Читать книгу The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic - John Matthews - Страница 353

According to North American folk tradition, Champ is the monster that lives in the depths of Lake Champlain, which lies between Quebec in Canada and Vermont in the United States. The Abenaki Iroquois people call this creature Tatoskok and see it as a horned serpent. It has been sighted many times: its thick serpentine body is about 30-ft long with humps along its back, and some have reported a horse-like head. For the local communities around the lake, Champ is regarded as the Loch Ness Monster of their lake, drawing a vast tourist industry. Scientists have explored the possibilities of Champ, suggesting that he might be a plesiosaur, zeuglodon or basilosaurus – a prehistoric snake-like whale, remains of which have been unearthed near Charlotte, Vermont, only a stone’s throw from the lake itself. There is a good deal of cryptozoological interest in Champ’s movements, which are as closely monitored and reported as those of Nessie.