The Great Sea Serpent - A Historical Treatise (1892)
The Great Sea Serpent - A Historical Treatise (1892)
NON-SCIENTIFIC PERSONS.
WITH
A. C.
82 ILLUSTRATIONS.
OUDEMANS,
Jzn. 5
LEIDEN
BRILL,
E. J.
Oude Rijn
33a.
LONDON
LUZAC & Co.,
Great Russell Street 46.
PRINTED AT
E. J.
EKILL
AT LEIDEN.
THIS VOLUME
IS
DEDICATED
TO
ZOOLOGISTS.
"It
may
be
believe
is
wholly or
in
part inexplicable;
will
and hence
be
am
content to
satisfactorily solved."
take
to
convince
will
drawings
while
zoologists,
will be received
by
or
probably
1.
when
sink,
it
dead,
will probably be
an individual
If
is
is
from occiput
shoulders
to
end.
to
tail-root.
killed,
more
10.
3.
head.
Length of a hind-flapper.
8.
the
head,
make
description
the
2.
Length
of the
tail
9.
tail-root
6.
Length of a
7.
to
Distance
fore-
Circumference of the
of the
fore-flappers
most
it
successful.
Length of the
4.
but as
shoulders.
like
this
pencil-
by means of explosive
will be
5.
and
neck
are re-
will
harpooning of
reports
their
all
photography
with
the
animal
especially
an accurate one of
if
possible,
a sketch.
but
If
barely
possible,
preserve
the
whole
skin
skull,
hind-flappers
neck,
and
but
if
this
is
utterly
impracticable
tail;
about a foot breadth along the whole back of the neck, the trunk,
and the
tail.
PREFACE.
In
ages
all
and
natural
in
history
meteoric stones,
were so
of
the
learned
persons believed in
sceptical,
and
their attacks
fell
from the
to the inhab-
so
many
men, concealed
learned
called
Earth,
and
collector,
were
others
of
pre-
or
the
Many
cabinets.
many
made
Many
them; they
violent,
atmosphere,
itants
but
in search of
his treasures, or
a
so-
But at
Chladni,
last
who
there
all
teenth century.
He showed
1.
all
of facts.
2.
The
another.
In
(i.
of
e.
the
year
on Meteoric Stones)
unbelievers
were
in
opened.
Vienna
"Ueber Feuermeteore"
PKEFACE.
moment
the
belief
in
different
the
from
existence
terrestrial stones.
of
meteoric stones
From
that
was
fixed
for ever.
The author
has
of
the
present
at the pains to
collect all
the
hope that
it
The Haoue,
February
1 st
1891.
the
same
success.
A. C. 0. Jzn.
CONTENTS.
ix
Preface
List of illustrations
I.
II.
III.
xiii
12
Would-be Sea-Serpents
60
arranged
and
of Sea-Serpents,
criticisms
on the
102
380
VI. Conclusions
485
List of observations
485
495
498
B. Facts
1.
2.
External characters
a.
Dimensions
b.
Form
c.
Skin
498
498
,
505
511
Internal or anatomical
characters
512
513
3.
4.
Sexual differences,
5.
Physiological characters
517
Nutritory functions
517
1.
Eating, food
517
2.
Breathing
518
3.
Excretion
518
a.
b.
c.
515
519
519
1.
Feeling
2.
Taste
519
3.
Smell
519
4.
Hearing
520
5.
Sight
520
d.
mane
520
520
2.
Motions
522
3.
Voice
530
Generation, growth
530
6.
Psychical characters
Not taking
notice of objects
531
b.
531
c.
531
d.
Suspicion
531
e.
Harmlessness
532
/. Timidity
532
g. Fearlessness
532
h.
Fear
532
i.
Fright
533
k.
Fury
Toughness
533
/.
Playsomeness.
j.
533
533
534
Enemies
Repose ,
535
8.
9.
Geographical distribution
10.
Nomenclature
7.
C.
531
a.
sleep,
death
Comparison with
2.
Its
Appendix
Last word
545
546
Conclusions
1.
535
537
allied animals
546
560
572
592
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
2.
Fig. 3
Fig.
5.
Fig.
6.
4.
C.
to
largest
it
scale of
feet
of
7.
Fig. 8.
9.
Fig. 10.
Fig. 11.
of
Fig. 12.
Fig. 13.
as
text
illustrating
Fig. 15.
illustrating
16.
Fig. 17.
as
Fig. 18.
of
edition of
Fig. 21.
into
of
London News
of
as
1848
in
as
24.
as
Fig. 25.
in
as
26.
Fig. 27.
as
28.
as
Officers
29.
30.
31.
as
32,
36.
S.
as
as
38.
41.
officer
35.
55
58
61
63
72
76
78
88
9.1
93
106
107
108
109
109
114
115
in
Fig. 22.
31
in
Fig. 19.
19
of
in
illustrating
Fig. 20.
Page.
of
as
of
as
116
119
120
126
127
207
234
273
274
276
296
304
306
308
323
330
XIV
LIST OE ILLUSTRATIONS.
of
so-called
43.
to
Fig. 44.
of fins,
Fig. 45.
Haynes
Fig. 47.
of the
of the
50.
Osborne
The Sea-Serpent,
Two
as seen
Kiushiu Maru
The Sea-Serpent,
the Hebrides.
348
51.
Mr.
Outline
of
Fig. 52.
Fig. 53.
Fig. 54.
Fig. 55.
Fig. 56.
Fig. 58.
Fig. 59.
Fig. 57.
357
361
Davison
WEisz,bythe
Andrew Schultz
367
Mott,
Phocaena phocoena
A row of porpoises
F. T.
349
363
as seen from the Stettin
Drawn under
of
as
Fig. 46.
Fig.
in
334,
335
(Linn.;
369
381
385
Scoliophis atlanticus
one sixth of
full size
386
386
Hydrophis pelamidoides
Balaenoptera physalus (Linn.)
390
Ichthyosaurus communis
398
skeleton
400
...
400
Fig. 60.
401
Fig. 61.
402
Fig. 62.
"
.
432
Fig. 63.
433
Fig.
435
64.
Fig. 65.
Fig. 66.
Fig.
436
V. Wood, Jun
as
Fig. 68.
Eurypharynx
pelecanoides
436
.'
442
Vaillant
of
Fig. 70.
Fig. 71.
outlines,
side
72.
outlines,
Fig. 73.
News
of Jan.
547
548
of Jan. 6, 1877
From
Peters.
Drawn by
in the Zoological
the animal-painter
Gardens of Berlin.
549
Eumetopias
painter
G.
Berlin.
From
Fig. 78.
1877
Drawn by W. P. from a
Zalophus californianus (Lesson) Allen?
From the Illustrated London
specimen in the Brighton Aquarium.
News,
Fig. 77.
6,
living
G.
516
516
in
living
Fig. 76.
475
482
P.
Fig. 74.
Fig. 75.
445
449
Stelleri
Mutzel from
(Lesson)
living
Peters.
Sketched
by the animal-
Eumetopias
Stelleri (Lesson)
Peters.
550
550
XV
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Fig. 79.
Eumetopias
paiuter G.
From
Fig. 80.
Eumetopias
painter G.
Fig. 81.
Peters.
Stelleri
Mutzel from
Sketched
by
the
animal-
(Lesson)
Peters.
551
Sketched
by
the animal-
now
Animals
London
Fig. 82.
(Lesson)
Page.
From
Stelleri
Mutzel from
or
lately
Living iu the
551
of the Vertebrated
1877
From
Bjrehm's, "Thierleben".
552
553
L
Literature on the Subject.
An
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1555.
*1556.
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Paul Egede.
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Hans Egede. Des alten Groenlands neue Perlustration. Copenhagen, 1742.
treffend;
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1742.
*1742.
Paul Egede.
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Hans Egede,
by
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Isles francaises
de l'Amerique, VII,
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1,
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1763.
Hans Egede.
1755.
*1760.
1763.
M765.
*1789.
Paul Egede.
(Intelligences
from Greenland,
in
the
original Danisch
*1790.
d'his-
du Nord.
naturelle
toire
Cah.
V.
Copenhague
1805.
the
(In
four
first
1808, Nov.
p.
1809, Jan.
1809,
1809,
1809,
p.
p.
p.
etc.
206220.
Vol. 98, p.
preserved
in
M817,
Oct.
in print).
1817, Dec.
relative
to
New
England
large
in
August,
1817.
8.
plates,
*1817.
1818, April.
Serpent,
Scoliophis,
et
le
et
at
1818.
the Pioyal Institution of Great Britaine. Vol. IV. London, 1818, p. 378.
American Sea-Serpent.
The Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature
and
1818.
p.
*1818, June 9
in
croft,
1818,
peared
in
is
pre-
from Mr.
Andrews Norton
a resident at Gottingen.
to
The
,
letter
is
preserved in
print.
W
gazine,
Newspaper).
at that time
the library
"1818
Isis,
(Boston
served
the library
Sept. 11. Letter
1818,
Oken's
2100.
On the
III.
p.
33-42.
Blackwood's Ma-
&
1819, Jan.
1819.
W.
1819,
1819.
1819.
68.
p.
Meerschlange
Oken's
1819.
Ueber
Leach
1819.
1819.
Isis,
Einige
London.
*1819.
1819.
Bemerkungen
19.
113.
p.
Say
aus Philadelphia an
653.
Isis,
1819,
p.
W. D. Peck,
1123.
C. S.
1820, May.
1819,
Oken's
Amerikanische Meerschlange.
p.
Amerika an Blainville.
tiber die
Prof.
Sea-
respecting the
Sea-Serpent.
p.
lsis,
Boston Centinel.
1819. Nov.
Amerika. Von T.
Oken's
Prof. d. N. G. in Amerika.
M819. Aug.
aus
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p.
Meerschlange an
die
in
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in
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p.
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I,
in die
men
in
Band,
*1821.
den Jahren 1815, 1816, 1817 und 1818. Weimar, 1821, Zweiter
p.
Otto
108.
of
discovery
into
the
South- Sea
and
1821.
1821.
Sea-Serpent.
Analysis
of one
Vol.
58
p.
454.
The Edin-
1822. Jan.
I,
1822.
1822.
n. 19, p. 294.
in de Zuid-Zee en
p.
565.
naar de Behrings
straat in de jaren 1815, 1816, 1817 en 1818, tweede deel p. 277. Amster-
dam, 1822.
*1822. June, 15.
1822. Aug.
New-York... (newspaper).
III,
n. 48, p. 53.
in the
*1824.
1824.
n.
Newbury port
(newspaper).
p.
218.
und Heilkunde,
VIII,
1826. Oct.
Arts, con-
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Dr. Hooker. Additional testimony respecting the Sea-Serpent of the AmeThe Edinburgh Journal of Science, Vol. VI, 1827, p. 126.
April.
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Froriep's Notizen aus dem Gebiete der Natur- und
Heilkunde, XVIII, n. 256, p. 49.
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Sea Serpent.
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Aug.
Norwegische Handelszeitung zu Christiania.
Sept. 5. Norwegische Handelszeitung zu Christiania.
Sept. 15.
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XIX, n. 409, p. 193.
John Fleming. A history of British Animals, etc., Edinburgh, 1828.
Sam. L. Mitchill. The history of Sea Serpentism. Silliman's American Journal of Science and Arts, 1829.
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rican Seas.
1827,
Advertiser.
Benjamin Silliman,
ducted by
1827.
New York
Sea-Serpent.
1827,
*1827,
*1827,
*
1827,
1828,
*1828.
1829,
1830,
1830,
1832,
XXXV,
M834.
p.
122.
to Geology. Chap.
XVI,
p.
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Prof.
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XL,
n 756,
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n 879,
328.
p.
'1834.
C. S.
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XLV,
n 980.
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Haven,
July, 1835.
und Heilkunde,
186.
*1837, Sept.
Group
III,
(Vol.
XXV
of
'1839.
"1839.
Boston Mercantile.
Kennebek Journal.
Froriep's Neue Notizen aus dem Gebiete der Natur- und Heil-
1839, Oct.
*1840.
"1840,
1841.
p. 88.
der
Norweger.
*1843.
Christiansund Posten.
1843, Nov.
p. 184.
und
Heil-
1844.
II
Proceedings
Febr. Froriep's
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1846,
p. 65-
II, p.
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1847, July.
A
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The
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III,
54,
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p.
p.
p.
9.
13.
Oct.
Oct. 21.
23.
28.
2.
4.
4.
fossil
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und Heilkunde,
*1849.
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*1849, March?
*1849,
Boston Atlas.
Montrose Standard.
4849.
1849.
Inquiries
1849.
1849,
*1849,
1849,
1849.
1849.
1849.
1850,
1850,
*1850.
p.
2356
respecting
*1850.
*1850.
Charlestown Courier.
1850.
2.
*1850, Sept.
7.
1850, Sept.
7.
Cork Constitution.
Cork Constitution.
The Sea-Serpent again!
Cork Reporter.
The Sea-Serpent.
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The Great Sea-Serpent.
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'1852, Febr.
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at last.
don News.
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the Orkneys in
S.
in
"Daedalus" in
8
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M855, Aug.
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1856,
1856.
1856,
*1857,
*1857,
1857,
*1858,
*1858,
*1858,
M858,
1858,
1858,
*1858,
*1858,
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1858.
1859.
1860.
1860.
1860.
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1860.
1860.
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1862.
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*1860, Sept.
*
1860. Sept.
1861.
1860,
1860.
13.
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1855.
Sea-Serpent.
1.
lately
7.
is
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called
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The Graphic.
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*1877,
*1877,
*1877,
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*1877,
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5.
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(Newspapers of Liverpool).
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*1877, Sept.
*1878.
1877,
Journal.
The Sea-Serpent
Supposed
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12. The Sea-Serpent
Sea-Snake caught
in Australia.
Sept. 6.
1878, Sept.
explained.
Nature,
Vol. XVIII.
The Graphic.
April
July 19. The Graphic.
July 24. The Sea-Serpent.
The Times.
Vol. XIX.
1879,
1879,
1879,
M879,
1880.
19.
Sept. 24.
1880, Nov.
Vol. XXIII.
M881,
Sept. 8.
1881, Oct.
8.
A. C.
Oudemans,
Jzn.
lets
over
fabelachtige
1882,
*
p.
1326. (The
Cape Argus.
De Zuia-Afrikaan.
Nature,
verhalen
en
10
*1882, June.
*1882, June.
1882.
Glasgow Herald.
Newcastle Chronicle.
1.
Stradling.
Verschuur. Eene
G-.
Scotsman.
at Shetland.
*1882, July,
1882.
The Sea-Serpent
Illustrirte Zeitung
p.
2035.
reis
in
vierhonderd en tachtig
1883.
Henry
1883, Febr.
1.
1883, Febr.
8.
*1884, Sept.
1884, Nov.
M883, Nov.
--
4.
6.
W.
Be
Gids,
p.
300.
John O'G-roat
Journal.
A
1885, Sept. 1
The Sea-Serpent
Sept. 15.
M886,
again.
Scotsman
burgh. 1886.
May
*1889,
21.
gan, U.
1889, June
6.
1889, Dec. 7?
De Grondwet
n 38.
edited
(Journal,
Holland,
in
Haagsche Courant.
John Ashton.
With 130
Michi-
S. A.)
p.
268
Il-
278.
and probably:
*47
*18
*1888.
Sicily.
about
it.
he
is
know
earnestly
of
Birds.
requested
by
the
author
of
this
work
to
inform him
IT.
Home
from their
first
voyage,
sailor-lads,
as
are
fine
evenings
they
Of
the latter
tars
many have no
talking and
other origin
others
have
are
exaggerated
own
with their
seen
eyes,
Except
terrible
even
to
why
our
the
last,
tales are
the
sailors
sailors
all
known
the
other
to Zoologists,
themselves.
and by
rise
to
the
their enlightenment
or harpooned,
of a Sea-Serpent
having been seen by Captain So and So, of the Royal Navy, and
schooner,
or
brig
the
sea-serpent.
