About the Piasa Bird

The first documented encounter with an ILLINOIS pictograph was in 1673 when French explorers, Father Jacques Marquette and Pierre Joliet explored the Mississippi River. As their boats passed by the high limestone bluffs near the present-day city of Alton, Il. Marquette drew a sketch in his journal. Unfortunately, the journal was lost in the river later in the journey. However, Marquette described his encounter with the fearsome image as follows: 

"As we were descending the river we saw high rocks with 

HIDEOUS MONSTERS painted on them and upon which the 

bravest Indian dare not look.

They are as LARGE AS A CALF, with

HEAD AND HORNS LIKE A GOAT,

THEIR EYES ARE RED, 

BEARD LIKE A TIGER'S,

and A FACE LIKE A MAN'S,

Their tails are so long that they pass over their bodies and between 

their legs under their bodies, ending like a fish's tail.

They are painted RED, GREEN and BLACK

and so well drawn that i could not believe

that they were drawn by the Indians,

and for what purpose they were drawn

seems to me a mystery."

In 1678 a map maker drew the following image from the description.

 

Could the Piasa Bird be an underwater panther? Let me know your thoughts!