Bigfoot in the Angelina national forest.

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Two men doing seismic drilling in the in the Angelina national forest have a Bigfoot encounter in 1979.

The two men had been drilling seismic holes at one eighth of a mile intervals in a straight line. They had turned off the equipment and were sitting on their machines taking a break.

Untill they noticed that the forest had become unnaturally quiet. His description was this: “It became so quiet you could hear your cigarette burning.” the witness claimed.

Movement caught his eye as the creature stood up. He briefly saw its profile before it turned and moved silently off in a relaxed pace from left to right. It took four or five steps and was gone into the ravine. He was immediately struck by the way its long arms swung. In that instant he realized it was not a bear he was observing.

The body was stocky and quite muscular. It was broad shouldered with a very large chest. It did not taper at the waist but remained thick and solid with an estimated weigh of 400lbs. It was solidly covered with four or five inch, long reddish brown hair with the exception of the facial area where the hair was sparse. Its height was 6 feet or taller.

The witness had the impression that it had been watching them and was curious about the noisy machine they were running. At no time did he feel threatened or scared.

The 153,179-acre Angelina National Forest is located in Angelina, Nacogdoches, San Augustine and Jasper counties. The forest lies in the Neches River Basin and on the north and south shores of Sam Rayburn Reservoir, an 114,500-acre lake.

One of the witnesses statement..

 I was doing seismic, drilling in the Angelina National forest for several weeks. Late one afternoon, in a opening, we decided to stop and take a break, on the upper end of an open area in the thick woods. It was quiet, when I saw something, large and dark brownish, stand up and walk away from me. It was approx; 100 yards away. 

It walked 20 to 50 feet then descended into a ravine, it looked to go down on all four legs as it went into the ravine then it was gone. 

I thought it was a bear, but chances of seeing a bear in 1979, would be slim.This animal walked on two legs. This only lasted for just a few seconds,10 maybe. I turned to my coworker and asked, "Did you see that? he said yes, and what the bleep was that?" I have thought about this for several years and in my mind's eye I can still see the animal walking away from me to this day, 30 years later.

Bigfoot in the Big Thicket

There have been several Bigfoot sightings in the Texas Big Thicket and Sam Houston National Forest

This sightings takes place June 22,2014 in the early morning, an eyewitness claimed to to see what could only be described as a large male sasquatch.

First hand account....

 I was on my way to my work yard in New Caney Texas. It was very cloudy that morning with heavy dew rising. I was driving the speed limit 35mph looking for local wildlife like I do every morning. I might add this area is thickly wooded, but also is dotted with many homes. The area is also close to the river. I noticed a very tall shadowy figure approaching a group of cows with a calf. It was at least 8 to 9' tall and about 48 to 50" wide at the shoulders. I slowed down as much as possible. It saw my brake lights and turned to look at me. I am a good judge of distance for I am a bow hunter and I estimated it to be 45 to 50 yards away. It had a long sloping forehead and very defined brow ridge. I could not tell what color its hair was but I noticed a long beard and its arms hung down to almost his knees. I struggled to get my phone out to take a picture by the time I got it out it turned and walked into the woods. I think it might have been going for the calf. There are many water sources in that area and abundant wildlife in those woods. 

The sighting location was a cleared out pine forest that had been turned into pasture for cows. Very close to a major river water source, the San Jacinto river. Many stock ponds and private ponds can also be found in this area.

Follow up statement/claim.

Witness said the creature stood entirely upright and was not crouching or bent over. The creature's hands were straight down, hanging to about its knees. He describes the creature's hands as huge, "large enough to palm a watermelon". He assumed the creature was male due to its enormous size and lack of female anatomy.

The head was huge, with a sloping forehead and a broad, pronounced brow. Nothing particular was mentioned about the eyes and there was no visible neck, just head atop massive shoulders. 

The creature was almost entirely one dark color - like blackish - and very hairy. The only area that was not covered in thick black hair was the chest area... That area was either a lighter color hair or the hair was thinner, exposing more skin.

A unique observation was that the creature had a distinct beard. It was the same color as the rest of the hair, started just below the cheeks and extended to the chest area. described as very distinct and scraggly.