Unaware
if
they have
12
printed
affidavits
newspapers,
the
in
next
their
they swear
they
it,
that
bring
will
when on
it home!
But on the next voyage, though they are constantly on the watch
sea-serpent does not appear, and the time for returning home
arrives. One of the sailors, perhaps even the captain hits upon an
idea, a splendid one! Though he did not meet with the serpent,
the
with his
it
that
own
eyes
So in a moment he
it!
swam
is
so rapidly
resolved on
the unbeliever
that
clear
is
the
inventing
in
upon the
hoax
Some
by
of these
my
telling
some
readers
them, which
of
met with
in the
The
the
earliest
first
time in
the
is
letter
"He"
mouth
as
me
men
the
ran into
sunk the
of the serpent
the
also that
about 1780,
vessel
Now
be
to
New
follows the
satisfied
York,
etc.
runs as follows:
"Another sea-serpent,
Anne
is
different
schooner
of
W.
Hingham,
steering
the
coast,
surface
large
M. something on the
of the
boat.
N. W.,
water,
when
appeared
it
that
to
great surprise
up
On my
extreme rapidity.
and placed
time,
When
it
coiled itself
second
my
13
approaching
itself at
again,
heard the
distinctly
self
and
ball
if
itself
and musket
ball
my
fired it at the
coiled
it
it
cannon
come
that
near,
so
and pointed
it
at his throat
but he had
all
He
we
vessel;
the other, as
we
with his
again,
did not
if
he was going to
any shock.
feel
lift
his tail
on
He remained
five
"The
fears
we were
at
is
neck
to
twice
least
head
his
is
that
that
him
not
less
of
his
of
12
or
than
six
full
is
12
first
He
body.
about
are
(ouies),
with which he at
able to examine
feet
of a
is
from
blackish
the
colour;
extremity
his ear-holes
of his
head.
In
"When
that
all
it
he
aids
coils
him
himself up
he places his
tail
in such a
manner,
he moves in
"(Signed)"
declaration
who made
is
attested
Woodward
in his Isis
of 1818, p. 2100.
14
Thirty years
afterwards
published
Zoologist,
2028, without,
it
Apparently because he
not he do so?
an old
story,
many
Why
it!
did
felt
fact
impossibilities!
and incerted
Zoologist,
Third
it
Series, Vol.
VI,
131, p. 328), and ends this article with the following remark: ')
"This communication tallies with those about the sea-serpent,
n.
our
published in
the Zoologist.
volume
3d.
selves
however,
which are
148,
p.
also taken
from
with a newspaper-hoax.
We,
go
shall
still
per,
Worcester
of
him speak
anxiously to
have waited
"I
(see
p.
2192).
will let
himself:
see
person than myself would offer any observation upon the statement
Captain
of
Woodward,
published
in
beg
to offer
in this statement,
Hingham, by
What
12th of May".
Now,
readers.
conclusive,
12th of
except
worthy of credit
know nothing;
ground that
latter
because in
is
last
March.
is
Woodward, on
generally considered as
is
known
question
is
it
to be un-
I never
It is,
therefore,
tells
sailing
date
when he
"Sunday
these
1)
nothing
us
from Penobscot
last
are
The
at
says
2.
of his
to
and
he saw the
p.
do so
where-abouts
Hingham,
steering
serpent,
till
upon the
ward
itself.
heard of him
a disputed
the
Of Captain Woodward
I
captain
May? You
all
Wood-
W.N.
except
that
trifling points.
15
ment will appear from this: Captain Woodward says, the beast
moved with extreme, or, as he afterwards expressed himself, astonishing rapidity; that when he fired at the monster it was sixty
most from the bow of the ship, which appears to have
part of the vessel to the animal; but after he
fired the beast advanced towards his ship; that he had caused his
of course while
cannon to be reloaded and pointed at its throat
feet at the
been
nearest
the
it
cannon,
point
remained
animal
at
scales, or
bullets
near the
to
anything
that
itself to
kill
be
the beast!
against
his
his
yet no description
else, to
Woodward and
strike
have made,
is
and
ball
given of
is
before stated,
body,
allowing
ship,
mentioned,
is
Woodward seem
that Capt.
is
the ear-holes
any
and afterwards
throat,
hours
five
minutely examined,
And what
its
way.
of its
it
it
is
much
as
to be regret-
also to
one better able than myself to point them out has undertaken to
do
so.
ance
But
upon
evidence
highly desirable
subject,
Captain
I
Woodward
should
that
be received.
nothing
observations I
these
and
is
this
should
and
truth,
it
hail
us
am
my
that in
is
matter
sters
at
W. W.
Coo-
16
when
In 1818,
with a
trick.
the
the head or
which
of
title
is
wanting;
it
runs as follows:
"Capt. Rich,
in pursuit
"Squam
the
led
drew
received
He
We
him
struck
last
fairly
my
will
Since
shores.
cautious
and
we have been
yesterday,
constantly in pur-
suit
to
we have
Sea-Serpent.
out.
attempts,
ful
for
we
before
We
fairly as
much
swiftness as a whale.
all loose
sore disappointment."
Aug.
"Gloucester,
to
I
he
you
will
give
well
you some
from
manned.
they met
hours,
the
this
My
particulars
in a large
brother
Serpent off
when they
"Rich'd. Rich".
As
thought
it
hear from
to
sailed
20.
would be interesting
is at some distance,
of his cruise.
On Monday
last,
He
Rich had
Capt.
have in a
letter
17
from
my
These particulars
brother".
"Saml. Dexter".
After the perusal of this
disposed to
that
have found
As
Sea-Serpent.
really
that
believe
about
my
work
readers will
know why
the
sea-serpent,
this
the
is
am
Rich was
all
only time
that the animal was struck with a harpoon. Balls have often been
fired
at
but
it,
has
it
never
been killed
yet.
of the
Mr.
resident
at
Friday
"Last
I
Ware's,
which was announced the
that the Sea-Serpent had been taken by the
most interesting
expedition
fact,
clay,
to breakfast at Dr.
in
fitted
particular nearly a
and
capture,
received
come
viz.
the
of
express
from
Gloucester,
the
evening
before,
to
bring the
He
rode
the
got
to
horse
Professor
small serpent,
pledged
Peck's,
killed
himself that
bunches on
his
near
the
we should
shore
at
Gloucester);
for
he
had no
18
animal.
We
Central
Wharf
the
entered
the
to
The
expedition.
countenance foreboded
we had come
taken!
the
am
(1
present
person
evil.
His
of
store
first
first
was not
occasion
sailors,
however,
our
as
he said
way through
room
of a
store
the small
vessel
in
which
it
bringing
it
honor of Boston
obtained for
their
real
existence.
In the
Messenger of
it.
Thynnus thynnus
Eig. 1.
Philosophical Magazine,
In the
we
1819,
Vol.
19
(Linn.).
LIII,
p.
71,
of January
read:
him by
Dr. Leach
purposely
ition
fitted out
an exped-
much
has been
of which so
in
said
in
We
see that
dupe of
Prof.
,
it!
From
letter
from
Jacob Bigelow
Prof.
to
that
1819.
he
Say's
Prof.
If
will
letter
anybody can
oblige
it.
in
Oken's
me,
conclude
for Jan.
me
tell
indeed.
the exact
title
of 1819,
p.
of
Thomson's Annals
Benjamin
Prof.
653.
German, and
I will try
inserted
"I
regret
that
many
scientific journals
in
Europe have
in
good
which
20
extravagant degree of
You
fear.
will already
He
quoted above).
Mr. Rafinesque Schmaltz, however, says,
zine
(etc.,
the
Maga-
LIV, 1819):
"The Pelamis meg op Idas
left
"
succeeded
rest
or
Phil.
Mag, Vol.
and
to catch it,
(see
very
naturalists at Boston".
And
Prof.
Sc.
and
fitted
of the species
commonly known
dimensions
cester
November
relates in the
Rich
as follows
"As
much
it
credit
to
the
actors
in
it,
fortify
the
sea-serpent
would be a fortune
to those
who
their
other
power,
many
were
boats
21
fitted
of his haunts,
Ann and
armed with
har-
With
along
cruised
a
however,
view,
determined
to
to
themselves, they
upon
it
though
others,
the serpent, or
to see this
great
natural
curiosity,
weighing
much disappointed
Those who had declared
very
those,
wonder, when
macquerel,
600
sometimes
or
700 pounds)
to visit
it.
serpent
it was found
which (though a
to
find
their
opinions
Orleans,
discrimination.
that
much
The Lake
Erie
on Sea- Snakes
"It
as
Serpent.
we read
appears that
well
as
the
sea.
(See
our large
On
the
In
Mr.
Raeinesque's Dissertation
Phil.
3d.
of
fishes,
was seen
in
22
And
Lake Erie has been seen again, and deswith bright eyes, and 60 feet
that at a short distance balls had no effect on
long. It is added
him: but it is omitted to mention whether it was owing to have
hard scales (in which case it might be a real snake of the genus
Enhjdris or Pelamis), or to the indexterity of the marksman."
Every one feels that Mr. Rafinesque was the dupe of a hoax,
and that he was so, indeed, will be seen from Mr. Mitchill's
dissertation (see below) in which more hoaxes are to be found.
"The Water-Snake
cribed
be
to
of
copper colour,
of a
,
but
when
men
scientific
with
assemblies,
view
they
of
even read
papers
before
learned
than
that of Mr.
icate
to
them.
my
was published
It
and runs
L. Mitchill. I
am
obliged to
commun-
in Silliman's
Am. Journ.
8c.
Arts,
1829,
as follows-.
"The
History
of
Summary
Mitchill's
United States,
Lyceum
Samuel
for
at
Sea-Serpentism
succession
The
extracted
from
Samuel
L.
of
sittings
during
October,
New York
1828.
N. 35.
Sea-Serpent.
Massachusets
and
able
imposing,
Linnean Society of
the
that
23
New
England
reptile
could
alists
not catch
was concluded
it
avits
the
deponents
several
swearing went,
believed
solemn
such
affid-
had
they
seen
and
as
far
as
for inspection,
by oaths. Accordingly,
to
in incredulity."
"About
me
this
To
a manuscript.
distinguished
pose
of
had
while he read
discovered that
highly
delighted
with
his
letters
success;
intended
acquire
to
take
the
lead
of the
and had
my
the
all
He was
Humphreys did
to listen
friend
collecting
sea-serpent.
me
He
evid-
to
the
during which
in
the investigation
into
directed
the
proofsheets
to
be
sent
to
him
there.
had a lucky
"Afterwards,
mutilated
specimen
of a
the
spirit.
Great
killed
This
could judge,
on the
preserved in alco-
had
Scoliophis.
logical characters
1
snake,
me
24
been
native
(apparently
land,
the
of
no pretention
course,
and had,
a coluber',)
kindred with
claim
to
its
of
pretended parent
of the ocean."
"I
opinion
museum,
by reason of
my
possessing in
which
my
my
navigating
friends
ese Sea."
"The
and doings
sayings
is
In
mise,
that
presume
mighty
the
am
to
one
being
an
of
size
the
and
show a
credulity
when
creative power.
very
is
be
all-
big as a KraJcen
Yet,
as easily as
on reviewing these
the
much resembling
men
of the
present
day
The
"(a).
ative
as
Stickleback.
marvellous,
the
to
might be
animal
diminutive
of the
For the
ought
it
it,
make
could
posterity,
put a limit to
to
such
that
proceeding
memorable part
and of
a very
this enlightened
in
to
it
first
was
tale I
this:
all
seriously rel-
said, to put
and to
would traverse
the currents and pass among the islands with an ease and a speed
unknown to boats moved by oars and sails; and of course, much
of the business of transporting passengers would be taken away
from the small craft heretofore employed. The large boat would
thus destroy the small ones, or, as was expressed by another
word, devour them. Under these forebodings, the steam-vessel
steam
boat
in
convey passengers.
made
proceeds,
trip,
vessel
Some wag,
the
account
this
fiction
am
An
young
active
bought a
have
seen
fellow
little
25
sloop
and resolved
He named
to
try
his luck in
which
remember
to
to
how high
the
on
barrels
deck)
He
he had
then described
seen
the
how
(alluding
black
and
white
colours
(meaning
the
painted
waist)
how
were
variegated;
of the
least
this sea-serpent
from
to
five
knots
six
It
was about
ceived
from
letter,
respectfully
me
whether
Boston
that
this
period
an ichthyological production,
enclosed
in
written,
article
had been found on the shore of the region which the alarming
visitor frequented; and was supposed to have been separated from
his body by one of the musket balls which had been fired at him
and washed ashore. To this serious communication I returned for
answer that it was simply a portion of skin with closely adhering
It
scales,
belonging to
the
osseus),
an inha-
the sea-serpent
feeling
was more
intense,
inasmuch
as it
26
command of Captain
day he cruised over tracts where the sea-serpent
according to information been observed
without discovering
Day
Rich.
had
him,
catching
after
men on board
of the
the
sea-serpent.
which some
had seen before, and that it was
said they
vigilance
and patience,
He was
Mackerel family.
Greenwood Museum
vidual of a well
much
longer, with
the
known
and
species called
satisfied
until
it
was at a distance
sea."
Mackerel
(as
they
call
it)
for
Sea- Serpent!
He
told
me
the
story himself."
it was supposed for a time that
Lake Ontario. A coasting navigator, somewhere between Kingston and York, had several times during his
trips observed among the islands and rocks something that appeared
"(e).
a sea-serpent existed in
to
be
lumps
or
humps
of variegated
of his acquaintances
One
of
sea-serpent.
as she
was
steering
very
the
and inserted
may
men
the
creature.
be
it
at the tavern
office,
to
be
Mr.
in his paper, in
on that
relied
27
which
it
travelled far
and wide.
It
to genus and species, by a distinguished naturand registered very orderly in zoology. Now let us find what
been reduced
has
alist,
The
sheriff of the
county,
man, heard
a sensible
of the marvel,
support
a
!"
it
When
the
"Now,
on
the
subject,
and
wilful perversions
may admit
that the
Silliman,
the
editor
commented upon."
of the
journal,
saying in a note:
"We
not
ourselves
evidence
Journal
as
sceptical
on
that presented
particularly
in
this
the
statements of Capt.
Little
of the
28
Boston Frigate,
far
sea-
Now
the
is
the non-existence
the subject, he would have found that the sea-serpent had already
in the
Isle
and
all
along the Eastern coasts of the United States. The Linnaean Society,
he
further
asserts
figure of the
is
"published a
enormous
reptile
book on the
only
with
the
subject,
him
of a
was the
same figured by the Linnaean Society; and where Mr. Mitchill
says that he is convinced that the snake was a common native of
the land, "apparently a Coluber ", he expresses an opinion which
snake"
the
Society
already
the
story
of the
"the sea-serpent"
is
matter.
this
active
in
alcoholic
printed in
to
young
And
fellow
spirit,
Consequently he
finally,
where he says
and
his readers
what
is
is
commonly
Mr.
may
29
found,
XXVII,
German,
into
translated
Deland
Capt.
