Wonders - Vol 4 No 1 - 1995

Magazine Overview

WONDERS, Vol. 4 No. 1, published in March 1995, is a quarterly magazine focused on "Seeking the Truth in a Universe of Mysteries." This issue is priced at US$3 plus postage for individual copies and features "The Gardar Skull" as its main cover story.

Editorial: Different Assumptions

The editorial discusses a study by Dr. Raymond Eve, a social psychologist, presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting. Eve's research categorized people into two groups based on their beliefs: traditional conservatives who rely on faith and authority, and those interested in "fantastic science" (UFOs, monsters, psychic powers, etc.) who are more open to unorthodox explanations. The author contrasts these "believers" with "run-of-the-mill scientists," suggesting that scientists often exhibit blind faith and use loaded terms like "pseudoscience" to dismiss unconventional ideas.

The Gardar Skull and the Taller-Hominid

This main article, authored by Mark A. Hall, delves into the discovery and interpretation of the Gardar Skull. In 1926, an archaeological excavation in Greenland unearthed twelfth-century Norse skeletons. Among them was a massive skull fragment and lower jawbone, which Professor F. C. C. Hansen of Copenhagen described in 1929. Hansen named the find *Homo gardarensis*, noting its extreme human-like cranial features reminiscent of ancient types like the La Chapelle and Rhodesian skulls.

The author posits that this find represents a type of "Taller-hominid," a relative of mankind described by Eskimos and others in North America, with a lineage possibly extending back millions of years to fossil finds in Africa. The Gardar Skull, the Taller-hominid known to Eskimos, and their ancestry are central to the article.

Details of the Gardar excavation are provided, noting that the Norse settlement at Gardar had prospered by the twelfth century, building a Cathedral and a churchyard. The expedition found about fifty graves, including that of a bishop. The remains in other graves, dating to the twelfth century, were descendants of the Vikings. One grave contained a massive lower jaw and skull part, which were sent to Professor Hansen.

Sir Arthur Keith, a Scottish anthropologist, also studied the skull, drawing from a chapter in his book "New Discoveries Relating to the Antiquity of Man." Keith received drawings and measurements from Hansen. While Hansen focused on the skull's proportions and harmony, suggesting it represented a primitive stage, Keith viewed it as an extreme case of acromegaly, a condition causing pathological bone enlargement. Keith noted the skull's long, low shape, primitive marks, enormous neck attachment, and a lower jaw of unprecedented mass, comparing its features to those of primitive men and female gorillas.

Keith and Hansen, though differing slightly, agreed the skull indicated a leap backward to a primitive stage. Keith argued that acromegaly could produce similar features to those found in primitive man, resulting from abnormal action rather than normal physiological action.

A Modern View: The Taller-Hominid and the Tornit

The article then introduces a "modern view" that considers the Gardar Skull within the context of co-existing with living descendants of fossil hominids, suggesting they are not extinct but remain hidden. The author connects this to Eskimo folklore about the "Tornit" (singular: Tuneq), a tall, strong, but less intelligent people who once shared the land with Eskimos and American Indians. The Tornit were described as having long arms and legs, capable of tossing boulders, and living in large stone houses. They were skilled in making stone implements but not bows or kiaks, which they stole from the Eskimos.

Various accounts of the Tornit are presented from sources like Dr. Henry Rink's "Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo" and "Danish Greenland." These describe the Tornit as a race akin to humans but much taller and stronger, with some traditions indicating they were driven north or exterminated by the Eskimos. Ernest William Hawkes' work on the Labrador Eskimo is cited, describing the Tunnit (Tornit) as a gigantic race inhabiting the northeastern coast of Labrador, Hudson Strait, and southern Baffin Island, with ruins of their stone houses still found.

Katherine Scherman's "Spring on an Arctic Island" and E. H. Mitchell's article in "The Beaver" are mentioned for their accounts of Tornit-attributed ruins and raised boulders. The author notes the lack of contemporary records of Tornit encounters but draws parallels with descriptions of other "wildmen" in North America.

The Taller-Hominid as an Unrecognized Primate

Mark A. Hall explicitly equates the Tornit with the "Taller-hominid" he describes. He suggests that the Taller-hominids lived in groups alongside Eskimos and American Indians, were taller and stronger but less intelligent, and were driven into hiding. They are still reported in scattered locations across North America and are considered a distinct group of primates not officially acknowledged by science.

The Gardar Skull is considered by the author to be the remains of a Tuneq (Tunek), suggesting a situation similar to the Zana case in the Caucasus, where an Almas (a different creature, but similar in being integrated into human society) was found. Both Zana and the Gardarene creature are believed to have lived among humans and received burial in human graves.

