Bilk - no 045 - 1992 01

Magazine Overview

This issue of BILK, number 45, dated January 1992, is published by Ulrich Magin from Stuhlbruder-hofstraße 4, W-6704 Mutterstadt, Germany. Subscriptions cost 15 German Marks for 6 issues or one year, with no foreign currency cheques accepted.

BEHEMOTH

Nicaragua Farmers in Mosonte, Nueva Segovia province, reported a "prehistoric monster" to the "Nuevo Diario" newspaper. The creature was described as serpent-shaped, with a single eye, approximately 10 meters (33 ft) long, and possessing a horn on its head. It left tracks on the ground resembling those of a tractor. Further details were noted from "Bild" (5 Nov, p.4), "Thüringer Tageblatt" (6 Nov), and "Fortean Times 57" (p.23) which mentioned a half-Bigfoot, half-serpent water monster.

Siberia Reports from Reuter, dpa, and Tass detail a six-meter (20 ft) serpentine monster appearing near Sharipovo in the South Ural region of Russia. The creature was observed in a lake, holding its head high above water, and moving on land, leaving tracks described as "like that of a sledge in a meadow." Its body was compared to a log. One witness reportedly took a picture, though prints were not seen. The monster is said to have consumed all fish and frogs in the lake, leading to speculation about its size. Local elders recall a prehistoric fish being caught in the lake about 50 years prior. The article cross-references this with folklore, including a Loch Ness story about sledge-like tracks and a European folktale about a creature with a sheep's head and log-like body found near the Swiss Rotsee in 1599, as quoted in "Meurger's Lake Monster Traditions."

Auyan Tepui This table mountain in Venezuela, featured in Conan Doyle's "Lost World," has been the site of recent dinosaur sighting claims. The article references previous mentions in BILK, including sightings by Alejandro Laime in 1975 and a supposed capture by a German TV crew from "Terra X" and "GEO Magazin." A report in "IWZ" (48/1991) aligns with a GEO report, and German TV channels (ZDF) aired segments on the Tepuis. The TV report mentioned the capture of a young dinosaur (identified as a common lizard) and a sighting of three swimming, dog-sized dinosaurs during an expedition. A book, "Terra X. Von den Steppen der Mongolen zu den Inseln über dem Regenwald," by Hans Helmut Hillrichs, accompanies the TV report.

Lake Okanagan An article in "Beautiful British Columbia" (Fall 1991) discusses BC monsters, including a photograph attributed to Arlene Gaal as "the best photo yet of Ogopogo." The photo, taken by Mike Paskal of Fort McMurray, Alberta, shows an "80-90 feet long" snakelike object. The author dismisses the photo as a boat wake and criticizes BC cryptozoologists for publishing boat wakes as monsters, deeming their standards below those of "scientific ufology."

ISIS

Bibliography References are made to "Strange #28" which covers Doc Shiel's monster photos, Loch Ness, Ogopogo, Bunjip, Bunyip, Patagonia lake monsters, Lake Erie monster sightings, and a review of "Holiday's Goblin Universe."

ISIS

#### Bibliography
"Neue Zürcher Zeitung" (11 Oct) is cited for mermaids, melusine, udine, and nymphs in German literature. "Strange 8" (p.8-23,44) is mentioned for stories of merman-like extraterrestrials in South America and the myth of the Japanese Kappa as an extraterrestrial astronaut.

#### Abduction by Merman
Raymond E. Fowler's book "Die Wächter" (The Watchers) is discussed, detailing Betty Ann Andreasson Luca's account of being abducted by ETs to help steal the fetus of another abducted woman for interbreeding. The article draws a parallel to an identical folktale from Laibach (now Ljubljana, Slovenia) from 1547, where a water man abducted a girl and dragged her into a river. Another similar account from Saalbach, Austria (1630) involves a midwife assisting a woman abducted by a water man, who then consumed the child. These are presented as examples of how "Els" (presumably extraterrestrials) interact with women today, similar to how watermen did in the past.

LEVIATHAN

Marseille In October, a grotto discovered below the water line off the French Mediterranean coast contained cave drawings. "Rheinpfalz" (22 Oct) reported one drawing showed a penguin, which the author finds impossible due to penguins' Antarctic habitat. "Stem" magazine (31 Oct, pp.32-39) published a selection of these drawings, including one described as a "fabulous animal, a mixture of a seal in the front with a capricom behind."

British Columbia "Beautiful BC, Fall 91" notes a new sea serpent sighting in Victoria's Gorge waterway in 1990, nicknamed 'Gorgeous.' The creature was described by writer Alison Griffiths as "almost round, medium grey in color, with purply blotches." It was later suggested to be either two harbor seals or one large sea lion.

Bibliography "Strange 8" is cited for information on Morgawr and the Mary F photograph.

KRAKEN

New Zealand A sperm whale with scars from a fight against a giant squid was observed off New Zealand. It is believed that giant squid tentacles can reach 10 m and their bodies 12-15 m, according to AFP via "Die Rheinpfalz" (13 Nov).

USO

Lagarfljot This Icelandic lake is mentioned in relation to a UFO sighting on August 24, 1954, by numerous civilians over the "Lagarfjot River" (misspelled). The lake serpent is described as the first incarnation of the modern Lagarfljot monster, referencing Alan Boucher's "Elves, Trolls and Elemental Beings." The article also mentions ghost lights at Loch Sanais, near Loch Ness, noting it was an artificial pond dug during canal construction, fitting with Devereux's Earth Lights theories.

The author concludes by stating that five shorter stories had to be omitted and will be included in the next issue, suggesting the possibility of a double issue if reports continue to flood in. The issue ends with holiday greetings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of BILK focuses heavily on alleged sightings of large, unknown creatures in various aquatic and terrestrial environments, ranging from "prehistoric monsters" and sea serpents to cryptids like Ogopogo. The magazine also touches upon UFO sightings and abduction accounts, linking them to folklore and historical narratives. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting these phenomena, often with a critical eye, as seen in the dismissal of the Ogopogo photograph and the commentary on cryptozoological standards. There is an emphasis on cross-referencing reports with historical accounts and folklore, suggesting a belief in the potential for genuine unexplained phenomena, while also maintaining a degree of skepticism towards sensationalized or poorly documented claims.