Notizen
of
589, p. 265:
n.
with
found in American
will be
Froriep's
in
schooner
the
Eagle
ran
into
Charlston
with
On
following declaration:
March,
the 23d. of
at 11
o'clock
A.M.,
at
animal,
loaded
approached
quite
visible,
to
the
20
within
it
perceived
musket with a
ball,
careless.
he
that
approached the
and steered
so, that he
25 yards
or
and apparently
still
at
Capt.
the hindpart of the head, the only part that was just
at
sagacity
who
Deland,
surface.
and the
great
At
came
terror
the
of
crew,
this
moment
directly
up
the monster,
to the vessel,
and in passing dealt her two or three heavy blows with its tail,
of which the first struck the stem, and caused a shaking, felt by
on
every-one
board.
animal approach
as
he perceived
the
and the whole crew, the mate not excepted, only thought
safety. They all had opportunity to see their enemy and
agree that its length was about 70 feet. The body was as thick
deck,
of their
fins
disappeared
shot,
the
at
afterwards,
again together,
disappeared.
Captain
similar
times at
sent
it;
case.
way.
to
D.
says,
some distance
that
off
He
believes,
it,
that
this
damage a
to
four
years
and
feels
happy
were
seen
ago he saw a
terrible
vessel
both
the
destroy
He
the
at
enough
strength
not to
creature
however,
visit
fired four
as in the pre-
it
in
this
shape
of
the
sea-monster,
and that
it
was
different
from
30
whales
which
deep,
he has ever
witnessed" {Chronicle).
Though
description
reported
is
habit
of
the
have
been
of
by a
to
whole account as a
I consider the
yet
In
the
what
that
ball,
we
read:
"The
Sea-Serpent
Colossal
Now
newspapers.
Ontario,
78
it
long,
feet
is
again
reported
is
American
the
in
it
and of a
is
It
not
the
of
result
an
illusion,
the
to
impossibilities!
that
really believes,
optical
Every
it
if this
is
a hoax.
In
animal
fossil
New
114
and
of Nat.
feet,
measuring
of
parts
Hist.
Nov.
1845,
the
readers
figure
of this
Vol.
II, p.
65).
which
skeleton,
show here
to
my
Wochenblatt
this
is
report
report
is
skeleton
in
full
particulars
is
given by Prof.
Wyman in the
my readers
it,
proved
that
individual,
"these
remains
never
Wyman
in the
same paper
31
32
And he comes to the conclusion that the greater part of the bones
belonged to the genus Basilosaurus of Harlan, 1824, an animal
allied to the seals. The same genus is called Zeuglodon by Prof.
Richard Owen
in
of Basilosaurus.
Koch
that Dr.
also told
tjie
p.
94)
we
read
together,
in
individual
Wyman
who
we have
as
seen above
Alabama.
in
little
New York
man, appeared
n 801, p.
in Froriep's
Silliman attested:
Prof.
Neue Notizen
News
"that
1846, Vol.37,
existing
popular (and
or
I
fossil
spinal
differs,
although
serpent,
of Oct. 28,
the
of Febr.
134.
it
may countenance
the
name
of Sea-Serpent
In
the
Illustrated
in the last
tioned
at
Mantell
Number
the
me
conclusion
of the
The
appeared
fossil
men-
name
33
known
who
in this
Mr. Koch
is
bones
of
by the
elephants
now
it
were selected
Mastodon
of Organic Remains".
which the
interest
fossils
which he
col-
Koch,
all
(Eocene)
tertiary
the extremities
of
formation.
that
served
in
situ,
Memoir on
published
in
that
the
the
extended in a line
Basilosaurus
65
Academy
of the
which
name
same animal
Geological
is
by Prof.
Society
inserted in
my
An
was ob-
interesting
Journal of the
feet.
Owen
of Natural Sciences of
Memoir on
the remains
of Zeuglodon cetoides\
we
read:
34
"This animal"
(the
Basilosaurus)
to
but
Dr.
it
Wyman
has exposed
mammal".
do not think
believe
Dr.
that
this to
Koch knew
was
in every
New York
same Journal
"Koch's sea-serpent was carried to Dresden, where it was described by Carus who figured it and even restored the cranium
of which then only a portion had been found. Carus restored the
cranium of a reptile but this was a mere fiction of his imagination
for an entire cranium has since been found, proving beyond a
doubt that the Zeuglodon was not a reptile but a cetacean; the
teeth being inserted by double roots into double alveoli is positive
evidence that it was a warmblooded mammal. Miiller has also
carefully studied this specimen, and pronounces it unquestionably
The
is
related to us in that
a cetacean."
The reader will further on see mention made of a report generknown as that of the Daedalus. It appeared in the newspapers of October, 1848. As soon as it was published, the following
,
ally
was addressed
letter
in
the
number
Times of 23d.
of
Oct.
21.
Oct.,
and
in
1848,
the
of
Globe.
It first
appeared
Illustrated
London News of 28
"Mary Ann,
"I
have
and
Lisbon,
to
just
my
reached
this
attention
port,
Daedalus,
cumstance
"When
tember
be
to
ters
jolly boat,
per
35
of
let-
first
in
had
animal
extraordinary
been
seen:
it
had
Immediately upon
upon
to bear
whatever
other
being seen
its
it,
pieces
could
of iron
discharged at the animal, then only distant about forty yards from
the
ship;
taken
put
immediately reared
it
with
violently
on
the
starboard
to
tack
and plunged
charge had
the time, but was
head in the
its
showing evidently
effect.
about
body,
its
leeward
air,
the
that
at
which was seen foaming and lashing the water at a fearful rate:
upon the brig nearing, however, it disappeared, and, though evidently wounded, made rapidly off at the rate of 15 or 16 knots
an hour, as was judged from its appearing several times upon the
surface. The Daphne pursued for some time, but the night coming
on the master was obliged to put about and continue his voyage".
"Erom the description given by the mate, the brute must have
100
been nearly
feet
it
The packet
of the Daedalus.
"There are
pool,
which
have
written
letters
of letters to Boston
which
suppose
agrees in every
by the captain
have no doubt
will be
made
public".
to a friend in Liver-
some further
particulars,
and
full ac-
who
naturalist
plaining
away the
hoax of
Now
this
,
is
pledged to one of the hypothetical modes of exexistence of a sea-serpent, and who hopes by a
think
Mr.
Newman
36
News
we
for
read:
Mercury.
on the
altar of science
Beaufort,
March
1850.
15,
When
in our waters.
was in
lazily
making
his
way up Broad-
River,
making
He
tured.
way higher up
his
is
ten
feet
and
as
when
head
his
observed.
bank of the
river,
He
him.
the
effect
the
surface
that
if
of
one
above,
discovered,
waged
this
upon
when
is
man two
to
where he
approach
into
him.
In
his
is
suppose
own
the
understand
to capture
is
represented
to
is
it
terms.
the
said
when he is
way he may be taken if,
them first. The Whale Branch is
each
and,
other,
this
is
every probability of
following
is
own
sea-serpent
him,
cannon to
appended
reached us that
made up
conflict
We
nearly approached.
which
along the
then
fire
and
dominions;
pursued
below
and
more than
an animated
to
from
to
peradventure
huge hogshead
going
each,
The plan
possible.
letter
He was
which he
hump, resembling
is
of the water
party
other
not
as he could be seen
humps was
to
has
motion,
in
from
far
still,
certain,
is
Information
ashore
at
the
has
just
mouth
of
Newman
Mr.
37
"Ever since
with
the
Prof.
Owen
attempted
on
which
he
seals,
them
shoals of
this leviathan
taking in
feeds,
whole
at a
apparatus
seaserpentbone
confound
to
probably
manner
the
in
whale
of
his
filling
stomach
snubbled
and
resolved,
no doubt,
doggedly
has
kept
deep
in
water,
pertinatiously
to
Valentine
the
surface,
and
Britishers,
the
hibition,
has
concluded to shun
shores
nation,
of a
him
respecting
intelligence
The reader
now
not
is
observe
at
actually ashore.
is
afterwards
will
it
only
will
moment
Newman
Mr.
that
get
the right
to enter into
wrote
also
Owen's
them;
the following
word:
last
lievers
it
still
hoax,
Newman, London,
I
that
the
wit:
of
flood
perfect
Is
disparaging
papers
the
suggestions;
heart:
his
wisely
on earth. The
credulous
with
warmed
has
and
must
has
of the
that
and
arm
is
Edward
few
afterwards
lines
it
in the Illustrated
is
of the Sea-serpent. It
Broad-River
of the
Brachioptilon Hamiltoni,
Again
am much
mentioned
the
striking
intermixed with a
Hamiltoni?
Brachioptilon
this,
all
in
or
above been
cription
River,
shafts of
is
first
Whale-River.
called
As
is
Whiteto
the
a kind of shark.
London News
for
"The
letter-.
Cork
Constitution
Court m asherry
publishes
Aug.
29.
the
Sir,
following
circumstantial
The following
partic-
38
accuracy
the
ulars,
doubt not,
Old Head
the
last
few
and
tion,
the
captured
greatest
further
shore,
A. M.
to
profit
by the bounty
haak
In fact, as T heard
before.
leaping
for instance
it
o'clock
prevails
activity
some description of
that
known
ever
literally
my
will,
different fishing
The
of your readers:
establishments on
the
of
many
interest
accounted
when
sailing
it
was
for yesterday
in
my
Barrel
of
appeared
now
covered
within
rifle
We
were
some on board
it
was resolved
under portion of the body whenever the creature's unwieldy evolutions would expose its vulnerable part. The
instant the piece was discharged the monster rose as if impelled
to fire a ball at the
by a painful impulse
to a height
such as
changing
or
39
skin for a
old
its
new
can be seen at the Horse Rock Coast Guard station, and will repay
a
visit.
am
and
able,
if
who had
not so good an
my
in
I
am,
"Roger
And
number
W.
it,
facts.
Travers"", in the
2.
of
depths".
"On Saturday
ance
of
being
(August 31), the weather having the appearfine, I put out to sea, determined, as far
last
settled
my
as the capabilities of
in
little craft
would permit,
to
go any length
fish
now
out
look
constant
disappointed,
head, one of
in
Nor was
my
At about
when
off
Dunwordy-
in a very
sing
in figures
but I do
what
believe
that
feel
it
40
tail
it
length
of that
The mouth
am
is
The small
that of an alligator.
nothing
think,
of the gills
size
the
like
The nose,
is
formed of a
soft
for I
am
"coating"
After a
state.
asleep,
fallen
before
as
satisfied,
as
we
observed,
little
time
it
that
flesh-like
the
like
could discern
substance, not
and
beast
is
now
scales
in its
of Dunworly-head
and I once more, although I
more rashness than discretion, resolved to try the
effect of firearms in capturing him. Four rifles were prepared, brought
simultaneously to bear on the animal's head, and, giving the word
myself, and directing all to aim for the eye turned towards us,
bang went the pieces in a volley, the shots taking evident effect.
His first movement was to shake his head and wink the wounded
eye in a rapid manner and then as if to cool the painful wound
he suddenly dived, since when I have not had the slightest trace
of him either by my own observation or through others". Cork
the east
at
now
side
with
feel
Constitution
Sept. 7.
"The Cork
Constitution
Since
the
letter
belonging
yacht,
to
fine
to
to
Passing the
Kinsale.
with
In a
fish.
ately
they
cription,
few
were not
of the
minutes,
could
be
an hour.
it
is
sufficiently
near
the
for a
far as
less
shape
as
it
single take
41
monster,
on as above
relied
The
the year
suspicion".
all
1850
7.
Zoologist
In
2925)
to
be taking a coast-
Here follow the above mentioned three hoaxes, of Courtmasherry, August 29, August 31, and September
"A
few
day (Sept.
2.
me on
accompanied
friends
boating
excursion this
9)
our
off the
attention
eyes
and
us;
above
the
fright,
we were
at once
monster
armed with
was
at the monster,
of the deep
all
it
and thought
fright,
on our landing,
Mr.
W.
Silk,
to
it
who
but without
effect.
you are aware of it before but from inquiries from various boatmen I am told he has been off the harbour the last three
days."
John Good, of Kinsale." in Cork Reporter, Sept. 11.
Mr. Newman, the Editor of the Zoologist, adds:
"The next account states that a party encountered the monster
ance
as
in Ballycotton
some
which
made him
disgorge a shoal
24),
Cork,
reports
his
together
of
capture
with
full
fell
42
several
parts
morning
strange
time
scales;
why
them
and
the
make such
to
not
exact observations.
some
sent
to
And
light-house?
London
or
Dublin?
why keep
my remembrance
of the place
so I
me
send
to
of a
assistance
handful of scales,
was no response.
there
alas!
unsatisfactory about
as
without
the
at
me
of
friend
in
Principal
most
"Dear
his
there
Sir,
I reply
not one
is
the newspapers
there
explicit
is
word
there
is
to
named James W.
person
Travers, to
W. Travers but
whom I believe
,
has been done to annoy (and indeed with great effect). Mr.
Thomson's family has been staying in the neighbourhood, but do
not hear a word of it except what is to be seen in the papers
about it. Dear Sir, yours truly, H. 0/ Callaghan."
Bandon,
it
Sep. 18,
1850.
"Any comment on
The
this
would be superfluous.
Newman
trouble
Mr.
and
know whether
scales,
to
Edward Newman.''
is
the
The Sea- Serpent caught at last! (See The New York Tribune
1852, February, Galignani's Messenger for 1852, Februari,
The Illustrated London News for 1852, March, 13, The Times
for 1852,
March 10, The Zoologist for 1852 p. 34263429,
for
"Ship
Monongahela,
the
some
my
6.
and
as she is apparently
bound
acquaint,
through your
a monster
sea-serpent
Sea, Feb.
at
mast-head
43
whose existence
cused in saying
when
13,
min.
in
west,
is
by Yankee
3
lat.
the
cleg.
man on
intrepidity.
"Two
said
my
ordered
on the
points
bow".
lee
my "Where
Supposing
it
to
be
spyglass.
struggling
On
my
and,
cross-trees,
away?"
along
will
observe
with
very
that for
light
and
several
days
we had been
baffling winds,
but at day-
light
the
the
mate,
the
yards,
much!"
as it
Islander,
"Oh
look
look
Me
see
too
much
too
where he was looking, and then all eyes turned to the lee quarter.
had just time to see "black skin" when it disappeared. The
native was excited, and in reply to my question said: "No whale
me
too
big
too long. Me no see all same dat fellar
Not being able to tell which way the animal or
fish was bound, I luffed and came aback, ordering the lines into
the boat and. the crews to "stand by". The horizon was scanned
in every direction for nearly an hour, when giving up all hopes I
braced forward and went below. The native continued to look
with eagerness, pushed on by the observations of the crew, who
asserted that he had seen nothing, but he proved the truth of
his sight in a few minutes by uttering another cry, and with
more vehemence than the first. I rushed on deck, and the first
too
much
fraid".
look,
it
attentively,
44
or sound uttered.
at and deand the very first question would be: "Why didn't you
try him ?" I told them our courage was at stake
our manhood
and even the credit of the whole American whalefishery, and concluded by appealing to their cupidity
holding out that we
might possibly get him into some southern port. "I do not order
one of you to go in the boats", I said "but who will volunteer?"
Let me say to their credit, every American in the ship stepped
out at once, followed by all but one native and two Englishmen.
I ordered the boat-steerers and officers to examine and see that
every thing in and about the boats was in perfect order. I had
already jumped into my boat when the serpent began to move
very rapidly, and it was necessary to stand after him. The wind
seeing
rided
was piping up
sail,
we gained
strongly, but as
hoping to be able
to
continued to carry
it
all
im-
to haul
The
serpent
worked
to
after I carried
was headed
The
tack.
put
disappeared
was
mile
for
ahead
few
of
minutes
the
ship,
again,
and
but
when he
rose
he
45
head
aback
yards
the
lose
sight
of
us
and
in
lead,
leeward
to
(harpoon),
hand, quick
We
an instant.
for
few strokes
to "stand up".
iron
to
ship-keeper
told
all
the wind
,
as
of his
my
of
thought
socket in the repulsive body before us. I shouted 'stern, but there
motion of his snakeship. I shifted ends with the boatand cleared away a lance as quickly as possible beckoning
them to pull up, that I might get a lance, when a movement of
the body was visible and the head and tail of the monster rushed
was no
steerer
visible
were
as it
it
to
approached to boat,
filled
my
churning
off the
down.
when
and
my
partly lost
I rose
felt
and
adeep
shouted,
lance,
it;
caught a bight at
in
the
I instinctively held
my
an instant began
to
me
up
sounding, and
fear
of
cautioned the
drawing the
irons.
