The Mystery Of The Thunderbird
Skywise
http://www.forteantimes.com/artic/105/thunder.html
9-10-00
Mark Hall goes in search of an exciting cryptozoological photograph that no-one
knows quite whether they've seen or not...
One of the most-discussed and least-seen photographs in recent history must be
the alleged frontier snapshot of a dead Thunderbird nailed to a wall with six
men standing in front of it to demonstrate its size. People have been talking
about it for more than 30 years. A handful of people claim to have held a copy
of it, but realised its significance only after their copy had been lost. A fair
number of people have recollections of having seen this thing published in a
book and many have vague recollections of having seen it somewhere at some time,
but cannot remember just where.
The handful who do remember say they saw a photocopy of it in the hands of Ivan
T Sanderson, the famous naturalist and Fortean author who died in 1973. Back in
1966 he had been given a photocopy - not known for their high quality of
reproduction - and here is how the photograph was described: An immense bird was
shown nailed to the wall of a large barn. Before it stood six grown men wearing
Western clothing with their arms outstretched touching fingertip to fingertip.
By this measure the bird appeared to have a wingspan of about 36ft (11m).
In 1966, Sanderson loaned the copy to two young men who traveled into the heart
of northern Pennsylvania to inquire about the numerous Thunderbird reports in
that region. The names of the two men are a matter of record, but that doesn't
help us. When they returned from their trip they had lost track of the
photostatic record, and it hasn't been seen since.
The hunt for the elusive picture has been confused almost beyond rescue with a
strange story that issued from the Arizona Territory in 1890. The original story
appeared first in the Tombstone "Epitaph" on 26 April 1890 (see panel).
According to Harry McClure of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who was a young man
when the two cowboys were still living, the "Epitaph" account gave exagerrated
and false particulars.
He was a youngster in Lordsburg, New Mexico, early this century when the two
cowboys came to town. When the "Epitaph" story was published again in 1969,
Harry McClure chose to tell his version of the story in a letter to the Summer
1970 issue of "Old West Magazine".
He remembered the two cowboys as they were well known for the strange encounter
they had reported. McClure saw the cowboys and had friends who knew them
personally. McClure said he and other people who resided there did not think the
story was a hoax. It was believed by the people who knew them. After 60 years he
had forgotten their names, but remembered what they said about a huge flying
beast with a 20-30ft (6-9m) wingspan:
"Its eyes were like saucers; its two legs and feet up at the front part of its
body were the size of those of a horse; its hide was leathery, instead of
feathery. It lit on the ground once at a safe distance from the two cowboys, but
it took to the air again soon afterwards only to come down again a second
time..."
From Kurt ku...@oculusdesign.com
9-13-00
Greetings...
I have attached a little sketch and descriptive paragraph regarding my own
personal experience with viewing the elusive "photocopy of a photograph"
of the Thunderbird, circa 1860's. I hope this sheds a little more light on this
mystery for all of us. I didn't know that this photograph was not easily
accessible!
If I had, I probably would have made several copies of it and been more careful
about preserving it for historical purposes. It came into my hands from a friend
who was equally interested in cryptozoology, much like myself. I'm sure it is
out there floating around, it's just a matter of time before it turns up. I
wouldn't be suprised if there is a jpeg of it on the internet somewhere, might
just require a good comprehensive online search.
Best Regards,
Kurt F. Beswick, artist
Oculus Graphic Design
http://www.oculusdesign.com
Skywise
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