Eyes upturned, three boaters watched the sky with growing unease. A glowing object darted back and forth. Was it a drone? A rocket? A jet?
Not possible—the strange incident happened nearly three centuries before the first successful airplane took flight.
The 1639 account of the sighting comes from the diary of John Winthrop. He was the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at the time. The diary entry describes an unusual sighting reported by the men. While they were rowing their boat through the Muddy River, they saw a lighted object. Winthrop wrote that the light would stand still and then shoot across the sky. Then, it changed shape into something that looked like a pig. The strange object remained visible for a few hours, shooting back and forth across a distance of about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers). Then, it mysteriously faded away—untraceable and unforgettable.
Once their attention returned to their task, the men were startled to discover they were now a mile (1.6 kilometers) upstream. They didn't remember rowing against the current, Winthrop wrote. That part isn't entirely unexplainable, though, as their boat could have been carried by wind or the tides. Or the men may have just been too fascinated by the sight above to notice their movement.
The boaters weren't the only witnesses to the puzzling oddity, according to Winthrop. He wrote that other people saw the same light afterward, in the same place.
Five years later, Winthrop recorded a report of another sighting. This time, the lights were "like the moon" rising from different places. Over and over, the lights joined and parted, he wrote. Sometimes they looked like flames, and other times they appeared to sparkle. It happened in the early evening, and several people witnessed the unusual sight.
Flying machines and special effects were only a fantasy at the time. Modern fireworks weren't invented until the 1830s. There's been some speculation that the sightings were caused by gas burning in the marshland. But others say that's not likely if the lights were shooting across the sky. So, what in the world were people seeing? For now, the truth may be out of reach, but even doubtful historians agree that Winthrop's report gave Boston a unique claim to fame. It's where the first unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings were reported in what's now the United States.
The sightings in the 17th century remain a mystery to this day. Some suggest that the lights could have been an unusual weather phenomenon or perhaps even extraterrestrial visitors. Regardless of the explanation, the accounts of these strange sightings have left a lasting impression on history. The fact that these sightings predate the invention of modern technology and aviation only adds to the intrigue. The story of the mysterious lights in the sky over Muddy River continues to capture the imagination of those who hear about it, sparking curiosity and speculation about what truly happened on that fateful day in 1639.
What is this article mainly about?
Flying machines and special effects in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
The first reported sightings of unidentified flying objects in what's now the U.S.
Sightings of gas burning in the marshlands around Boston
The personal diary entries that John Winthrop wrote about rowing up the Muddy River
The article is mainly about the first reported sightings of unidentified flying objects in what is now the United States, as recorded in the personal diary of John Winthrop.
What is this article mainly about?
A.Flying machines and special effects in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
B. The first reported sightings of unidentified flying objects in what's now the U.S.
c. Sightings of gas burning in the marshlands around Boston
D.The personal diary entries that John Winthrop wrote about rowing up the Muddy River