At
officers
first
46
six
eighth,
sail enough to keep the ship up, the boat was in peril,
was obliged to take the line to the ship again, and run the
risk of the irons drawing. I made the end of the line fast and took
in all sail but enough to keep her steady, and waited in alarm
to
carry
and
the
snake's
At 4
5 p.
lull;
rising,
p.
m.
it,
line
to shift
began
to abate.
wind
scarcely
abreath and sea rapidly falling, no eye was closed in the ship
we were
on our prey.
It
witnessed
the
terrific
it;
the evo-
body were rapid as lightning, seeming like the revolving of a thousand enormous black wheels. The tail and head
would occasionally appear in the surging bloody foam and a sound
was heard, so dead, unearthy, and expressive of acute agony, that
a shrill of horror ran through our veins. The convulsive efforts lasted
10 or 15 minutes, when they suddenly stopped, the head was
partially raised
the body partly turned, and lay still.
it fell
I took off my hat, and nine terrific cheers broke simultaneously
from our throats. Our prey was dead. Luckily he floated buoyantly,
and we took -him alongside, and while doing so he turned over,
lying belly up. Every eye beamed with joy as we looked at him
lutions
of the
47
over the rail, and the crew again cheered vociferously, and I joined
We
them.
I
now
had requested
us
of
all
and bones,
who
hands
it
convinced that
felt
into port,
all
work
to advantage.
serpent
am
now
we could
I will
As
It
was a male
the length 103 feet 7 inches; 19 feet 1 inch around the neck; 24
feet
inches
and the
nearly
ran
cartilage.
spots.
On
were
streak two-
body dark
examining the skin we found, to our surprise, that the
thirds
a flat firm
sides; then
body was covered with blubber, like that of a whale, but it was
The oil was clear as water, and burnt nearly
fast
as
spirits
great difficulty,
48
begins
now
an
emit
to
odour;
offensive
distemper.
p.
m.
and
offered
is
am
Sir,
anxiety. 2
be the brig
to
Ponce,
Bridgeport.
to
likely to breed
my
R.
P.
He
when he
with
has kindly
arrives.
As
shall be
it is
proves
from
days
bound
your obedient
servant
New
Whale-ship Monongahela, of
Master,
she
soon as I get in
account.
eight
merchandise,
put
to
unless
Sturges,
Captain
oranges
am
but I
as it
Gipsy,
man
Every
it
Charles
Seabury,
Bedford."
can
concluded
be
animal of 104
holes
with
any
feet length
and a skin
like
certainty from
and 16
that
feet thickness,
of whales.
The
monster says that he has preserved the bones, the skin, the skull
with its flesh adhering to it, an eye and the heart, and as he
nal n. 491):
"As
was supposed, we
it
Philadelphia
Serpent
is
Bulletin
fiction.
that
learn
the
The crew
story
that
of
the
capture
the Sea-
New York
Tribune
to
open sea
it
of
49
Buffalo
and
and
the Times
in
year,
loto
of September,
of October, 1
in
1855
"The "Buffalo Daily Republic" of the 13th. of August, announces the capture of the great American water-snake on that day in
the Silver Lake, near Perry village, New York. On Sunday, the
12th. the snake came to the surface, displaying 30 feet length of
his body. On Monday morning all were on the alert. At nine
o'clock the snake appeared between the whaleman's boat and the
shore: he lay quiescent on the surface, and the whaleman's boat
moved slowly towards him Mr. Smith of Covington pointing
,
On
and he darted
almost
lake,
Line
ment.
seemed
was
much
given
exhausted.
snake showed
in.
renewed
When
within
fifty
life,
ually
down
swells
to
it
then tapers
along the
staring
belly.
and
The head
terrific,
The mouth
so
is
No gills appear.
as to swallow a
body a
foot
and a
can stretch
50
The sides and back are duskyAlthough sinuous like a snake, there
brown
the belly
dirty white.
is
are
He
in him.
is
still
lies in
body in a curve, so that he cannot get away. He can use his head
tail, with which he stirs the water all around. When he rears
his head (which he generally keeps under water) he presents a fearful aspect. In expanding his mouth he exhibits a blood-red cavity
horribly to look at, and the air rushes forth with a heavy short puff."
The well known Mr. Spencer F. Baird the late zealous Secretary
and
Washington, U.
on reading
S.
this
856, p. 4998):
"In the November number of the "Zoologist"
(Zool.
4896)
notice
of the
since learned
is
summer
while on a
vacation
for the
S.
purpose of fur-
Spencer
December
F.
28,
Baird,
1855."
the truth of
it
we
"The following
which
arrived
at
in
the
Liverpool
in
lat.
12
sation as
if
7'
east,
extract
from
the
log
of
the
"British Banner",
Daily
Post
March
of
and longitude 93
read:
20.
"On
last,
the
appeared
25th. April
feet
long
he did not observe me, and continued to shake the bowsprit and
51
throw the sea alongside into a foam, until the former came
away of the ship. The serpent was powerful enough although
the ship was carrying all sail, and going at about six knots at
to
clear
the
bowsprit with
swallowed
monster
the
with
the
the
ease;
the
When
completely.
sails
apparent
greatest
way
the jibboom
He
sheered off a
after this,
little
when
steamer
the
blowing
are
boilers
off.
whale breached
within a mile of the ship at this time, and the serpent darted off
after
it
and staving
with his
Saw no more
tail,
of
it,
and brought it on
William Taylor, Master "British Banner '."
Melbourne.
"[The British Banner arrived here on Sunday, and is now
to
',
in
the Albert Dock. Captain Taylor declares that the above statement
is
Editor
perfectly correct.
Edward Newman,
Mr.
"It
impossible
is
but
this,
Lloyd's
for
Daily Post.,]"
is
is
like a
hoax than
through a friend at
Taylor, a respect-
and trustworthy gentleman, and that she did arrive at Liverpool on Sunday, 18 March, last past, and is now in the Albert
able
Armed with
Dock.
this information I
who
statement,
it
and
adding also that the young one reported to have been caught was
presented
to
the
Museum
at
Melbourne, were
was thoroughly
it
not
is
quite
clear
whether Mr.
Newman was
a second time
Mr.
But
it
just as I heard
ship there
was
sailing
all
set,
's
true
I tell it to you.
is
when
all
sea
of a tremble,
contrary,
52
seems to resemble;
it
With jaws
fiercely glaring,
in his terrible
mouth.
This
is
I think
on the whole
The
With
And
tail
to
they
went down
to glib.
{Zoologist,
young
p.
sea-serpent of Captain
friend,
who
gigantic
of
creature
as
Captain
Taylor
has
described.
Edward
Newman ."
But
of
a great
Sea-Serpent
of
Captain Taylor
we
don't find
We
have read
Constitution
the
various
1850;
of
Skibbereen
the
53
Eagle too
is
not averse to
him (from
to
many
the
about twenty
being
boat he
small
in
as
descriptions he
to be a sea-serpent
distance
J.
in Whitehall
There
possible.
five or thirty
was,
however,
another
boat
the
in
Mr.
brother,
ance,
having large,
scales
brilliant
hue, and
yellow
of a
is
of
it
it
is
June 1872):
Cobbin of Durban
ture, of 13th. of
"Mr.
J.
passage
but
an
from London
account
of
saw no
less
him
"During
my
On
30th.
December
last,
on board the Silvery Wave, in lat. about 35' 0" S. and long.
33' 30" E.
at 6.20 P. M. solar time, an enormous sea-serpent
,
passing
nearly
course.
He was
one
across
our
at least
alteration
of our
third
enormous fan-shaped
raising
tail,
it
with
54
know whether
don't
hoax
true
is
the
an optical illusion
or
but
think
it
is
a hoax.
from the
Mr.
Liverpool:
"Report
to
before
the
ship.
52',
Two days
M. on May 13,
91 20',
long.
or
Texas.
six
before
after,
one of the
men sang
like a cask
saw something
on
Olaf,
arrival
weather calm,
saw a shoal of sharks
vessel's stern,
following
merchant in
of
Five
the
received
ship-owner and
well-known
we have
doubting,
Galveston
26
lat.
we could
two minutes
discussed animal
Galveston,
smooth sea,
passing
in
Walthew,
from Newport
at
much
persisted
stinately
from
this
earliest
rest.
but
About
its
from the
lifting his
all
all
of
it
ft.
long and of
which were smaller, and the former flat like the head of a serpent.
It had four fins on its back
and the body of a yellow greenish colour,
with brown spots all over the upper part and underneath white.
,
Olaf.
its
appearance.
Witness
A.
in diameter.
4.
some
to signature, J. Fredk.
are
it
of the mates
Hassel
minutes before
One
also
Walthew."
published,
I think that
and
give
Captain Hassel
56
after
four
of these
swimming
individuals
most occasionally
lifting its
perfectly
first
may be
what they saw. Evidently one of the mates first drew the sketch
exactly as he saw the four sharks, but afterwards, answering his
own question: "how would the serpent look, if floating on the
surface?" sketched the second figure, where a boa or python with
of
four fins
is
splendid
of the
Monde
or better
and published
in the
number
Spanish colony."
owe
"I
which
who
is
to
are:
Isle of
Porto
Rico,
"The appearance
lasted
made
my
the sketch
for
son noted
down
his observations
As
Mr. Con-
58
or
of scales,
lapping
rough skin
The back
of scales.
layers
is
growing
lighter
entire
body
point,
like
is
that
of
eels.
head,
snakes;
of the
and irregular
and
forms at
it
outlines.
movable
its
From
projects, as
is
hollow,
pointed
it is
points;
to
become
act of swallowing.
From
may
crest
this
be
invisible.
white.
sharp
dark
very
most
the occiput
with very
crest,
is
in
the
The
attached
throat,
like sacs
doubt-
and
and phosphorescing
steel,
round,
look
very
glittering,
backward,
evolutions;
the
rapid
so
orbit
is
as
very
bordered
"The
line,
lines
face,
grey in
colour,
run towards
"It
of the
by
for
more than
heat on
gatherers
bristles."
lateral oblique
mention
neck presents a
hung about us
great
to the
it."
"The movement
no sound
is
of
large
Asnieres,
make one
half an hour,
scale
of
mingled
the
with
ill;
was
slight ripple."
this smell,
which
of
dozen of
all
to
its
dimen-
sions,
its
59
its
integ-
ument."
not the
"This
is
"The
first
Ville de Lissabonne
"This
date
first
time
it
,
coincides
the Constitutional ,
1864
"In
was
it on his arm."
by assuring you that the monster
seen on Wednesday evening, August 10, 1881, by the under-
end
this
of reports
series
M.
in
latitude 29 60'
longtitude 4240'
reckoning the
according
degrees,
to the log-book
on board, from
"C. Renard."
The Editor
"We
the
all
say,
of the
Monde
lllustre adds:
strange,
and
the
of
details
of
which we communicate
Let us
now
least to
to our
III.
Would-be Sea-Serpents
It
is
ocean
several
me
in
that
in
little
inlet,
or
eight
other
where
be
afterwards,
end of
this
skin
used,
for
it
it;
apparently,
however,
it
could not
Thorlacksen was
else
61
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
(see
give
figure
6.)
Perhaps no
The Animal of Stronsa.
1808.
stranded animal, even the so-called sea-monks of
the seventeenth and the eighteenth century caused
among
excitement
such an
animal of Stronsa".
The
oldest
report
certainly
letter
of
it
in
is
"A
ing of
it)
Isles,
sea-snake
mane
with a
like a horse,
thick
feet
true.
sent a drawing of
The
titled:
letter
"Life
was
to
it
my
friend."
printed in the
first
and Letters
of
work
Campbell",
en-
and
of
of a great Sea-Snake
This
in
curious
animal,
appears,
Orkney.
was stranded
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
62
fishing-tackle
the
tecture
hung down
known by
On
mane.
like
each
and
the
name
side
of the
jointed.
of silk-worm gut)
knocked
collected
by
systematic
In
naturalists
scientific
as spurious
and
and
ideal."
the
tions
Sea-Snake,
Neill
read
from different sources, especially letof undoubted authority, which he had received from the Orkneys.
stated, however, that owing to the tempestuous season, the
collected
of this
ters
He
head
fin
sternum
Museum
at
first
and
as it evidently
a century ago
appeared to
for this
new
by Pontoppidan
Norway,
it
the
meeting of the
its specific
Secretary
affidavits
(Mr.
made
P.
p.
Neill)
before
251),
laid before the Society copies of
October
last;
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
63
well
the
descriptions
we
and
made
will
also
the
as
We
figures
except one;
it
with them,
is
a drawing
7).
-Mrmmi
Eig. 7.
The Paper
of Dr.
4
The Animal
Barclay was
of Stronsa.
entitled:
of the animal that was cast ashore on the island of Stronsa, Sept.
1808. The above-mentioned affidavits were also printed in 1811,
in
the
first
Volume
of the
Memoirs of the
Wernerian Natural
presence
of Dr.
10.
1808.
P.
Two
of his
who solemnly
of the head
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
64
webbed
and a half
where
in breadth,
they joined each other; and the length seemed to be about eight
inches:
was four
joint
extremity,
the
to
resembled
it
That the hollow between the snout and the upper part
of the skull, appeared to him not to be quite so deep as represented in the drawing: That in every other respect the drawing
feathers:
appears
it
be so exact, that
to
of the
back to the
it
belly,
if
to his recollection:
the
not
to
the
feeling,
it,
it
towards
but was smooth as velvet when the hand was drawn towards
That the extremity of the tail was about two inches in
thickness
and somewhat rounded and as he saw no part of the
bones he cannot say whether any part of the tail had been broken
off or not: That the eyes appeared to be no larger than those of
a seal: That there were two spout holes on each side of the neck,
the head
the
tail:
from
the
snout,
in
the
dark,
to be truth
while
they
continued wet.
And
all
this
he declares
&c.
"(Signed)"
"Thomas Fotheringhame."
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
65
then
observed
having
fins
it
be
to
different
arms,
or
of the water
That this was one of the arms
which was larger and broader than the others
nearer the tail; and at that time the fin or arm was edged all
around, from the body to the extremity of the toes, with a row
above
next
the
surface
head,
the
and examined
in the boat:
wind came on, and the surge drove the fish ashore
That he measured it by fathoms, and found
about fifty-four or fifty-five feet in length: That he observed the
of south
east
on Rothiesholm-Head
it
six
of bristles
no part of the
bristles
fins
or arms,
and supposes, that being in a putrid state, they had been beaten
That a small part of the belly
or washed away
off by the sea
was broken up when he saw it then, from which the stomach,
,
as
he now
stomach
of
supposes
have
to
it
which he took at
being joined
it
opened
to
he concluded
first
been,
it
That the
it
,
as
after
it
was
resembled
it
to
And
fallen out:
the
it
high.
had
he declared
That the
joint
of
the
foremost
leg
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
66
mane came no
part
tail,
length
eye,
further than
neck
of the
shape
the
drawing
the
That the
the
and of the
and distance of the
of the spout-holes
situation
the
snout,
the
other,
appear
to
of
shoulder,
the
which
of
position
him
to be exactly preserved in
fish
belly
had fallen out, was between the two limbs that are situated
middle of the animal. And all this he solemnly declares
And
truth.