He said the creature seemed to notice him when he applied the brakes. The witness feels the creature saw the bright LED brake lights. It watched the witness as he pulled to a stop, then calmly turned and walked back in the other direction. The witness made a point of saying it walked calmly, did not run, in casual, long strides. It walked near a farm house and disappeared into the woods behind it without turning around again.

Interestingly, the cows never seemed alarmed or afraid.

The witness was unable to follow on foot because it was private property clearly marked as no trespass.

The sighting area described as being surrounded by ripe, seeding, wild sunflower plants. After a brief time, the witness drove the short distance to work, but said he didn't tell his coworkers as "things like this might be embarrassing".

Scottish Myth: The Blue Men of Minch.

 

 

 

 

The turbulent waters between Scotland and the Isle of Lewis  is called The Minch and like many large bodies of water, there are legends of otherworldly creatures lurking below it's depths.

The strait between the Island of Lewis and the Shiant Isles was known in the 19th century as ‘the stream of the Blue Men

They are a personification of the unpredictable and dangerous waters they inhabit.

The Blue Men of Minch are blue skinned men  similar to mermaids with tails and webbed hands. Also known as storm kelpies, they can use their powers to create storms to capsize ships and drown sailors. 

 

 

                                                                         The Shiant Isles  

The Blue Men are the source of many sea shanties.

Poetry was the primary form of defense against them. The chief "Blue Man" would recite two lines of poetry, and the captain of the ship would have to complete it to stop the attack.

 

They live in underwater caves in a clan system, while generations of folklore say they can only be beaten by making sure you get the last word in a rhyming duel.

Old legends claim that many Ship Captains escaped a watery fate thanks  the sharpness of his tongue, while those less fortunate are left to perish in the cold and raging waters common to the region.

However, innocent fishermen who have done nothing to anger the Sea Kelpies will be allowed pass through the area safely.

While they  sleep  the weather would remain calm but they could create storms whenever they wished too do so especially when angered.

 

 

The Blue Men can also help the locals, with a Samhain or Halloween tradition involving the lighting of a candle by the sea.

Ale is then poured into the water in order to encourage the Blue Men to leave seaweed on the beach as fertilizer

Physically they  are the same size as an average  human , but their strength if far greater then a normal man.

They wear a blue cap's on their head  and have grey faces which often  appear above the waves when they are surveying the seas.

 

 In summer weather they skim the waved just below the surface but when the wind is high they revel in the storm and swim with heads erect, splashing the waters with delight. Sometimes they are seen floating from the waist out to sea, and sometimes turning round like porpoises when they dive.”

 

 

 

 

 

Scotland's Deadly Giant Serpent: The Beithir

 

The beithir is a large deadly serpent, possible even a wingless dragon with a poisonous sting.

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It lives in  caves and valleys.


 If a person is stung by the beithir then he must head for the closest  river or loch. If he can reach it before the beithir does then he is cured, but if the monster reaches it first then the victim is doomed. Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed. 

The beithir is considered one of the fuath, a general term for various monsters and spirits associated with water.

 

Fuath (plural fuathan, meaning “hate” in Scottish Gaelic) refers to a type of evil water spirits in Highland Gaelic mythology. These spirits are believed to inhabit the sea, rivers, lakes, and sea lochs of Scotland and Ireland.

In Gaelic folklore, any being that frequently changes its shape is of evil origin. The case of the Fuath confirms such thinking. A Fuath can sometimes be seen, if it chooses to take on a physical appearance. Most fuathan have the power of transforming themselves in many things even angels of light. They use this power to trick their victims but they are generally found out in the long run. Most often, they present themselves as humanoid creatures, with green skin and the mane and tail of a yellow horse.

 

Its the  largest and most deadly kind of serpent", or possibly  a type of land dragon (but without certain typical draconic features like wings or fiery breath). similar to a lindworm (worm meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm, is a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore that traditionally has the shape of a giant serpent monster living deep in the forest lindworm (worm meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm,  a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore in the shape of a giant serpent living in the forest

 

It makes its home in large mountainous caves and (valleys)  and has an extremely  venomous sting. 

