We have received a call from Mr. Davis, of Grand Isle [Vermont], the gentleman who recently saw the supposed sea serpent. He states that he stood upon the bank of the lake [Champlain] at the time and he and his neighbors saw the animal distinctly, as it was not more than forty feet from the shore. It raised its head from the water and made a bellowing noise not unlike the sea lions seen in menageries, and then moved off, making the same noise while under water, its wake being distinctly visible. Mr. Davis states that the report that it was a steam yacht is absurd, as it has been seen in the vicinity several times since.Plattsburgh [New York] Sentinel, August 4, 1882

Thanks to Jerome Clark.