"Eodem
island of Stronsa
20th.
the
to be
in the
who being
October,
of
die'
interrogated
of east
was
driven
to
ashore
be exactly
fifty-five feet in
the skull (which he has brought to town with him), to the extremity
of the
tail:
feet,
measured
to the
fifteen
animal as accurately as he
more
less
and the whole
was about the same
circumference: That the lower jaw or mouth was awanting; but
there were some substances or bones of the jaw remaining; when
he first examined it, which are now away: That it had two holes
could
body,
on
each
skull:
length
dark,
of the
side
That the
each,
or
which answers
or
to it,
the
besides
bristles
of a silvery colour,
before they
were attached
neck,
mane
feet
and
to the shoulder-blade
was joined
to the
body
like
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
the
shoulder-blade
of a
67
part of the tail was a wan ting, being incidentally broken off at the
it was bare, was an inch and a
That the bones were of a gristly nature like those
halibut,
he
as
to
deliver
to
back-bone excepted,
the
That the
lifted it;
its
tail
was quite
flexible
solid
turning in every
to have
been
five
toes
six
thereafter,
gale
of
as
shore,
or
after
of the
plans
each
minute
fish
before
particular,
it
on the
lay
he could bring
to correspond
it
in
That he was the more attentive to its shape dimenand figure, in order to be able to give an accurate account
of it to any travellers that might come to Rothiesholm, and that
he is ready to make oath that the drawing is an exact resemblance
of the fish, as it appeared when he measured it; and corresponds
in all particulars with the idea which he entertains of the figure,
dimensions and proportions of the fish That the substance of the
body appeared like coarse, ill coloured beef, interlarded with fat
or tallow, without the least resemblance or affinity to fish; but
its
appearance
sions
when put
into a lamp,
nor
but
melted,
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
bO
two canals, one above and another below the backbone, large
enough to admit one's finger, and extending from the vertebrae of
neck, to the extremity of the tail, containing two ligaments,
which he supposed, enabled the animal to raise itself up, or to
bend its body in a spiral form: That a tract of strong easterly
wind had prevailed, before the body was discovered upon the
shore, and that he saw the body on two or three different occathe
sions
he had measured
after
it
and before
it
went
to pieces.
And
all this
"(Signed)"
"Geo. Sherar."
island
of
Stronsa;
who
Folsatter,
tacksman of Whitehall, in
That having heard that it was a dead whale that had come on
shore in Rothiesholm-head he did not see the body till about the
28th. day of October, when it had gone to pieces: That he saw
,
and
paws,
had the
curiosity
as thick as a firkin
the
were
divisions
about
feet
of the back-bone,
to
,
open; that
but
extended
three
flatter
quite
sixteenth
of the
last
it
across
of
he
was about four feet long, and
That the membranes that formed
to
the
supposed stomach
and
same distance from each other, and of the same substance, with
the stomach itself: That the section of the stomach, after it was
opened, had the appearance of a weaver's reed: That he opened
about a fourth part of the supposed stomach which contained
nothing but a reddish substance, like blood and water, and
emitted a fetid smell: That he was very doubtful at the time
whether it was really the stomach or not; but that each end of
a gut. And all this he
it had the appearance of terminating in
solemnly declares to be the truth
&c.
"(Signed)"
"Wm.
"The
Eolsetter."
like a
about two inches long, with a small aperture: That the stomach
had the same appearance from end to end, and contained nothing
but a substance like blood and water: That the large bone of
which a drawing was taken, was considered as the collar-bone;
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
69
and that it was situated with the broad and thick part downwards
and the open part towards the vertebrae of the back That he
observed no appearance of fins about the neck or breast, or other
parts of the body, except the six paws already described. And all
:
this
"(Signed)"
"Geo. Sherar."
One
the
of
Home examined
the
Immediately
shark.
of those
ichthyologists
ablest
after his
"An anatomical
entitled
belonging
nets,
Home
Mr.
of
&c,"
especially
Hastings,
13 Nov. 1808",
goes further:
cannot
"I
fishermen
the
to
Basking
for a
it
of the
Everard
days, Mr.
and recognized
"sea-snake",
paper
present
the
close
without
mentioning,
that
nearly the same period, two other Squali of large dimensions were
coast.
On
1809,
proves
to
On
is
the
the 3d.
hearing of
it
of this event,
season
this
I sent
be of the same
species,
it,
down
and the
its
real
appearance
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
70
the
my
that
for
friend
Mr. Laing, in
skull,
from
separated
from
made
consequence of a request I
considerable
it,
number
pectoral
fins,
spine,
On
gills.
cartilage
comparing these
Squalus maximus,
different parts,
it
to the
agree,
only
in their
form, but also in their dimensions. This led to the opinion of the
being a Squalus, a very different one from what was formed
by those who saw it in the mutilated state in which it was thrown
ashore, and who called it a sea-snake. In the different depositions,
fish
parts
several
are
which was taken for the stomach, and the bristles of the
mane, which are described as ligamentous fibres, one of them is
ine,
my
in
the
and
possession,
margin of the
is
of the
fins of the
fibres
forming
was made from memory, and which I have annexed, will enable
in a few words to point out how much, in some things, those
who saw the fish adhered to truth, and in others allowed their
me
at a distance
on the beach."
"The drawing
anterior
what
he had seen
part
of
is
from
the fish,
and
upper and
the gills, and gullet, had been separated by purificaand when we consider that the liver and the other viscera
were all destroyed, except the valvular intestine, which was taken
away by the observers, the size of the body that remained would
lower jaw,
tion;
be nearly in proportion
maximus,
paper,
London;
this
corresponds,
in
its
fins
and
tail
of the Squalus
maximus,
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
an appearance therefore was seen
such
71
but could
only be met
with in the place of the two dorsal fins, instead of being continu-
are
tail
as
as in the drawing.
the
The
invertebral joints
"It
is
fathoms,
two
it
length
foot-rule,
at
is
rendered
still
fathoms,
says,
so,
saw
he
the
as
fish;
one by
fifty-five feet
those
more
is
in
doubtful,
least
with
correspond
measured the
and that it was
persons
different
by a
other
the
Their accuracy
long.
preserved
and
said,
person
the
as
who
gives
the
that
at
two foremost being larger than the hinder ones, and the lower
more rounded from the body to the toes. The pectoral fin,
which is preserved, proves this declaration to be incorrect: the
joint
who measured
person
fifteen
the
feet,
which
to be
is
about
feet;
fifteen
errors
are
in
the
the
tail,
for legs.
mistake of the holders of the male shark for legs, has been
(This
is
drawing
duck,
mus was
of
towards
contortions
fish
hoops,
exhibited in
feet.
London
fish is
The
occasionably walked).
And when we
as
its
distended by means
legs,
on which
it
drawing was
made from memory six weeks after the fish had been seen by those
who describe it, during which interval it had been their principal
subject of conversation, we may conclude that so extraordinary an
object, as the mutilated fish must appear, when believed to be a
perfect
one,
exaggerated,
would, in
and
it
is
only
"It
is
of importance
to
science; that
it
should be ascertained,
72
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
new animal unlike any of the ordinary prowe are indebted to the zeal and liberality
Mr. Meason and Mr. Laing, who have collected a sufficient
not a
is
body of evidence
it
to enable
me
to
municate
with
the
probable, that
"This
opinion
known by
maximus."
further confirmed by the Squalus maximus,
is
name
the
and
so
make
to
is
made
Home
Mr.
believed
and prove
a Squalus
is
it
will
measured 56
never
feet,
quaintance,
my
here to
Basking-shark
or
if
thus
enabling them
they don't
Fig. 8.
Of
know
it
make
to
yet.
vertebrae
is
first
paper of Mr.
Squalus maximus,
Home, where he
I
treats of
"An
paper,
titled
last
of the
the squalus,
is
his figure of
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
and
dried
shrivelled
from the
twelve inches
73
first
"The diameter
The broadest
feet.
in
is,
"The diameter
was,
squalus,
its
the
of
vertebrae,
larger
according
Home,
Mr.
to
cervical
is
The
inches.
first
adhering to the
still
head, and
"The smallness
of the cervical
who saw
confirms
to five
neck.
if
it,
that
neck
therefore
to cetaceous fishes
peculiar
as
confirms likewise
account of the
the
of Stronsa."
"The length of Mr. Home's squalus was thirty feet six inches.
The length of the animal of Stronsa, by actual measurement was
fifty five feet, or, exclusive of the head, fifty four; and yet a part
of the tail was supposed to be wanting. The circumference of the
by actual measurement, about ten feet,
thickest part. If the animal had been
meant,
suppose,
aspect
the
at
The diameter
of
the squalus at the thickest part, measuring from the dorsal to the
sternal
aspect,
is
nearly
six
feet;
its
circumference, had
it
been
"The animal
to
near the
of Stronsa
had a mane
caudal extremity
(i.
e.
were sixteen
got from Mr.
feet.
have
Urquhart
still
and
all
a specimen of that
bristles
of
that
mane
are
after
together
mane, which
The
feet),
when
not
like
the
it
74
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
although
they
shoulder to the
squalus a
sent
Secretary,
original,
now
dried
specimen
parts
corresponding
of
two scapulae,
is
am
and
confirmed by the
and two
which
organs
those
and
from the
told,
are
squalus.
his
accuracy
its
the
from the
me by
to
obliging
oral
extending
fin
tail."
of
four
is
as part of
it
the
feet,
is
pectoral
fins,
length of
the
"The breadth
and
feet
dried state,
its
of the
seven
inches;
fin,
while
is
three
paw
in
is
Home
"Mr.
to
science,
concludes by
that
it
should
species
But
it
into
is
that
ascertained,
of the
"it is of
importance
is
not a
science
to
certainly of
should
alist
be
to
observing,
much importance
history,
I cannot conceive.
upon vague evidence. Now what evidence had Mr. Home that this
animal was a squalus, and even to suppose that it was a squalus
maximus?"
I may be allowed to make the following remark: Mr. Barclay
does not seem to make any difference between "a head" of a
Squalus and "a skull." It is true that the "head" of a Squalus
maximus of thirty feet and a half measures five feet and a half,
but
its
diameter
about
left
in
five
breadth.
near
the
but what
It
is
true
that
is
indicated by Mr.
to
be the
"first
all
Barclay
may
in the
head of
his
"animal
!)
two contorted cartilaginous appendNo wonder that the animal of Stronsa had "a neck",
the parts between the skull and the pectoral fins, except
for
the
of Stronsa"
ages!
is
of the
its
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
the vertebral column and some adherent flesh
basking shark
whilst the
75
,
Home had no
of Mr.
neck, because
it
dimensions
were only
seen
two places
and the hindmost backfin, and that the rest of
the foremost
of
the
"mane" only
totally
mutilated specimen.
An
Dr.
extract from
Hoffmann
in
others he says:
"The paper
differences
is
full of obscurities,
the
of
reports
but
which originate
of uneducated
mode
comb extended
as
the
in
is
as well in the
eye-witnesses,
is
made
In
inaccuracies!
of a
"membrana-
He
has evidently
of the
to
(if
truth
of
Mr. Syme in
my
assertion,
if
compare the
figures
of eels
of Stronsa."
Immediately
after
this
paper Mr.
Oken,
animal
with a
in
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
76
a
(a
cartilaginous
"holders")
fish,
were
the
paring-organs,
additional
of
pair
regarded
as
the
third
"claspers"
so-called
pair
of feet,
or
the
whilst
and pectoral
ventral
shark,"
neither
And
reasons.
yet
he
the
has
more related
is
it
to the sharks,
;
readers
who
never saw
and a
half!
Eig. 9.
In' the
lished
P kilos.
Udinb.
of one
Eor those
fig.
it,
9.
is
pub-
my
Hibbert
Dr.
"The
existence
of
the
sea-snake,
1822,
long,
is
placed
1839,
is
of the
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
77
Society. Later
"Dr.
have not been able to consult), "in his notice of this animal,
suggests that these members were probably the remains of pectoral,
work
believer in
it
goes on
however,
which
at
is
known animals
hand,
1816"
in
of
be asserted
that
is
it
related
closely
to that
"stranded in Stronsa,
1808)
(read
animal,
one of the
Museum
note about
which note
phibious
it
is
Museum
Edinburgh, and
I have read a
in the London Journal the Athenaeum, 1839, p. 902,
taken from the work: The Naturalist's Library, Am-
be preserved in the
in
Carnivora
including
By
Herbivorous Cetacea.
An ample
description
have
written
been
of the University of
of the
B.
the
also of the
Hamilton, M. D. (Edinburgh,
by Dr. Barclay
in
the
first
is
Volume
Lizars).
said to
of the
pairs
The organs
which
is
fin.
it
viz.
to the Saurians."
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
78
W.
Prof. Dr.
Erichson
F.
the well
expressed
Naturgeschichte ,
fur
known
his
having given
tation. After
full details of
Home
"Everard
in
spite
so
for
only
ever,
Lamna
cornubica
it
may
which
it
and
will
be
all
So the
Norwegians.''
have
only
could arrive at
conclusion, as the
this
Lamna
has
beagle
am
to observe that I
cornubica, or por-
feet.
Our
fig.
10
represents a porbeagle.
Lamna
Fig. 10.
It
of
astonishing, yet
is
the
it
is
cornubica (Linn.).
of Stronsa,
Newman,
the Editor
its
being
shark. In his
"Inquiries
respecting
bones
the
cast
"In
(vol.
the
I.
p.
ashore on
Doctor
ding
the
figures
vertebrae
two
figures
"Memoirs
418)
as
is
of the
island
the
of Stronsa.
head
with
vertebra
attached,
four
other
attached.
specimens then
He
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
He
the
as
79
still
this
How
"2.
What
"3.
Where
is
"4.
What
"5.
Has the
Has it
is
denuded
ever
been
order
or
class,
to
Stronsa Animal.
"Memoirs
the
of
How
"1.
It will
some
skull,
little
trouble
George Sherar,
with
after
he brought away,
the
Wernerian Society",
two
of
to
joints
those
who saw
deliver to
of
one
I.
historian),
formerly
sent
in.
Mr. Laing,
were
Barclay."
"2.
What
is
Where
p. 438), that
What is
Museum
their present
of the
Royal
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
80
and four
in diameter;
Museum,
still
&c?
Has
Has it
"5.
"On
he
been
ever
me
tells
"We
saw
this
closer
In the
argument.
the
educated
saw
person
who most
likely
place
first
were
they
it:
it
knew nothing
weight in
little
is
infortunate
all
ignorant,
no well-
that
men,
illiterate
was
it
seamen
a bite,
at
we
most absurd
in one
on
this
thing
point
it
is
particular, viz.
of comparative
such a structure:
at
once
with
scapulae
I.
418);
p.
"British
may
anatomy must
moreover,
even granting
of appendages
Fotheringhame
its
possibility, it is
fin
pair
third
notice
six legs:
knowing any-
an ordinary
the
animal having
in the
of
cancelled
am-
for
seems
to
have
been
in
Dr.
In
the
the
so
at
Vol.
in
his
we
Thomas
place
last
evidences:
astonished
Mem.
Fleming
such a large
it
would not admit his hand; while George Sherar would have had
no difficulty in putting his foot down it: and as there is nothing
to prove that Thomas Eotheringhame's hand was larger than George
Sherar's foot, we are led to the conclusion that one or other must
have made a mistake in his calculation."
"We
sixty
might further
feet
suggest
the
improbability
of any
animal
we might even
this single
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
remark, that
if
Stronsa
the
tainly
likely
be allied
Mem.
I.
442),
p.
if it
seems
Maclean,
Mr.
was
cer-
and
to
which
Eigg-Tsland (Wern.
Jas.
it
to
the
81
C.
report n. 31,
set
at
rest.
at
Dr.
all!
of Edinburgh, Vol.
Society
it
Not
it,
Ill, n.
M.
