared after 5 to 10 minutes, with the entire structure vanishing with turmoil and waves. The author notes the similarity to other descriptions and mentions a second part to their article on 'The Evolution of Lake Monsters' for the INFO Journal.

Loch Ness, Scotland A London bookmaker has offered a reward of 600,000 Swiss francs for proof of the Loch Ness monster's reality. The report, originating from the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and Reuters, also mentions a three-day hunt for the monster organized by the local tourist board as a press gimmick. Reuters claims the monster has been seen 800 times in the past 60 years, a figure consistent with research published by Henry Bauer. The article highlights the economic significance of the Loch Ness monster, with Mackay Consultants estimating it earns Scotland 25 million Pounds annually and supports about 500,000 tourists visiting Inverness each year, providing 2,500 jobs. Tony Mackay of Mackay Consultants emphasizes Nessie's importance as a tourist magnet. The article concludes by noting that AP implies the legend was invented by the local tourist board, a simplification deemed unhelpful for serious sociological study.

Other Reports

Yanzhou, China A picture from China im Bild (4/1990) shows a 7.5m, 1,500 kg sword excavated in Yanzhou, Shandong Province. This sword, the largest in the world, was cast during the reign of Qing emperor Kangxi (1662-1723) as a ritual instrument to control an evil dragon and was buried under the Sihe bridge. The dragon is interpreted not as an unidentified animal but as a symbol of earth energies.

Bibliography: Lake Utopia, Canada Sightings of monsters in Lake Utopia, Canada, in 1982 and 1987 are noted, referencing Pursuit 21:4, 1988.

ISIS: Copenhagen Attack There was another attack on the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, reported on May 8th. A note on initial bipedalism from 1940, without mention of aquatic apes but with Nazi overtones, was reprinted in Spektrum der Wissenschaft in June 1990.

LEVIATHAN: Hog Island, Florida In 1983, R Dash and B Hendrickson reported seeing a sea serpent with a series of humps, described as having a silvery bottom and grayish top. They watched it for 10 minutes, estimating its length at 40 to 45 feet, believing it was feeding leisurely. This report is from INFO Journal 59.

Suva, Fiji An Arab News AP report from May 29 states that a group of divers discovered the remains of four prehistoric creatures in an underwater cave in northern Fiji. Kevin Deacon, a professional diver, confirmed the discovery by the Douglas family and took pictures. The remains appear to be two adults, one adolescent, and a juvenile, bearing no resemblance to any known marine creature. The adult skulls were about one meter long, with total body lengths estimated at 8 to 10 meters. They resembled land animals or amphibious species. The report is unclear on whether 'prehistoric' implies fossils or fresh remains.

Bibliography: Chessie and Monsters Michael Frizzel's work on Chessie is mentioned (INFO 59, p.21). Fortean Tomes is set to publish Doc Shiels' book 'Monstrum' in July. The International Herald Tribune reported on May 7 that molecular biologists discovered the world's 11 species of crocodiles evolved from a single location as recently as 12 million years ago, suggesting they swam across oceans. The question is posed whether this explains sea monster sightings and if these marine missing links still exist.

KRAKEN: Octopus Attack An octopus attack in the Philippines on December 12, 1989, is noted (INFO 59, p.30).

USO: Pacific Ocean A ship from Tokyo University's Ocean Research Institute located a large object traveling over four times the speed of sound, with a diameter of 400 meters, over the Pacific. The researchers theorize it was a plasma phenomenon, similar to those creating crop circles.

Irish Sea Vanishing Ships Newsweek reported on vanishing ships in the Irish Sea, attributing them to mysterious subs caught in nets. The article suggests these are real craft (British, US, and occasional Soviet) engaged in warfare, not sea monsters. Over 40 incidents have occurred since 1980. Bernard Moffat of the Celtic League stated that sinking ships in good conditions are either snagged or due to sea monsters, but he doesn't believe in the latter.

Lady of the Lake USO Referenced as INFO 59 (March 1990), p.23.

WHALES Several whale strandings are reported: Risso's dolphins near Cape Town (March 1); a 22m blue whale dead off Alexandria, Egypt (March 3); mass death of porpoises through pollution in the Gulf of Mexico (March 13); a sperm whale stranded at Terschelling, Netherlands (April 3); and two sperm whales stranded at Fanö, Denmark (April 3).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BILK revolve around unexplained phenomena, particularly large aquatic creatures (lake monsters, sea serpents) and unidentified objects (UFOs, USOs). The magazine appears to present a wide range of reports, from ancient legends to modern sightings, often referencing other publications and research journals. There is an emphasis on documenting these phenomena, with a critical eye towards oversimplification, as seen in the commentary on the Loch Ness tourist industry. The editorial stance seems to be one of presenting information and encouraging further investigation, while acknowledging the mythological and cultural aspects of these reports.