The article speculates that a Tunek became familiar with the Gardar community in the twelfth century and was buried in the churchyard. The Taller-hominid is also represented in Asia, described as a tall, thin, muscular primate typically about seven feet tall. The author believes their lineage will ultimately be traced back through species like *Pithecanthropus dubius* and Rhodesian Man.

Lost Bones and Future Recognition

The author expresses frustration with modern science, citing the loss of potential evidence. He mentions skulls found in northern Minnesota in 1968 that were kept secret for four years and then lost by the Smithsonian Institution. These, along with California's "Minaret Skull," are described as part of a "Modern Museum of Lost Unique Bones." The U.S. Forest Service's refusal to release descriptions of the Minnesota bones, citing archaeological site locations, is criticized as a "blunder."

Ultimately, the author believes the Gardarene skull, *Homo gardarensis*, will be recognized as a find of the Taller-hominid, a primate that may still be living in remote areas like the fjords of Greenland. He suggests it might even be classified as *Homo sapiens gardarensis* due to its capabilities and likeness to modern humans.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue strongly advocates for the exploration of phenomena outside mainstream scientific acceptance, particularly concerning ancient human relatives and cryptids. The editorial criticizes the scientific establishment for its rigid definitions and dismissive attitudes towards unconventional ideas. The article on the Gardar Skull and Taller-hominid exemplifies this stance, attempting to bridge physical evidence with folklore and suggesting the existence of unrecognized primate species. The author expresses a belief that such discoveries, despite current scientific resistance and mishandling of evidence, will eventually be acknowledged.

This issue of WONDERS magazine, dated March 1995, features an article titled "GIANT SNAKES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY" by Mark A. Hall. The article continues a discussion from a previous issue, detailing twentieth-century accounts of giant snakes, focusing on sightings east of the Rocky Mountains.

Giant Snakes in the Twentieth Century

The article begins by referencing earlier introductions of giant snakes in North America, found in monuments and oral traditions of Native Americans, though no such snakes are officially recognized. It notes that examples of nineteenth-century records were presented in the previous issue and this article will cover twentieth-century sightings.

Alabama: Early 1900s

Recollections from T.E. Wyatt of Clanton, Alabama, communicated to Loren Coleman in 1965, describe a huge snake seen in or near the Coosa River. Several people reported seeing it, sometimes in the water and sometimes in the bushes. One man described it as about eight inches in diameter and thirty feet long. No reports have surfaced since the area was impounded by a hydroelectric dam in 1922.

Indiana: 1913-1952

The state of Indiana has a history of reports describing immense snakes from 1913 to 1952. The author suggests that the presence of vast swamps, such as Black Swamp, Limberlost Swamp, and Kankakee Marsh, which have since vanished, might be a factor. These snakes are considered a legacy of the natural landscape that was altered. The period from 1940 to 1952 was particularly active for giant snake reports in Indiana, with much of the information gathered from the Indiana State Library.

#### French Lick, Orange County (1913)

In 1951, a report recalled a giant snake that "wintered at French Lick in 1913."

#### Adams County (ca. 1920)

After an 18-foot snake was reported north of Berne in 1940, a recollection emerged of a similar encounter 20 years prior, when David Wickey reported seeing a "monster" while mushroom hunting. Limberlost Swamp, located south of Berne, was drained and its trees cut in 1913.

#### Petersburg, Pike County (1921)

A "large snake" was reportedly seen near Petersburg, according to the Winslow (Indiana) Dispatch in 1921. This was later cited in "Doubt: The Fortean Society Magazine" in 1947.

#### Napoleon, Ripley County (1923)

In 1946, a Shelbyville resident, Mrs. Addie Jones, recalled an event from 1923. A 20-foot snake was seen near Napoleon shortly after a boa constrictor escaped from the Cincinnati zoo. A search by zoo officials failed to find the reptile. Mrs. Jones's husband had seen tracks of a similar snake in a wheat field.

#### Jasper, Dubois County (1926)

A member of the Fortean Society recalled seeing a "whopper" about two miles from Jasper in the summer of 1926. The witness claimed he tried to kill it, but the snake "laughed at him."

#### Adams County (1937)

Recalled in 1940, Harvey Laughry reported seeing a snake while cutting oats. Its head was reared above the oats, and it moved through the field rapidly, almost as fast as a horse. Other workers also reported seeing the "huge reptile."

#### Berne, Adams County (1940)

Carl Schug, a farmer near Berne, reported seeing a snake eighteen feet long, as thick as a fence post, with its head at least three feet in the air, racing down his field.

#### White River, Pike County (1943)

Reports from 1946 mentioned a snake answering to the description of the "Flat Rock" (Norristown) version, which had reportedly made its headquarters around Cato. A fisherman supposedly saw it swim the White River and crawl up the opposite bank into Daviess County.

