I did neither; I stood still. I could see the thing with a fair
amount of distinctness and forced my brain to take the record of
my eyes. But I could make nothing of it.
I guessed at rather than saw a hideous head rolling from side to
side at the end of a long and sinuous neck, and writhing,
reptilian coils lashing the rock at the edge of the water, like
the tentacles of an octopus, only many times larger. The body
itself was larger than that of any animal I had ever seen, and
blacker even than the darkness.
Suddenly the huge mass began to move slowly backward. The
sharpness of the odor had ceased with the opening of the eyes,
which did not reappear. I could dimly see its huge legs slowly
rise and recede and again meet the ground. Soon the thing was
barely discernible.
I took a step forward as though to follow; but the strength of
the current warned me of the danger of proceeding farther, and,
besides, I feared every moment to see the lids again raised from
the terrible eyes. The thought attacked my brain with horror, and
I turned and fled in a sudden panic to the rear, calling to Harry
and Desiree.
They met me at the edge of the stream, and their eyes told me
that they read in my face what had happened, though they had seen
nothing.
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