 

If a person is stung by the beithir then they need head for the nearest body of water like as a river or loch. If they can reach it before the beithir does then they are cured, but if the creature gets there first then the victim is will die.

 Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed.

A common belief is that if a normal snake is killed then the head must be separated a proper distance from its body and destroyed. Otherwise, both parts will come together and the snake will return to life as a beithir. 

 

John Gregorson Campbell in 1900 provided an account of the beithir:

The big beast of Scanlastle in Islay was one of this kind. It devoured seven horses on its way to Loch-in-daal. A ship was lying at anchor in the loch at the time, and a line of barrels filled with deadly spikes, and with pieces of flesh laid upon them, was placed from the shore to the ship. Tempted by the flesh, the "loathly worm" made its way out on the barrels and was killed by the spikes and cannon

 

 

                                                                   Loch-in-daal

 

 

John Francis Campbell in 1890 recounted a traditional story about a wicked stepmother who was the wife of an Irish king, and she gave the king's son a magic shirt that was a beithir in disguise. As long as the "great snake" remained coiled about his neck, the prince was under his stepmother's enchantment, but he was eventually freed from the beithir with the help of a wise woman.

This Serpent is most often sighted on summer nights when lightning strikes occurred

Tha e ann an grath na nathrach dhuit.'

'Tha nimh na nathrach aig dhuit.'

'Cho carach ris an nathair nimhe.'

'Cleas na nathrach cur a chraicinn.'

'Cochull nathrach is ole a dh’fheumadh tu.'

He is in the spirit of the serpent towards thee.

The venom of the serpent he has towards thee.

As twistful as the serpent venomous.

The trick of the serpent changing the skin.

The sheath of the serpent badly wouldst thou need    

 

 

 

Tha sinne 'cur mar choran 's mar gheasan ort,

Gu 'n innis thu, co thu fhein na co do mhuinntir ?

'S mise nighean righ na Sorchann,

Sgiath an ainn ;

'S gur h-e 's ainm dha 'm Baoidhre borb ;

'S gu 'n d' thoir e mise leis,

Cia mor bhur treis as an Fheinn.

Cia b' fhada 'n oidhche gu latha,

Cha bu ghna leinn 'bbith gun cheol.

We lay it as a circuit and as spells on thee.

That thou tell us who thou art, or thy people.

I am the daughter of the king of Sorchann,

Shield of armies,

And that his name is Baoidhre borb,*

And that he will take me with him.

Though great our time from the Fane,

Though long be the night to day,

It was not our wont to be without music.     .

Scottish Myth: The Wulver.

 

 

                                                          The Wulver.

 This is a form of werewolf that stalks the lands of Shetland but unlike the common myth, this creature was never human. It has the body of a man but the head of a wolf, and is not seen as aggressive if left to his own devices. He will occasionally leave fish on the windowsills of the poor to ensure that people don’t starve to death.

 

 

Werewolves come in many forms and Scotland's very own werewolf seems to be a far gentler version  the its European counterpart.

 

The Wulver lives in the Shetland Islands, however unlike common werewolf,s the wulver was never  human, he is instead a a man with a wolf's head. 

 

He usually live's in a cave and was covered from head to toe in brown hair; he had a favorite fishing spot on top of a flat stone now  called the Wulver's Stane.

Local legend said the wulver was not aggressive or evil and should be left alone; it was even considered benevolent and would  help the poor with food, lead the lost home and protect the wounded.

 The wulver was a work of fiction by author Jessie Saxby and only dates from the 1930s.

so not an actual cryptid but still a good story.

 

 The real folklore version of the Wulver is Te Cynocephalus /
Cynocephali or Dog Headed People. More on them in a a future post :)

Each Uisge: The Scottish Water Horse.

 

 

 

 

 

The each-uisge, is a supernatural water horse that can  be  found in the Scottish Highlands, it's an extremely aggressive  and possible the fiercest and most dangerous of the water-horses fay.