#### Shelby County (1943)

An editorial in the Indianapolis News in 1946 referred to a "scaly old rapscallion" seen in the Norristown area since 1943. A witness described it as at least twenty feet long and "much more bizarre."

#### Norristown, Shelby County (1946)

Big snake reports were prominent in Indiana in 1946. George Gearhart, a Norristown farmer, discovered tracks in his cornfield on the banks of the Flat Rock River. The tracks were about 50 feet long, 10 inches wide, and showed no footprints, indicating something heavy had passed. Later, George Gearhart, his son-in-law Ralph Keller, and Ray Rush reported seeing a moving object in the river that looked like a huge fish, followed by two more. They described it as an undulating serpent body with a large head. They fired five shots from a .22 caliber rifle at the snake, which was about 100 feet away, before it disappeared. Gearhart estimated it was "as big around as a telegraph pole."

#### Pike County (1946)

A report from Petersburg detailed the disappearance of a cat, leaving behind a long track about five inches wide, possibly made by a snake.

#### Indianapolis, Marion County (1946)

Fremont Power reported on a monster snake seen on the edge of Indianapolis. Henry Rood described the snake as at least twenty-five feet long, with a body that hunched and swayed. He noted its brilliant, snapping eyes and a mouth large enough to swallow a fifty-pound pig. Rood estimated the snake was about eight inches in diameter and twenty-five feet long, with a gray side and darker top. He had never seen anything like it in his eighty-six years.

#### Flat Creek, Pike County (1951)

A dispatch reported a 17-foot snake sighted in Flat Creek bottoms. This sighting raised speculation that it was the same giant snake that wintered at French Lick in 1913. The snake had been seen repeatedly in Pike County up to 10 years prior. Recent coal stripping in the area may have unearthed its winter quarters.

#### Fort Wayne, Allen County (1952)

Records of snake sightings in Indiana conclude with the "Great Snake Hunt" for "Pete the Python" in Allen County. A snake described as "18 feet long, sickening blue, with a head as big as a bulldog's" was reported by the D. A. Crance family. They stopped their car to let the snake cross the road, describing it as the "biggest snake we ever saw." The snake's head was described as unusual, not triangular, and its color was grayish blue with darker markings. Officials feared it was a constrictor. Sheriff Harold Zeis investigated and found the snake's trail.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The article consistently highlights eyewitness accounts of unusually large snakes, often described with specific lengths and diameters, and sometimes with peculiar behaviors or physical attributes. A recurring theme is the potential connection between these sightings and the historical wetland environments of the regions, particularly in Indiana. The author presents these accounts as historical records and unexplained phenomena, without definitively concluding their nature but presenting them as intriguing mysteries worthy of documentation. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious archival of unexplained events, encouraging further research and acknowledging the limitations of current knowledge.

This issue of WONDERS magazine, dated March 1995, issue number 21, focuses on documented sightings and folklore of giant snakes across the United States. The content spans a period from the 1940s to the 1980s, presenting a collection of eyewitness accounts, newspaper reports, and local legends.

Indiana: The 'Pete the Python' Saga

The magazine details a series of events in Indiana, beginning with reports from Harry Stolte and Fred J. Kraft farms. Indiana State Police were investigating potential escapes from zoos or sideshows. Harry G. Rapp reported a pale blue snake, about 11 feet long and four inches in diameter, near the Wabash Railroad tracks. A more significant encounter was reported by Mrs. Crance, who described a pale blue snake blocking the road, estimated to be 18 feet wide and five inches in diameter, with a head like a bulldog. The snake was described as a 'sickly blue' color and was believed to have been living in local hollows, possibly preying on wildlife. Wesley D. Bashore's reporting in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette tracked the snake's probable habitat to a square mile area, narrowing it down to the Parker Whiting farm. Local residents had reported sightings of a large snake in the area for at least ten years. Evidence found included a crawling path through a fence and a spot where the snake had coiled. Chris Prange, farming the Whiting farm, also recalled a snake rearing up under his wagon about 10 years prior. Robert Sneidgar, curator of reptiles at the Brookfield Zoo, suggested the Crances might have seen a pilot black snake, which is blue-black and grows up to six feet long, native to Indiana, and noted that pythons have blue iridescence but not bulldog-like heads. The snake was later nicknamed 'Pete the Python.' Three young people reported seeing a huge snake on Parnell Avenue, described as 'like a fire hose.' Eugene Le Favour, Violet Schnieders, and Marguerite Schnieders also witnessed a snake, estimating the visible part to be eight to 10 feet long. They described its movement as 'very slow,' taking about 30 seconds to disappear into the underbrush. A sheriff's posse searched the area without success. A later report involved Walter Kilmer, who admitted to faking a tussle with a snake for publicity, having injured his finger in the process. This episode marked the end of the 'Great Snake Hunt of 1952' in Fort Wayne.

