In 1855, in the County of Devon were discovered traces that are extremely excited locals: whether they belonged to the devil, unknown to science bird or they were created by a group of pranksters? So far nobody knows what or who left these traces on earth. Scientists of the 19th century put forward a variety of hypotheses about this. One of them, phenomenological, argued that we are talking about "something"that lives between the tangible and the intangible world, sometimes leave evidence of their existence, but is still above the human.

What happened then, snowy night far 1855? on 7 February in Devonshire was abundant snowfall, and white stained wide basin of the river EXE. Henry Milk, a Baker from the village Topsham that morning got up very early to melt furnace and start your homework. He was one of the first who saw the clean crisp snow that covered the village and the surrounding fields. But the snow he noticed something unusual: the traces, which seemed to have left very little donkey. Henry said another oddity, except for the size - although traces were asinine, but did not differ from each other, and it was impossible to understand what otmechalos hoof. The Baker had never seen a donkey or a pony so unusual went. Although it has Suitehotel so interesting markings on the snow, but he had too much work at the bakery to pay attention to them, and soon returned to his studies. Albert Bradford, Director of the local school, reacted differently.

The same morning albert addressed the organizer of a whole group of inhabitants covered by azartom hunting, and at the head of them rushed to the mysterious traces. The group reached the bakery and got permission from the Henry enter the yard. But here, as it turned out, the traces of the dragged on through the village. People poured out of their homes and threw work to join the group. Members of the search party was divided, and each part has inspected their territory, and all these parts were told that they had found traces. A little excitement went in fear, as it was found out that among other things, being passed that night, was able to jump over a wall four-meter height, as they do not.

Traces showed up in Exmouth, Limestone, Woodbury, Powderham, Mehmed, Dawlish and other villages of the counties with a total length of 150 km Doctor Benson, who practiced in this area was on him from the Mahmed. Across fields and meadows, they had hit a haystack height of 6 meters. The doctor carefully circled Skardu and was surprised to see the continuation of the traces on the other hand, seemed to be obstacles did not exist. After examining the stack, covered with a layer of pure snow, Benson has not found it no trace. Everything seemed to indicate that some inexplicable way, "something" flew Skirda. Two hunters from the same area were walking in the footsteps of many hours on areas where was a dense forest of prickly Gustov. The series of footprints here was abruptly, but they emerged again at the snow on the roofs of nearby houses. Having examined what was left of traces in the gardens, hunters realized that they lead directly to Mahmed. The mouth of AIX in some places reached a width of almost three kilometers, and the water is still not frozen. The footprints stopped on one side at the water's edge, but then declared again at another, as if the creature flew through a wide mouth.

When traces gradually began to ischezat under the influence of weak February of the sun that came out of the clouds, their views have changed. Edge they broke up and they began to resemble a mark from cloven hooves. Soon the condition of the inhabitants were completely changed. Men began hastily armed with guns and different tool spits, forks and rakes. While most courageous careered through the fields in search of horrible creatures from another world, able to leave such traces, most people in fear locked in houses and barrikadirovali door. Began to appear crosses, crucifixes and large Victorian Bible in a leather binding, which, as believed, could protect against any demonic snares.

At this time, the hunters almost made one terrible mistake. In fact, in the village of Woodbury lived Daniel Plumer, quiet fool who wandered about in rags, decorated with feathers on forests and imitated the voices of different animals and birds. Inhabitants Woodbury knew him well and considered absolutely harmless, most were taken in his life no participation, although some occasionally gave him something to eat, when he came to them for alms. Unfortunately for Daniel, a group of hunters stalking "the beast" in the forest, did not know him. When he tried to flee from them, it quickly caught and had gathered with him deal, considering that it is "the beast". Then the hunters came Esq Bartholomew, the local justice of the peace, and barely had time to explain who Daniel. So that February night "something", like no other one type of animals living in this territory , left a chain of footsteps in the form of a horseshoe over 150 km. They looked quite different than the paw prints of any four-legged or even two-legged creature. On the other hand, these tracks were convex; therefore, leg, foot, or something else was concave.

Each track is separated from the previous and subsequent distance of 20 cm, and so they stretched for many kilometers, and the distance has been preserved regardless of whether under the traces mount or flat terrain. Each had 10 inches long and 7 inches wide, and these dimensions also remained unchanged in all the way. That could leave such traces? Theories on this account there were many. "Illustrated London news", "the times", "the Inverness courier" and "Brighton guardian" captured the echo of this story. In the mid-19th century in great Britain there were a lot of naturalists, eager to share their hypotheses and with the fervor of their defending. As in the case of circles on wheat fields, and here there is a possibility that the footprints were made by some jokers. We must admit that in Victorian England were a lot of young aristocrats, it is providing money and time and mausica from idleness. They just adored such jokes and fraud, and often themselves been recognized by those or other "clever riddles". However, it is impossible for one man only for the night ran 150 km; therefore, the pranksters had to be a whole bunch. Besides, we all know how difficult it is to hide this kind of mystery. When you know a lot of it, someone talked. But nobody said about Devonshire traces: "This is my company made them".

As Devonshire is on the coast and sea water penetrates into the mouth AIX, many naturalists found it possible that the traces left some wounded Seagull. But for any gulls to run 150 km in such conditions is a feat. No sea bird will not so much on the earth, and there is no birds, whose paws, without membranes and nails, could leave such traces. In one article, published in the "illustrated London news" for March 10, 1855, was a reference to another, in "Brighton guardian" at the end of February. And there, in turn, have a link for Cosmos", a book of Baron Avon Humboldt, in which he speaks about the legendary journey of Bjorn's Herjolfsson in 1001. This traveler, apparently, reached the coast of Labrador Peninsula, describes one very funny animal that calls one-legged. He has, as its name implies, only one paw, but it is exceptional creature "able to fly, but rather to flee with incredible rapidity, often ottalkivayas from earth, at equal distance...". Interesting story, but its sources remain unclear. Thus, "illustrated London news", and "Brighton guardian", in turn, slipped readers another duck.

Jumping rats, toads, frogs, rabbits, hares, badgers and many others were proposed by the then naturalists as beings who left their traces. But the duration of the chain of footprints, they disappear and reappear again on the other side of obstacles, such as stack or broad river - all of these factors weaken such theories to their complete destruction. Another interesting hypothesis was that some airship or balloon tore off the anchor, and was gone with the wind in Devon. Allegedly, it was his travelling by land chain and left such a horseshoe traces. But their regularity makes this theory is untenable. Any ball in the power of the wind will be from time to time to enter and to lose altitude,and the chain will not be discharged on the ground equal line of footprints, and leave them completely different. It is interesting that at that time no one was told about the loss of an airship or balloon. Moreover, in 1855 balloons were very few. Without a doubt, many of the inhabitants of Devonshire, who saw strange footsteps, seriously thought that it is the devil himself, or at least some small devils subordinated to him. All was tormented by the idea of sin, and the idea that the messenger of hell wanders among the people, coming to their door and looks in at the Windows, many very alarmed.

There are riddles with no explanation - so is this that has resisted resolution for more than a century, without giving up before modern science with its advanced methods of research. The facts are simple, but the explanation is still missing.