Often mistaken for the kelpie (which inhabits streams and rivers), the each-uisge lives in the sea, sea lochs, and fresh water lochs.

 

 This creature  is a shape-shifter just like the kelpie, it will often  disguise itself as a beautiful horse, pony, a handsome man or an enormous bird such as a boobrie.

 

If you try to ride it while in horse form,  you will  only be safe as long as its ridden on land. However, the moment it see's even small amount of water it's  skin becomes as sticky as a strong adhesive and it will immediately go to the deepest part of the loch with its victim. After you have been dragged to the bottom and  drowned, the each-uisge will  tear you apart and eat your entire body except for the liver, which later  floats to the surface.

 

 

 

In its human form it often  appears as a handsome man, but can still  be recognized as a water  creature by the water weeds or sand and mud in its hair.

 Because of this, people in the Highlands were usually couscous around a lone animals and strangers by the water's edge, near where the each-uisge was sighted. 

 

The each-uisge has a desire for human women.

 Any woman that it sets its sights on is almost certain  to become its victim.

One old story tells of a  young woman who  encountered a water horse in the form of a handsome young man while she was herding cattle,  he laid his head in her lap and fell asleep. 

When he stretched himself she discovered that he had horse's hooves and quietly made her escape (in an alternate variations of the tale she finds the presence of water weeds or sand in his hair). 

In another account a water horse in human form come's to a woman's house where she was alone and attempted to court her, (other versions claim he tried to rape her) but all he got for his unwanted advances was boiling water thrown in his crotch. He ran from the house roaring in pain. In a third tale a father and his three sons conspired to kill a water horse that came to the house to see the daughter. When they grabbed the young man he reverted to his horse form and would have carried them into the loch, but in the struggle they managed to slay him with their dirks.(daggers)  Despite its amorous tendencies, however, the each-uisge is just as likely to simply devour women in the same manner as its male victims.

 

Cnoc-na-Bèist ("Hillock of the Monster") is the name of a knoll on the Isle of Lewis where an each-uisge was slain by the brother of a woman it tried to seduce, by the freshwater Loch a’ Mhuileinn ("Loch of the Mill").

Along with its human victims, cattle and sheep were also often prey to the each-uisge, and it could be lured out of the water by the smell of roasted meat.

There are also tales of the   each-uisge in the  River Spey in the Cairngorms. The An t-Each Ban was a white water-horse, which despite not being the usual black color was otherwise "traditional", seeking out travelers on stormy nights in its horse form, and leaping with its victims into deep water. 

The yellow horse of the Spey was an even more unusual color and its preferred victims were married couples. Legends also claim  that if a woman could get a hold of the rich bridles and replace it with a cow shackle then she would have power over the each uisge for the rest of her life and that the bridle would bring her good fortune.

 

The aughisky or Irish water horse is similar in many respects to the Scottish version. It sometimes comes out of the water to gallop on land and, despite the danger, if the aughisky can be caught and tamed then it will make the finest of steeds provided it is not allowed to glimpse the ocean.

The cabyll-ushtey (or cabbyl-ushtey), the Manx water horse, sometimes confused or conflated with the glashtyn, is just as ravenous as the each-uisge though there are not as many tales told about it. One of them recounts how a cabbyl-ushtey emerged from the Awin Dhoo (Black River) and devoured a farmer's cow, then later it took his teenage daughter.

 A blacksmith from Raasay lost his daughter to the each-uisge. In revenge the blacksmith and his son made a set of large hooks, in a forge they set up by the loch side. They then roasted a sheep and heated the hooks until they were red hot. At last a great mist appeared from the water and the each-uisge rose from the depths and seized the sheep. The blacksmith and his son rammed the red-hot hooks into its flesh and after a short struggle dispatched it. In the morning there was nothing left of the creature apart from a jelly-like substance

 

 

Each Uisge Skeleton 

If you happen to be traveling through the Highlands be weary of any overly friendly horse especially near water.  You Never know when your luck may run out..

 

 

 

 

 

Parting.

  Parting 

By Emily Dickinson 

My life closed twice before its close;
It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil
A third event to me,
So huge, so hopeless to conceive,
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.