Daedalus
S.
part
of
his
(see
officers
and crew
of
H.
dissertation,
respecting
the
as follows:
"The
discussions
to
Okney."
"The evidence of the most intelligent persons who had seen and
measured the animal was carefully collected, and copies of it were
transmitted by Mr. Laing to Sir Joseph Bankes, and other naturalists.
Soon afterwards Mr. Laing sent, through his brother, the
late Gilbert Laing Meason, to the Museum of our University the
skull and several vertebrae. The cartilaginous omoplates, to which
a portion of the pectoral fin, or wing, as it was termed by the
natives were afterwards sent to Edinburgh where I saw and examseveral individuals resident in
ined them."
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
82
Head; but
it
on
some
time tolerably entire; and it was subsequently broken up by the
fury of the waves. Before it was thus broken into several pieces it
was examined, and measured by several intelligent inhabitants of
the Island
and their testimony collected as above stated was forwarded to London Edinburgh etc. The declarations were however,
accompanied by a very absurd drawing of the animal, which was
shore
creek
in
it
remained
for
thus
produced.
allowed
any
Many
days elapsed
communication
with
man was
the
ere
other
collect
tempestuous weather
Islands;
subject.
But by
this
time the body of the animal was completely broken up. This lad
and ignorant of Natural History, endeavoured, from the descriptions of those who had seen the animal
most entire
to delineate with chalk on a table a figure of the
animal. The rude figure so produced was transferred by pencil to
paper, and copies of it were handed about as real representations
,
of the animal."
nearest
head
the
rest,
about four-and-a-half
feet
in
cast
ashore,
especially
it was
but there remained cartilaginous teeth in portions of
Before
the jaws".
fibres,
in
it
the fins.
fins,
the
centre
of the
abdomen than
in ordinary fishes.
Indeed one of
the witnesses states that "the wings of the animal were jointed to
drawing"."
of the
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
"The portion
omoplates,
the
structure of fin
partially
is
might
rays
the
to
to
easily,
rays;
of cartilaginous
consisted
83
eyes
the
of
uninitiated in natural
this
"As much
on
rests
three
the
and
character
most entire
it
Orkney animal
who saw
the
may be
Thomas Fotheringhame
witnesses,
principal
knew
George
in
of their impressions of
was,
"It
Home
the
its
not
therefore,
without
after
(afterwards
evidence
Everard),
Sir
of the persons
ness;
that
I read
which he
as to its
some mouths
a paper by Mr.
the animal in
and
(Selache
had magnified
pleased
to
hypothesis,
those
surprise,
London,
in
made
so carefully observed."
men
so
call
the
than
enormously in
the
"ignorant fishermen'.
Basking shark
to
himself;
eyes
was probably
for
it
is
whom
of those
Unfortunately
far
more
captured
often
for
he
is
Home's
familiar to
among
the
"These witnesses assert that the Stronsey animal (though a portion towards the tail
was broken
off
its
dimensions)
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
84
measured no
than
less
length
in
feet
five
fifty
we
whereas that of
"The circumference
My
of the
two animals
is
no
widely different.
less
Orkney animal
of the
to be
Basking shark
about ten
tail;
where thickest
when
feet,
tapered
it
not
is
less
than twenty
with the
But
witnesses.
round
who had
not measured
horse
in
eleven
speaks of
stated
by
was more
One
witness
as equalling a middle-sized
it
height,
in
seventy-one
seventy-three
to
inches,
(or
from
feet
five
average dimensions.)"
its
"The mane
decomposed
as
it
is
termed,
but the
fin;
fibres
may
do not seem
fin;
differently
little
that of
is
less
is
we
On
thickness.
from
be
hands
as
we can
oval than
fourteen
Be-
feet.
confounded
eel-like
much
mane
about
floating
like
sea-weed
to
be the rays of a
had
and a similar appendage
is
stated to have
less
posed sea-serpent."
"Supposing
wings,
this to
be a dorsal
differs
fin, it
consisted
of
fin
of any
of shark. If the
species
and
mane
back,
it
is
animal.
"The vertebrae,
the
want
which
have
been
the
cranium
in
spirit
in
our
Transactions,
of processes
preserved
One
while that of
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
Basking-shark
the
Dr.
diameter.
same
in the
paper
Barclay's
situation,
is
85
about seven inches in
accompanied by an engraving of
is
omoplates,
the
given,
accurately
by the late
and able naturalist. I know the representation to be correct, for I
saw and handled the specimen. The substance of this part was a
firm, but flexible cartilage, and seemed to have been placed in the
muscles;
Cuvier
as
just
describes
le
chair
l'espive.
\k
inch
diameter
in
its
neck,
linear spiracles
"The cranium
which I
also
was
far
too small for that of a Basking shark of even one-fourth the usual
inches.
measured in
It
length, and
in
Basking shark of
its
more than
was only seven
long would have had a
dried state no
its
greatest diameter
thirty-six feet
ium
the
at
angles
the
of
top of the cranium, something similar to the blow-hole of the cetaceans; but
lateral spiracles
its
to
order of cetacea".
refer it to the
"Every thing proves the Orkney animal to have been a chondropterygious fish
it
Snake,
although
Serpentes.
am
paper.
cast
obliged
First
on
it
it
its
mode
some resemblance
of pro-
to the order
known
to
shore
in a very putrified
fibres
it
give
face
may
Certainly,
its
Ocean
gression in the
of
different
has
is
and damaged
loose.
remained
for
sometime
state,
had become
it
00
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
Again:
the
but they were described as "soft, and" that "they could be bent by
the strength of the hand".
Mr. Traill further says that "they would seem to have been
the remains
altered
of fins,
by
The
incipient decomposition.
six
an unpaired
fin!
Home's Basking-shark
of
was "in
its
feet".
1 read, however:
"The
usually
had a length of 36
observed
which
capture,
feet.
much
are
On
the coasts of
than
larger
of about
40
the
feet.
Norway,
boats
individuals are
fitted
According to
gences
100
feet in length
In considering the
two dorsal
"mane" he
difference
its
known
"skull" or
"cranium"
of the
cranium" which
is
also figured in
is
evidently
the
result of purification
and of an external
injury.
I
need not
Stronsa".
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
Mr. Everard Home's opinion in
with
87
particulars, except in
all
animal measured
of the
cass
end of the
tail,
first
But
cartilaginous
the
reality
appendages,
nous
and
nose
as
tip
with
nose tip
this
was in
two contorted cartilagimust have measured (see
its
skull
the
',
But
admit that
w as
r
it
the so-called
floated
ashore,
three parts, now far remote one from another, but were
washed away, and they therefore concluded that the animal had
"a mane, extending from the shoulders" (the part of the back at
these
Or, according
tail.
and a
feet
viz.
to another witness it
either
i.
e.
end of the
to the
paws
(the claspers)
tail
is
the exact
of
the
hindmost back-fin,
or he
tail-fin.
entrails,
except
the
valvular intestine.
On
persons
who
never saw
made
00
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
As
one
to the sketch,
of the
witnesses,
by Mr. Syme,
altered
it
"mane" somewhat
to the
ridiculous legs
was 56
carrion
feet
long
according to the
tail,
intelligent eye-witnesses"
only
cause of
all this
This
trouble,
Mag., LIV, 1819). The third sea-serpent deRafinesque (for he believes there are several species),
called by him:
"3. The Scarlet Sea- Serpent. This was observed in the Atlantic
1816.
Phil.
scribed by Mr.
is
York
vessel
from New-
while reposing and coiled up, near the surface of the water,
summer
in
perhaps
Fig. 11.
the
am
tips of the
coiled
to
is
the
large calamary,
swimming on the
greatest
ing or
of 1816. It
might belong
swimming
up),
the
in
length
the
of
sea
always has
40
feet
feet (a
its
probably
tail to
the
calamary repos-
exaggerated. I give
swimming on
89
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
Henry
corrected,
most probably
seen.
The
as
agree
will
its
body.
1822, June.
The body
tail
In
with
undulating
me
and now
my
readers
of such an animal
is
is
quite scarlet or
acute.
of a sea-serpent
reports
to
which showed
itself in
we
filled
read:
with the
the neighbourhood.
such
one
appears
to
of about
distance
200 yards
off.
None
of the old
whalemen
and seamen who saw the animal knew it. There were no guts (?)
and there was no heart (??). In the beak six rows of small sharp
teeth were counted and the throat was wide enough for a tall
,
man
to pass.
The
About
1.
the
We
tunny
I allow
immediately agree
Mr.
Froriep that
this
fig.
animal
like
animal,
found in the
had already
was found,
is
of course to be
it
and
was
30
basking-shark
feet
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
90
In
1849.
"A
ing
Usan were
to
we
On Friday,
young sea-serpent.
read:
the young
whatever
may be
it
called,
we
not,
or
with Zoology
than
it;
still
alive,
those
leave
shall
we
is
but whether
it
are to determine.
in
rest
its
itself
the
sions."
"Montrose
"[This creature
am
Standard!'
Newman
Mr.
E. Newman.]"
suggesting
mean
worm
this
to
be
worm
is
inch
in
length,
especially
longissimus
order
of
of
Worms. Of
living
herrings
in
Sowerby,
this
little
whilst
Nemertini
the
but that of
latter
is
some
identical
fishes,
Lineus
to
species
to
the
class
individuals
of
Gordius marinus
Linne
the
a whitish
secrete
to
of
Platyelminthes
or
to
Flat-
2433
"A
for
Another
p.
1849):
off Cullercoats,
near Newcastle.
me,
it
By
appears
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
Fig. 12.
Lineus
longissimus
So"w
91
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
92
be
to
quite
fishermen
about
overscrupulous
ever,
name, provided
the
it
be attractive
caught
sea-serpent
great
observes,
judiciously
at
another to the
many
more things
in
experienced
correspondent
may
be,
it
very
adds
observers.
practical
Some
thirty
five
distinguished
with
temporaries
My
last".
that
the
What
folly of affecting to
thing.
additions
have
five
off
on
Monday
at
by fourteen fishermen,
last,
last,
This most
about
miles
six
from
mighty deep.
This
discovered
As an
land,
the
who,
men
in
of Newcastle
shores,
etc.,
by numbers of the
and
all
Many
surmises as to
to
unknown" must
its
known.
struggle,
severe
visited
after
habits
is
really
Grey Street
men
6d.,
opposite the
Working people
Now
ladies
and
gentle-
3d. each."
News
of
May
19, 1849,
we
find the
"The Sea-Serpent.
We observe in the Newcastle papers that
and hitherto unknown fish, nearly 13 feet in length,
and possessing many of the characteristics which the captain of
a strange
has really been caught off the Northumbriam coast, by the Cullercoats'
fishermen,
in
Newcastle, where
it
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
has
the
created
The members
sensation.
greatest
93
of the National
Society
that
of
has presented
that,
it
to the
accordance
in
museum
with
distinguished naturalists,
it
of that
very
is
now
general
gladius of
This
is
fish
of a
Fig. 13.
articulated
ten
feet,
Begalecus
twenty
colour,
silvery
head-ornaments,
its
home
more,
and
is,
Its
length
is
about
the Mediterranean.
sometimes
Gymnetrus
Banksii of Cuvier,
feet,
to this species.
though
fish in
or
measures about
rarely,
hitherto
question therefore
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
94
"1 have
1853,
lately
p.
saw the
3756).
my
brother,
to India in the
Barham,
who on
Thinking
sea-serpent.
his
it
way out
might be interesting
you, as
to
of
28th.
we had
two,
the
first
his
back he had a
slowly
feet,
as
ship
off
left
him, he went down. His colour was green, with light spots. He
was seen by every one on board?' My brother is no naturalist, and
I
think
this
is
the
first
spout."
am
ship
told
(the
agree
is
with
those
perhaps the
manner
going to dinner.
was in
my
we were
rushed
noise
fire.
saw a most
live. His head
feet
95
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
"The
the
descriptions
creature,
account,
than
proving
as
roam
that
immense unrecognized
the ocean."
known
well-
because
note this,
discredit
phenomena observed, by
has
foolish
it
inclined
fishes
carry
were not
observer,
to
think that
this
may
have
size.
They
high serrated dorsal fin, and swim with the head out of
the water."
By
show
inserting
my
reports
these
in
present
the
chapter,
already
confess
question as
that
am
unable to give a
to
it
decisive
really was.
answer
to the
Apparently the
it
and serrated,
so that
"a crest
like
But riband
saw".
it
cock's
may have
given
rise to
fishes
are
deep-sea
the expressions of
fishes.
When
floating
on
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
9b
the
they
surface
with
with
riband
are
the
common
delineated in
fish is
But wonderful
it
silvery
]3. p. 93.
fig.
may seem
their
a few pages further on Mr. Gosse uses this report amongst others
to fix the class of living creatures to
And what
is
group of Plesiosauri
1858, July
6492.)
"The
or at least
Another
9.
is
that
it
belongs to the
related to it!
Sea-Serpent.
Amsterdamsche Courant
{Zoologist,
1859, p.
The
his
utmost
antagonist,
a
it
why
else
nine
days,
should
it
cuffing
of spermwhales
is
it
1) Jorn Bode is most probably a misprint for Java-Bode. Zeist is the well-known
charming village, east of Utrecht, the fourth town of the Netherlands.
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
In
1860?
U
we read
sea-serpent
the Bermudas.
in
97
6934:
p.
fol-
was described
S.
as
since.
on Sunday
about
last,
eleven
o'clock,
attracted
a nattish
The
it.
shape,
oval
reptile
from head
tapering
the
to
was sixteen
greatest
its
and
tail like
it
destitute of
is
teeth;
slender
were large,
eyes
by a transparent membrane,
united
rays,
flat,
no bone,
flexible
tion,
screw
certain
at
colour
was
were bands,
intervals
like,
through
of
series
the
it
is
now
very closely. It
of an
water.
long
eight
from
the
top
But
thin
most remarkable
its
spines
bright red
of a
inch in
the
of
at
centre:
had
springing
other
creature
body
more
feature
at the interval
The
is
two
Munro,
of
the acting
examining
oar.
The
of
these spines
between the
shells;
is
the
outside,
feelers
and natural
which
to the touch
much
The
yo
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
quill. The three foremost of these spines were
about half their length by a greasy filament; the
an ordinary
like
connected
for
rest
Newman,
Mr.
the
fol-
lowing note:
place
think
there
the
to
me,
Yes,
this sea-serpent
uralist",
for
is
Zoologist,
the
was a ribband
fish.
And
J.
Edward Newman
has
"received
the
following
this species
Editor,
particulars
Mr.
of this
It
must be read
6934)".
Now
by Mr.
Mathew
J.
Jones, with which we will not trouble our readers, only referring
them
our
to
fig.
13,
p.
93, of a ribband
closely allied to
fish,
Mr. Jones
comparisons
adds
part
that
of
the
of
Quhae
reports
this
fish
with
(see report n.
matter,
however,
will
explanations.
Immediately after
which he shows that
Regalecus
doing
so
Jonesii,
I
am
this
article
Mr.
this fish is a
new
Newman. How
far
unable to decide.
Newman
He
wrote another, in
species, giving
Mr.
it
the
Newman was
name
right in
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
new
his
species,
99
is
1878.
serted in
The Scotsman
its
"A Baby
the
of
September 6th. of
of
Sea-Serpent.
capture
queer
of
fish.
It
is
inches deep from the neck to the belly, tapering two inches to the
tail,
no
and rows
There is
tinues from the
mouth, capable
side.
flat
about
pupils.
is
mane on
running from
of spots
lines
There are
scales,
tail
head to the
tail;
the
size
crown
of a half
each
feelers
and
like silver,
eyes
with black
inches
when captured."
Mr. Andrew Wilson who communicated this capture in Nature
of the 12th. of September, 1878, Vol. XVIII, thinks that this
long.