Ohio: The Peninsula Python

In 1944, Ohio had its own giant snake incident, dubbed the 'Peninsula Python.' A snake estimated to be 15 to 19 feet long was seen and hunted in June and July. This account is attributed to research by Robert Bordner for the Atlantic Monthly.

Ohio: Cuyahoga River Area

An 'Absolutely True Story' details events near the Cuyahoga River in northern Ohio. Clarence Mitchell reported seeing a large snake, estimated to be 15 to 18 feet long, sliding across his corn ground. Mike Bobacek saw the snake emerge from the river. On June 18, a track 'like from an auto tire' was found near Peninsula. Mrs. Roy Vaughn observed a snake struggling over a fence, estimating its length at nineteen feet. The local fire brigade was summoned, and a snake hunt was organized, though it yielded only a false alarm. The Columbus Zoo offered $500 for the beast. Later, Mrs. Pauline Hopko reported seeing a snake in a tree. The snake was reportedly seen again near Brandywine Creek, where Ernest Raymond thought he saw a stump that moved, and it was later seen dropping from a tree at Boston Mills. The snake was not seen when winter arrived and was thought to have holed up under the river banks.

Georgia: Etowah River Area

In the 1940s, E. F. Entrekin, a pipeline inspector, reported encountering a large snake in Floyd County, Georgia, between Wax and Seney. He described seeing at least 10 feet of its back end moving. Another man estimated the snake to be over 20 feet long. People in the area suggested the snake was 20 to 26 feet long. Entrekin identified it as a 'Coachwhip,' noting he had seen many racers but few poisonous snakes in the area.

Oklahoma: Wewoka

A 1950 newswire report from Oklahoma mentioned a trapper capturing a snake that was 14 inches large, 25-feet long, and weighed 250 pounds. This 'monster' had reportedly been a presence in the region for over 15 years. Authorities initially dismissed a farmer's report of seeing a snake as big as a man and as long as two trucks, but teams were organized to hunt the reptile.

Alabama: Albertville

In the summer of 1959, reports emerged of a monstrous snake in Albertville, Alabama, said to be 30 feet long and as big around as a telegraph pole. The Fort Payne Journal published numerous rumors and tales of sightings, including claims that the snake had swallowed a calf, then a cow, and finally a tractor, though this was never proven.

Kentucky: Hazel Community

On June 21, 1962, a snake estimated to be 28 feet long was reported near Hazel, Kentucky. Farmer Hildred Paschall provided the length estimate, describing it as being as big around as a stove pipe. Ernie Collins, a snake handler, found evidence indicating a snake about 20 feet long. Dr. Hunter Hancock suggested it could be an Indian python based on the described markings. Raided squirrel nests were found about 20 feet off the ground.

Kentucky: Reynolds Lake

In 1965, a large snake, described as being as big around as a stove pipe, was reported in Reynolds Lake, Kentucky. Some people believed it had eaten fish, frogs, and hogs.

North Carolina: Nash County

In March 1974, a dead snake was found in Nash County, North Carolina. It measured 16 feet long and about 10 inches in diameter. It was believed to be a discarded boa constrictor, but its true identity remained unknown. The evidence of its fate was that it began to smell and rot away.

Montana: Cascade

In late October 1978, a motorist, Eileen Blackburn, reported seeing a giant snake near Cascade, Montana. She described it as being between 20 and 30 feet long, with coils at least three feet across, covering her side of the freeway. The snake was standing with its head up, taller than her car's hood. She believed she hit or was struck by the snake, which had a flat, pointed head and a body about six inches in diameter, resembling a cobra.

Texas: Ames

The most recent report discussed is from 1982 in East Texas. Clifton Louviere reported seeing a huge, grayish-black snake at least 25 feet long and as big around as a one-gallon bucket. He shot the snake, which dropped into his pig pen. The next morning, the snake and one of his piglets were gone. Similar giant reptile reports had occurred within two miles of this farm in the preceding 15 years.

Other Obscure Mentions

The magazine also briefly mentions other giant snake reports, including the 'Salem Serpent' in Michigan prior to 1964, a giant snake in Pennsylvania identified with 'Broad Top Mountain' seen since 1919, and claims by 'old Vermonters' about giant brown snakes living in the hills.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

A recurring theme throughout the articles is the difficulty in identifying these giant snakes, with speculation often leaning towards escaped exotic reptiles like Burmese pythons, or unknown native species. The magazine presents these accounts as documented reports and folklore, highlighting the persistent mystery and public fascination surrounding these creatures. The editorial stance appears to be one of documenting unexplained phenomena and intriguing local legends, leaving the definitive explanation open to the reader. The inclusion of a map (Fig. 3) showing locations of reported giant snakes further emphasizes the widespread nature of these accounts.