The Beast of Gevaudan
It happened in Gevaudan, France, in the mid-1700s. More than 100 people killed by a mysterious creature called the Beast of Gevaudan. The horror that befell the inhabitants were still a mystery unsolved to this day.
No one can confirm the exact number of victims of the attack being Gevaudan. But Dr. Beaufort who has examined this case found there are at least 210 attacks associated with this creature. Of the 210 victims of the attack there were 49 injuries. While the death toll reached 113 people. 98 of them were killed with a mutilated body condition due to eat.
It all begins on June 1, 1764.
At that time, a girl who was only 14 years out to graze their cattle into a pasture near Gevaudan in Southern France. He did not know that what happened will be the beginning of a mystery that lasted hundreds of years later.
When are watching livestock-cattle, he looked toward the bushes are nearby. Movement in the bush was quite aroused his curiosity.
He did not have to wait long.
A moment later, a large animal like a dog out of the bushes and ran toward him. Although these animals have a way like a dog, his body is very large, even nearly matching the great buffalo.
When this animal was about to jump on him, the girl was using his cane to hit him. But strength can not be compared with the big monster. Fortunately, at that time he brought some dogs for protection. The dogs will react when he saw the creature and immediately attacked him.
The creature was still trying to approach the girl before finally retreated and disappeared in the distance.
Nobody has ever seen this creature before. But after the events in the meadow, he began to frequently appear and spread terror that claimed the lives of more than 100 people.
On June 30 the same year, the monster asks his first victim. Jeanne Boulet who is also 14 years old was found dead near the village of Les Hubacs, not far from the Gevaudan. These poor girls are found with a torn chest and heart are scattered.
Gazzete Paris daily, published in June 1764 contains descriptions of eye witnesses who saw the creature:
"The creature was taller than wolves in general. The soles of his feet are equipped with a nail. The color of reddish fur, big head while his mouth filled with sharp teeth is very similar to Greyhound dogs. His ears were small and straight, wide chest is gray while the back has black groove. "
The creature also called the issue a bad odor.
This description does not correspond to any known animal at the time.
In many instances, the creature appeared and attacked the residents. In September 1764, the death toll from the attack has reached one victim every week. Each victim was killed by the pathetic condition of the body, usually with neck torn and mutilated body. In many of the victims, clearly visible scars eaten.
In October, the deaths continued with the discovery of corpses, mostly women and children in various places in the village.
At that time, the news of these creatures have been spread widely throughout France. Villagers around the Gevaudan experiencing tremendous fear. Doors locked and the residents to reduce outdoor activities. Those who were forced out of the house will bring a friend and a weapon to protect themselves.
Actually there is another reason why the villagers were gripped by fear, ie the circulation of the rumor that the brute is actually a wolf-man or Loup Garou (Werewolf). Rumor is growing because in some occasions the creature was seen not affected by the bullet is released. One farmer even managed to stab him with a knife. But it did not hurt at all.
This fact makes the population believes that they are dealing with supernatural beings.
In January 1765, there was an incident that led to the French king intervene.
At that time, Jacques Portefaix and six of his friends met with the creature. But by staying in groups, they managed to fight and menghalaunya. Resistance by Jacques and his friends soon attracted the attention of King Louis XV which is then presented Jacques with 300 livres and 300 livres other for his friends.
Not only that, the king also decided to send a professional wolf hunter named Jean Charles Marc Antoine d'Enneval Vaumesle Jean Francois and his son to find and kill the monster.
Besides those two, there are at least about two thousand other people who helped hunt these creatures.
On February 17, 1765, Francois d'Enneval and arrived at Clermont-Ferrand. They brought eight dogs that have been experienced hunters. But the two hunters, spending his time for months to hunt down and shot dead wolves because they believe that these animals that have been responsible for bloody attacks.
As a result, casualties continue to fall.
In June 1765, the king's patience began to run out. It replaces the two hunters with Francois Antoine previously served as a weapons carrier king.
On September 21, 1765, Antoine had killed a large wolf that has a height of 80 cm with a length of up to 1.7 meters. The wolf is nicknamed Le Loup de Chazes.
About these animals, Antoine said:
"We've never seen a wolf with a body size of this magnitude. We therefore conclude that this creature is a creature who has made attacks on villagers."
Wolf carcasses were brought to Versailles. Antoine was hailed as a hero and received a lot of money as a gift.
But the bloody attack was not over. This indicates that Antoine had killed the monster that is wrong!
On December 2, 1765, the creature was seen at La Besseyre Saint Mary's and attacked two children.
In the following months continued to fall victim.
In 1767, the attacks suddenly stopped, and many believe that the Beast of Gevaudan had died.
Unfortunately, this story ends with gray.
Historians have many different theories about the end of the attack. But the most popular legend says that the monster was killed by a local resident named Jean Chastel on June 19, 1767.
According to the story, one day, Chastel who was then joined to hunt the creature with his colleagues the other, sitting in a place and decided to pray to God about the whole issue. After that he pulled out his Bible and started reading. Recently he read a few paragraphs, suddenly Beast of Gevaudan appeared before him.
Chastel immediately leveled his rifle and kill the creature.
Legend Chastel then taken up by many writers and modified so it is more myth than fact odorless. For example, one writer reported that the Beast of Gevaudan is actually really a werewolf and Chastel himself was his father. That's why he managed to kill and bury the carcasses in one place.
Other authors mention that Chastel can kill because it uses a silver bullet.
So we find a story that mixed the facts with imagination.
Then the question is, what the creature was actually Beast of Gevaudan?
About his identity, there are various opinions expressed. The most popular theory is the theory of werewolf or werewolves. As I mentioned above, this presumption arises because the immune ability bullet or stab. In addition, his size is remarkable not match the characteristics of animals.
But this theory does not have sufficient evidence to confirm it.
Richard H. Thompson, author of "Wolf hunting in France in the reign of Louis XV: The Beast of Gevaudan", believing that the creature is actually a kind of a big wolf.
Although wild wolves tend to avoid humans, but some experts believe that wolves in the centuries past is more aggressive. Wolves tend to be shy in modern times is indeed the result of natural selection.
This view is also based on the fact that the victim was killed by a wolf in these modern times in general are children. If there are adults who are victims, it usually is women.
But this theory fails to explain the characteristics and appearance of this creature who looked nothing like a wolf.
Another theory states that the creature is the result of crossbreeding between a dog with a wild wolf. This is indicated by body size and fur color is unusual. This speculation is supported by a naturalist named Louis Michel who wrote a book called "The Beast of Gevaudan: The Innocence of Wolves".
According to Louis, most of the villagers claimed to have seen Jean Chastel with a large mastiff dog is red. He believes that the dog is a real Beast of Gevaudan. Louis also believe that the dog's ability to withstand bullets probably because he was worn clothes from the skin of wild boar which also explains the peculiar color of his fur.
In other words, Louis believes that the creature is Chastel own pet.
In addition to the theories, some Cryptozoologyst believe that the creature is probably the descendants of an ancient animal similar mesonychids that in some way managed to survive in these modern times.
But, just like any other theory, there is no supporting arguments are strong enough to confirm this theory.
Another theory emerged in October 2009 when the History Channel aired a documentary entitled The Real Wolfman. In the footage, referred to as the Beast of Gevaudan Hyena Asia that has been extinct in Europe. However, not all agree with this view because Hyena only have 34 teeth. While based on the autopsy the bodies of victims, the Beast of Gevaudan has 42 teeth.
Thus, no definitive conclusions, and we are still guessing the identity of the monster. But, certainly, no one can deny that in 1764 in France, more than 100 people were killed in the attack tragic mysterious beast.
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