The
was
fish
alive
account
fish theory."
or in short: "this
to
ical
some
ally
ribband
ashore
fishes
tape fish
are
is
ident-
deep-sea fishes,
storm,
as
had
also
happened, in 1860,
(see hereabove).
December
1879,
after
on the Bermudas
fish."
these
species evidently
cast
Though
fish.
I think
fish theory",
23.
p.
(G.
Verschuur, Eene
rets
rondom de
51.)
ocean surface , I see a long neck rising out of the water very close
to
and
the
ship.
after
few
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
100
time.
It is the
and we estimate
say,
The
thickness
"We
as well as
run
five
of
to.
when one
arose,
cation
is
call
cers
man and
is
the
of
said
officers
we
some
offi-
Nevertheless
violent alter-
evidently
were
"Nobody
We
all
of us
was a sea-serpent.
it
we had
seen, agreed in
"The second
which was
was
who
officer,
have observed in
as
true
is
it
several
called in question,
it
own
opin-
and the world did not get any the wiser for it."
"Does the sea-serpent exist, or does he not? This is a problem
which has been answered more than once in the most affirmative
ion,
manner, and
in a negative sense.
also
to
26th.,
1889,
directing
to
him
the
fol-
lowing questions:
"Did the
to
of the
features
be those of a
mammal,
though
larger,
of that of an eel?"
"Were
eels
there
"Why
"neck".
near
just
behind
head
the
pair
of
fins,
as
have?"
did the visible part
You
the
speak
of
still
of
the impression to be a
snake.
Was
the diameter
the
back with a
as if the
"What
make on you
"neck"
animal was
"Was
the contrary?"
was
it
provided on
its
fin, as in eels?"
colour had your snake, and had the belly and the back
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
eyes,
101
ear
ears,
nostrils,
holes,
gills,
"These are
which a zoologist
questions
all
determine somewhat,
swered in order to
Mr. Verschuur
me
The
an early answer
my
questions
runs as follows:
"I
that
regret
to
say
distance
at
which
greatly
my
much.
The
great,
by you."
"The part which we saw
saw
answers
will
this strange
particulars stated
me
head,
snake's
i.
rise
if
my memory
to
having
e.
and
meter."
l*/ 2
nearly
the
common
tapering
shape of
shape of the
"Of
short appearance.
to
me
to be a greyish one."
"I
regret
not
me
written by
in
being able
my
the sea-serpent.
We
observe
explained
great
that
many
either
to
sea-serpents
many
by reference
all
great
so-called
knoion
animals.
sea-serpents
we
unless
are
to
be
Some
single
then
which
sea-serpent
sea-serpent,
try
is
to
explainers
say
by
are
that
the
explainer
in
reference
by
does
no longer
see his
upshot of
way
to his wits'
clear of
end, cuts
sea-
102
WOULD-BE SEA-SERPENTS.
serpent a Plesiosaurus ,
an extraordinarily developed
Hy drop his
or
tales,
point
strange,
enough
the
to
result
the
present
is
what kind
of
side
statements
itself
negative
as
and
animal
to this inquiry
we
deceitful
leads
And
the accounts,
by side, to
which are immediately recognizable as
or explicable by reference to some known animal, and
decide which of the known animals may have been bold
out
finally to
all
to
known
does exist
pass now.
if
though unknown
to zoologists
IV.
The various accounts and reports concerning observations of
chronologically arranged and thoroughly
Sea-Serpents,
discussed
An
and
of a
Sea-Serpent,
published in
Album
der
Natuur,
progress
latest
unknown
and gave
rise to all
to zoologists,
row
sea-weed,
of porpoises
following
as
still
genus of
reptiles,
as
the
now
in
so bold as to repeat
another
manner;
my
known
Plinius
(Naturalis
Historiae
Lib.
4,
Memorabilibus
Lib. 1,
104
[N. 1.]
century),
1st.
8,
Italicus (Lib.
6),
Vita et Beliquiae
Martyr
p.
{Decad. 1
lib.
10),
Bakius {Posidonii
e. g.
ferent
the year
the
so-called
In
drophora).
not
sea-serpents
difficult
and
their
part
of the
these
all
for
habits,
dimensions {Cephalopoda
of extraordinary
cuttles
cases
it
who
zoologist,
explain
to
is
Becapoda Chon-
observations,
those
Mr. Lee
porpoises.
with
these
kinds
moving with
tries
of
vertical
few
animals,
but
undulations,
testified, that it
could
of
it.
will
1.
1522.
"There
is
also
(See
gentibus, etc.)
size in
an island
[N. l.J
105
called
In the
ver
in the diocese of
Kingdom
in the
of
Latin
original
(and
wrinkling
we have
convinced that
we read atque
like
to
wrote atque in
evidently
modum sphaerae
in
but as
ball),
convol-
has no sense, I
this
am
modum
spirae
convolvens
which
have
translated above
we must
Further
animal raised
itself
Finally that
it
was estimated
to
be
fifty
cubits long,
i.
e.
about
seventy-five feet.
of Upsala
wrote in
1555
as
follows
feet,
feet
shore of Bergen;
and in
into
sea
diameter
in
lives
comes out of
weather
fine
the
it
to
its
in
devour calves,
and
kinds of sea-crabs.
It
has a row of hairs of two feet in length, hanging from the neck,
that a
war
will
This narrative
us
of
106
and naming.
liant
We
consider
The eating
with
another tale,
as
it
its
and
and
as seals
the ships
may
lobsters
its
be a fiction,
The
sea-lions do.
is
ap-
be a fable.
them
witnessed,
truly
man from
snatching away a
dark,
is
its
colour
devouring hogs,
its
it
its
It only
summernights on land
pearance on
or
neck,
its
[1555.J
story of
is
the
sea-serpent.
It
evidently
boats
attack
occasionally
unanimous
but a smooth
On
same page
the
sea-serpent
has just
I
give
facsimile
who mostly
figures
the
in
anchored
in stating that
it
had no
scales
skin.
of the
on a rock,
wherein
sees calamaries
representing
text,
of swallowing
act
the
man from
the
14.
serpent
Great
Sea-Serpent,
tells
figured a
a boat, which
has
its
hole.
us
that:
and
"the
presumed body of the serpent was one of the arms of the squid,
and the two rows of suckers thereto belonging are indicated in the
illustration
by the medial
Eig. 14.
to
represent
The
dorsal fin)
it".
Magnus.
[1555.J
Mr. Lee,
Olaus Magnus
or his
but the
in the text,
a medial
row of
107
am
but
scales are
badly drawn.
it
Eig. 15.
The
observe that the drawer has delineated large snakes , the one without
scales,
large
by
the
are
ing
Of
scales,
the sea-serpent
"In
serpents
voked
Gesner
tells
or
of thirty
or
forty
feet
in
length, which,
us:
Baltic
the
Map
sea-
of Scandinavia".
(See
our
15).
108
states
near
[1560.]
MnwvOTnW'
snatches
ships,
as
as
made on our
it
incloses
rivers
and
[1560.]
by laying
lakes,
then
turned
is
above the
round them in a
itself
down.
upside
109
circle,
It
coils
water,
(See
it is on the Map."
Here we meet with three other
the figure as
our
fig.
16.)
it
sea-serpent
is
exaggerations of
The two
observe this
dimensions.
its
Gesner copied on
figures of
extract
The
We
1567
at Basle in
that
as
of the
printed
edition
at
Rome,
1555
in
the same
is
first
and
text differs,
and
14
16,
On
17.
18.
fig.
work
also
of the
sea-
the
to
figure
serpent, which
our
figg.
miniature;
in
map of Scandinavia
the
subjoined
occurs
in
doubtless
is
combination of our
we have
This
Pis. 17.
copied
figure
represents
snake,
Not
it
so fig.
shows dorsal
ral
plates,
have.
an
eel
or
has no scales.
This
confirmation
17:
it
distinctly
scales
and vent-
just
as
seems to
of
my
snakes
me
opinion
that
Map
110
snake,
seizing of a
man
whose deed
is
it distinctly
we
of the
wrongly attributed
mane, and
true
[1567.]
its
neck, a
2.
1640? (See
Adam Olearius,
Gottorfische KunstJcammer,
1650, Ed. II, 1674) "and that this is true has not long
ago been confirmed by a Swedish nobleman at Gottorf, who
declared to have heard from the Burgomaster of Malmoi, a trustEd.
I,
saw
in the
hill
on the Norwegian
serpents
as it will be
seen that they are given several times independant of one another.
W.
Peck
D.
1768,
in
the
repeats
Milton
in his
it
IV),
1764 and
the
figures
of
Ill
[1653.]
208):
As whom the
name
fables
of monstrous size
By
Typhon,
whom
the den
Leviathan, which
God
We
observe that he
Charleton
in
*$.
1687.
(Ramus, Norges
BesJcrivelse
quoted by Pont-
oppidan.
by
several
112
|~N.
together.
the
out a
how
know
rope can
coil of
long
was,
it
before
wound
had
it
and
off
so
all
who runs
one
like
3.J
and
coils,
its
we
In this account
and
weather
the
fact
that
mentioned
is
that
it
can
stretch
seen in calm
is
For the
windings.
coils or
first
time
evidently in a
itself,
straight line.
4.
shows
it
1720.
(Pontoppidan
naturlige Historie).
inlet,
skin
skin
had
could
of a
entirely
how long
guess
it
had
left
One end
the
of the
and no one
inlet,
it
parently
mass.
It
it
could
not
be
used,
for
it
is
sufficiently
known
to the
am
consisted
of a soft, slimy
of the harbour of
its
pursuit
Kobbervueg".
little
fjord daily
Norwegians, and
common Norwegian
if it
had
sea-serpent,
sure that
it
was certainly
a great calamary.
proves
my
inlet,
and
The
soft
slimy nature
its
of
the
skin sufficiently
hypothesis.
the
fjord
or
the current,
5.
encounter
1734, July
6.
[N. 5.]
Danish at Kopenhagen in
Relation
voyage
of his
740
entitled
Greenland,
to
113
"A
as
Missionary,
on
the
year 1734".
I have not
this
"Anno 1734,
On
July.
which raised
anirnal,
the
6th.
itself so
its
sea-
head
reached above our main-top. It had a long sharp snout, and blew
had broad,
a whale,
like
large flappers,
and
as it
covered
were,
it
weather."
In the same year there appeared a
Ausfilhrliche
entitled
und
German
which
the
the
Evidences
article
incorrect.
4,
from
passage
the
Particular
well
Hamburg, 1740,
Illustrated
translated
very
etc.,
either.
know whether
don't
In
I have not
up
I
in the
am
Danish language,
tells
us
that
it
locality
was
off
the
covered
with
shell-fish,
hard skin"
or scales",
continuation
betreffende den
full
of
account of
Continuation
it,
work
Relationerne
af
entitled
Fortgesetzte
German
for
word.
translation
114
Mission
betreffend,
Kopenhagen, 1741,
German
the
is
Mission
to
so
whale,
difference
tvater
seemed
,
Vol. There
of
blew
it
as is generally believed
to
for
we
further,
like
Fig. 19.
crust
2d.
of sea-animal ,
instead
Norway
Mr.
Unmasked,
first
sea-monster instead
the
Greenland,
Not
correct.
[N. 5.J
The Sea-Serpent,
and
as seen
that
it
spouted water
whale. There
is
a great
body
the
[N. 5.]
the
that
Finally,
tail
Of
body".
"the
115
course
whole ship-length
Danish Kroppen
for the
cannot
anything
say
the
of
on which
Baals Rivier,
Hope
a
Paul Egede
there
map
is
of
As
(Gothaab).
brother-missionary
situated
is
Good
it
Egede's,
of
drew on
map
his
We
the animal has rather a serpentlike form with a large head, show-
ending in a point.
tail
On
map
the same
there
showing the
is
ani-
had plunged
it
The
tail
is
a point.
We
the
shall
fact
i
accurate
do well to observe
the
that
'ii
figure
xx'
an
is
xi
i.
Fig. 20.
i.
,,
with regard to the animal blowing like a whale; the breath which the animal exhales immediately
after
little
condensed in the
is
curling clouds.
(See our
fig.
scales,
according
to his
own
trans-
21.)
Lee
of
the
figure
Mr.
of
the
in
his
Sea- Monsters
Illustrated
116
[N. 5.]
News, Oct. 28, 1848, and in Mr. Lee's Sea Monsters Unmasked,
London, 1883. A reduced copy of it also appeared in the IllusZeitung of February^
trirte
Eig. 21.
The drawing
1877.
3,,
of Bing, as reprinted
".
colony".
we
read:
"that
"Its
as in
In
neue
lands
Perlustration
Copenhagen,
Journal.
entitled
1742,
the
746
English
translators
did,
many
liberties
In
the
French edition
du Groenland, Copenhagen
[N. 5.]
tell
117
"when
scales,
it
did so
the
from
the
Greenland,
lay
belly
its
we even
plunged
it
many
In
text
com-
may do
most
this
figures.
We
safely,
words and Bing's figure. Egede "was a truthful, pious, and singleminded man, possessing considerable powers of observation, and a
genuine love of natural history
and
gather that
been said
has
From what
so
accurate
unmistakable
65.)
by Egede, we
it
"the following
we may conclude
was seen;
p.
(Egede says:
modest
free
that
:)
it
feet,
and
was much thicker than a snake of those dimensions would be, say
some eight feet; it raised its head, its neck and the fore-part of
its
snout,
a
blew
it
it
where
also
animal
the
breath
wish
is
is
regions;
its
like
to
the
fix
not
reader's
spouting
on
attention
the figure
little
curling clouds
It
large flappers.
seemed,
have
which
been
known
is
well
wrinkled
air-breathing
done;
when
for a
the
sea-animals
animal bends
of
those
its
body.
Like
dimensions the
all
animal
118
[N. 5.]
must of course have had under its skin a relatively thick layer of bacon
and I myself have often seen that the skin of sea-lions and seals
wrinkled, when the animal bent its body in such a manner as
Egede
And we
the
Sea-Serpent of
see
And
have.
if
did.
the
with
shining
The
considering
ones,
large
the
latter has
whether
water,
it
has
crust
or
a soft skin.
bending
its body. Its lower part was formed like that of a snake,
by which Egede evidently means to say that it was perfectly round
and tapered to the end of the tail, and that he did not see any
appendages (which does not exclude their presence, for the middle
of the
part
body remained
invisible,
flexibility,
as
is
also
shown
It
all!
length of
by
The
tapered
eye-brow,
fingers,
flexibility,
flexibility
tail
a
as
nostril,
sea-lions
without them.
of
the
being of a considerable
animal,
and had no caudal fins, neither horiThe figure shows an eye with a heavy
in a point,
zontal
which has no
Mr. Bing.
length,
in the
Norwegian
animal. Moreover
seas
we saw
all
[N. 5.]
119
dulations.
3.
hundred feet.
length would
neck.
8.
Its
6.
Its
can stretch
8th.,
has
4.
It
is
be.
5.
It
colour
is
much
thicker
7.
down from
if
not provoked.
9.
It is
a straight line.
itself in
its
and naming.
harmless,
4th.,
It
Of
and 10th. are stated by Egede; he could not mention the 2d.,
and 11th., because he did not see the animal swimming or eating.
somewhat on
its
Pig. 22.
Sylow,
to
at
Hougs
in
the
parish of Bergen
fire.
So
harmlessness
is
the
120
[N. 5.]
figure,
to the
Still
that
Fig. 23.
Library,
readers.
or
Bing's
rather
He makes
belonging
figure
of Jardine's
Naturalist's
that
of
all
it
which Dr.
a
R.
serpentine
set of
Hamilton
presents to his
In his
Mr.
of
Owen
[N. 6.]
6.
1743?
(Pontoppidan
121
Chapt. VIII,
7).
said
Amund
in Nordfjord
"It
is
near
cliffs
7.
1744?
(Pontoppidan,
Chapt. VIII,
There
nothing
is
strange
more
"It
is
Karmen and
localities."
Un-
in
luckily
7).
told
also
is
great
enough to keep them far away from them, even from their carand so these accounts don't mention anything as a result of
rions,
closer investigation.
1745?
(Pontoppidan, Chapt. VIII, 1, note).
8.
"A fisherman relates to me that, on Sundsland, two miles from
Bergen, he once saw a long, large and strange animal so
his boat
close to
dashed
it
head
the
case,
It
remarkable that
is
close
to
their
smooth skin
boat,
now
as
seals
description
the
all
this
is
persons
fisherman
who saw
did,
also a
the sea-serpent so
agree in giving
smooth skin
it
and our
fisherman was near enough to the animal to detect the real nature
of
such a skin,
woolly.
We
shall
viz.
that
it
is
in
forty
feet,
tapered to
and the
its
tail
was about
and
122
body
the
with
length
of the
of it,
so
that
of a
that
tail,
it
it
is
may be supposed
O.
As
snake.
1746, August.
Pontoppidan
that there
about
at
difference in
forste
Forsog,
this subject.
existence
Bergen,
He
of the
sea-serpent,
but that at
And though
seen
a
Bet
(Pontoppidan,
in
was a
tail.
relates:
etc.).
the
[N. 8.]
two
the
shot
justice
animal and
von Ferry
at
Bergen.
in
and that of
and had
his boat,
its
at it,
What
those
men confirmed on
which
my
seamen,
of
oath
may
I received in original
be
and
:"
gen Koenig for Conrad von Lange Matthias Gram for Elias
Petrus Tuchsen, Claus Natler for Didrich Haslop, Jochem
Foegh for Henrich Hiort, and Joergen Wjers for Hans Christian Byszing, sworn citizens and additional deniers there, declare,
that on February the 22th., 1751, the Procurator Johann Reutz
appeared before the public court of justice at Bergen and presented
a paper he had received that day, and bearing the date of the day
before, from the honourable Captain and Pilot-general Lorenz von
Ferry. And as the services of the appearer are requested in it, to
,
supply him
a judicial
men
living in this
for that
[N. 9.]
123
"In the
latter
my
on
voyage,
having a mind to
day,
we had
with
arrived
put in at Molde,
my
yacht
within
it
of the aforesaid
before
us.
man
at the
helm
to
again,
and
to
fired
rowed
at
on
it-
this
where
to the place
it
down (which
sank
in the calm
up again
to
the
plunged down
small
shot
The head
surface;
water
the
however
this
it
appeared
We
sea-serpent,
it,
did
thick
not.
it
would come
Where
and red
the snake
perhaps the
which
it
might
little.
was
and the mouth was quite black, and very
large. It had black eyes, and a long white mane, which hung
down from the neck to the surface of the water. Besides the head
and neck, we saw seven or eight folds, or coils, of this snake,
which were very thick, and as far as we could guess there was a
fathom's distance between each fold. I related this affair in a
certain company, where there was a person of distinction present,
who desired that I would communicate to him an authentic detail
of all that happened
and for this reason two of my sailors who were
present at the same time and place where I saw this monster,
namely, Niels Petersen Kopper and Niels Nielsen Anglewigen
will appear in court, to declare on oath the truth of every particular herein set forth and I desire the favour of an attested copy of the
above
of a
the
greyish
colour,
said descriptions."
124
[N. 9.]
clared
aforesaid
therein
forth
or declaration,
strictly true.
copy
this
was transacted
of
That
Recorder.
be
to
letter
we
con-
"Actum
Anno, Die
Bergis,
"A. C. Dass."
"J. Clies."
et
Loco ut supra."
"H. C. Gartner."
"0. SlMENSEN."
"0. BrINCHMANd"
"M. Gram."
"J.
As
to
"J.
KOENIG."
"C. Natler."
Foegh."
"J.
WlERS."
we cannot
evidently
it
think
as follows
sea-lions
have;
had
it
swum
its
head two
hot,
its
skin
feet
was
up, and had got a colour quite different from that when
being wet.
When
when dry
brownish
with a somewhat
sea-lions
he"
(Pontoppidan)
are
dark
"gives
[N. 9.]
de Ferry, the
of Capt.
scription
figure,
officer
125
above alluded
to.
In this
the
water displayed
the
through
of the
returning
it,
existence
Rev. Bishop
is
sufficiently conclusive."
Prof.
as
As
me
for
says
"The supposed
appearance
of
"I
that
believe
well
as
that
coils
be at one with
te
every
in
given by
tuberances
of
the
in
line,
tioned."
If Captain
pent
being
of
porpoises
eight
swimming
as
case
Olaus Magnus,
body
serpent's
in
so far cited
accordance
were
or
red,
and:
as
only
so
many
porpoises
white
line'',
from Pontoppidan,
like that of a
"If an upraised head
was preceding them it was either unconnected with them
or it certainly was not that of a snake
for no serpent could throw
its body into those vertical undulations."
Very well, but if Mr. Lee wishes to explain the coils by por-
horse
poises
this
lO.
vernor
1747?
Benstrup is
meeting with
said
to
the. sea-serpent"
(to
"Go 7).
some years ago a similar
Mr. von Ferry's) "and he has
have had
[No.
126
figured
10.J
it.
show it to my readers. I,
however, show here another one sent
to me by Parson Hans Stroem, which
figure
to
'
'
head with
of the body.
The
mouth has no
large.
is
us
?i'r
5l
Mr.
descriptions
given of
it
(,V(r
'
7'^L
Ferry,
and another
subsequent
ob-
this
Pontoppidan, but
is
first
part of
on saying
descriptions given by
two
of his neigh-
is
not mentioned at
by Pontoppidan!
Mr. Benstrup's figure has also been
copied by Dr. R. Hamilton in the
volume of Phocidae (seals) of Jardine's
all
on
this occasion
Naturalist 's
hI^4j
Library,
but
it
has been
R. Hamilton thought
it to
be the same
and
features.
Of
too he
.1
same head
[N. 11.]
11.
1748? Mr.
Eig. 25.
Reutz
127
of Herroe declared to
Pontoppidan
Hans Stroem
with what he
IS.
1749? Also
He
This account
beginning of the
that
the
infer
from
also
is
it
the
that
hind-limbs.
tail
is
distinctly
it
visible.
So we must
And knowing
that
the
fore-limbs
must be
which Egede
flappers; consequently
13.
1750? Pontoppidan,
telling
"One
of these
north-sailors
tells
that
Here
is
stated
he
its
was once so
smooth skin."
close to
128
to
that
of
fisherman
the
The
seal-skin.
fact
(n.
who
8),
declared
one has
the
that
is
[N 13.]
it
as woolly as a
distinctly
recognized the
hairy nature of the skin, whilst the other did not discern
1751? (Pontoppidan
14.
rumour
incertain
tells
captured in
lately
me,
that
Chapt. VIII,
some peasants
of
it.
1, note).
"An
Sundmoer have
their
paws under
its
belly
same."
Though
the
call
this
animal a sea-serpent, I
with
by
seen
(or
alligator.
flappers)
Hope
Captain
and
as
it
was captured
in nets in the
crocodile,
tail;
certain,
is
it
(n
is
119)
feet, the
animal
Now
let
after
"The
sea-serpent,
Aale Tust,
is
serpens
rnarinus,
by some people
also called
to
be studied by him
own
time. All zoologists are convinced they were nothing else but
Desm.)
or
Mr. Lee
[1753]
northern
occurrences
the
that
believes
and
seas
even
of
borealis
but that
may
it
the
in
the
in
supposed
129
1 768
as has been
somewhat further south than
extinct in
exist
still
it
mermen
my
little
(Cephalopoda),
scientific
"If
that
That
is.
it
persons
wind
perpetually
sea-animal
and
July
in
appears
when
ruffles
the
August,
sea
the
as to that fact.
case,
calm
the
proofs,
shores
of
of
the
sea,
during which
pairing-time,
depths
the
in
lives
its
quite
is
is
felt
this
except
already
so
certainty
has
exists,
it
it
arrangement,
if this
say,
which are
the
to
God!
ones of Europe,
only
Here again
it
is
is
and August (and Pontoppidan believes that these two months are
the
pairing- time
of
animal),
the
weather,
that
as
it
soon
only
as
appears
in
wind
rises.
the
the
sea-serpent
know now
Straits
at
was
seen
also
64
N.
lat.
was
Magnus,
in
it
calm
The
Norway.
seems, however,
we
also
our Sea-Serpent.
Evidently
our
Bishop did not hit on the idea that the Sea-Serpent could be a
migratory animal.
"Like
the
all
existence
pelled
who
of
are
the
enemies
to
by incontestable
proofs.
credulousness
too doubted of
sea-serpent,
130
[1753.]
well
neighbours.
though
descriptions,
their
in
know
however,
I,
in
are
many
others
who-
my
the
in
there
mediately with the greatest certainty and assurance. Nay, some so-
who
north-sailors,
called
mercial
even
interests,
consider
as
it
shame
to
be
com-
earnestly
We
see
whether there
hereby
that
in
exists a cod-fish or
Norway
the
belief
an
eel."
in the existence of
many
a
as
cable,
been
ever
able
measure
to
animal,
this
witnesses
viz.,
of
Though
sea-serpent
length
the
is
of a cable or six
exaggerated,
other
hundred
it
sea-animals,
feet,
why
the
water,
its vertical
heads floating in a
line.
coils
It is very
who
even by persons
who
facts are
"The head of all these animals has rather a high and broad
forehead some however, have a sharp snout others a quadrangular
beak as cows and horses have, with large nostrils, and on the
;
few
stiff
The
various
to this
[1753.]
them saw
of
for
it
with certainty
say
why one
in
quite
an
otter,
others
which has
me
see
is
head of a
in the
seal that of
see
can
very
but
why
understand
well
has a
it
Hague
that animal
it
resembles
of a sea-lion,
that
also a
is
fact is
certainty
most 'probably
and
it,
dog's
don't
head,
pent's
to
distinctly
sea-dog;
we
that
had. It
it
it
in
"why,
a
called
As
another.
exclaim
that
people
the
what form
that some
was impossible to
in different positions
moment
such a short
131
rather
pointed, seen from one side, and blunt, seen in front. Here mention
also
is
made
and the
on the
lips
like
bristles
of the animal.
"The eyes
We
viz.
greyish-blue;
fowls
are
observed
so a grey rabit
in
it.
in the following
direction,
when an
a bluish-grey or a
rather
is
those
lilac
and grey
tint
to
be
axis
there
cannot explain
way
is
is
blue-fowls;
called
is
when
occasionally
tinctly
the
in
it
seen
thus
that
the
region of
mouth and
eyes where
We
shall
repeatedly
we
call
have occasion
it
is
except
moorish-heads or black-faces."
to
observe
his
is
as
recognized
it
species of the
as such at once,
same genus.
We
our learned
believing, however,
it
to be another
132
not see the animal
spouting
brother
missionary,
figured
accurate
observers
of whales.
Egede saw
time;
long
the
for
it,
of the
It
is
just
as
very
it
easy
suddenly appeared
it
to
his
mentioned by
is
understand that
with
so
much
violence,
its
whilst,
sea,
and
it,
warm
Bing,
in,
water,
breath
for
[1753.]
air.
and the little quantity of water adhering to the valves of the nose, must have been driven away at
the same time, and the whole effect has been very accurately described by Egede and figured by Bing, but has afterwards been
exaggerated and altered by Pontoppidan (see our fig. 22), and
also in our century by Dr. R. Hamilton (see our fig. 23).
inner
of the
surface
murmurs
This
nostrils
in telling that
propels before
it
when
it
it
it
has
peculiarity
trustworthy
been
will
by the most
more than once af-
confirmed
repeatedly
we
eye-witnesses as
observe
terwards.
common
"Also the
the
Greenland-coasts,
,
on which
it
too
is
by
Egede,
It
is
is
the statement of
its
made by
observation
in
like a mirror,
Remarkable again
able
seen
hard skin
this
between
tend,
a
that
slough
curious,
made
wrote
However,
and
to
of such
me
so
skin.
there
he knew nothing at
As
to
the
all
about
it."
we
Bishop was
[1753.]
taken in
But we must
respect
him
133
the truth or the untruth of the fact, and that he also men-
knew
Though
the Bishop
deceived, his
"That the
who
flesh of these
small,
of a
tell
dared
touch
to
owing
board,
tough
slime,
it,
which
in
and nobody
it
over
it
soft
and
air.
the intolerable
to
till
smell
from the
arising
is
when
that
said,
this
animal
is
ruttish,
it
is
that
then
it
is
long
some
and
river,
its
floats
body
in
it;
it
on
hairs
is
have seen."
to
a viviparous being,
with
it
till
seeks
be
sea-ser-
not born in the sea, but on land, and lives in forests and
among mountains,
said
this
viz.
its
its
hairy skin. It
neck,
has
also
hairs
is
is
on
its
whole body,
animals
ships
do
Its
seeking
so
because
in
it
is
the
a
the
other
warm
sex
season.
curious animal,
8),
think that
knowing no
it
all
looked after
fear of strange
134
things or persons. It
is
ones on
probably
the
shore,
probably
young
or
moment, whelp
critical
brings forth
it
serpent
[1753.]
there
their
young ones
to
Herlighed
frugtbare
and
firmative,
whale,
even
happened
across
tells
often
answers
308)
p.
the
first
question in the
tell
raised
af-
runs
ships.
north-sailors
serpent
that
and threw
itself
but the
it
itself
straight
across a boat,
sea-
nay
large
One
it
was once so
close to the serpent, that he might have touched its smooth skin;
he mentions at the same time that this serpent sometimes snatches
a man from a boat, with its head raised upward and gives the
others of the crew an opportunity to escape. Whether these reports are
to the depths.
to be believed or not
I don't
know, because
it is
uncertain whether
right
mentioned
no credit
giving
in
made themselves
guilty
already
of
twice,
sinking
that
the
ships
sea-serpent
raised
itself
It
is
high
above the surface of the water; yet the flappers are not mentioned;
so
we may conclude
what is the same, that the animal has a very long neck.
Pontoppidan further tells us that the sea-serpent sometimes encloses ships by laying itself round them in a circle, that the
fishermen then row over its body there where a coil is visible,
for when they reach the coil, it sinks, while on the contrary the
invisible parts rise. Further, that the serpent swims with an incredible velocity, and that the fishermen who are much afraid of it,
when seeing that it follows them throw any object for instance
,
scoop,
at
it,
when
[1753.
135
some witnesses speak of; the Bishop namely believes that two
more individuals followed each other, for they are only seen
And in his
why those large
paragraph,
or
in
answer the
rutting-time.
tenth
question
trying
to
he says;
"To
this question
dwellings
of the
of
all
beings disposes
to be
known
to us.
Why
won't
the reindeer thrive anywhere but in the high and cold mountains?
Why
do the whales frequent only the north pole ? Why are India
where men have to fear
we
authors, and
who
Bishop,
and trustworthy
what he relates in
monsters the mermaids
has
so often
been laughed at
for
his third
be accoun-
ted for?!
Now
from a
We
let
us again collect
all
have before
scription
us
The whole
hundred
feet.
feet,
The
its
whole length,
fifteen
the
feet.
Its
is
hairy or woolly as a
seal-skin
136
or
The head
pale.
that
of
horse.
described
is
tapers
It
resembling
as
nose
the
to
[1753.]
that
of the
of a seal, or
animal,
so
that
always
not
are
seen,
it is
them like a seal; on the lips some stiff hairs or bristles are planted.
The colour of the head, when wet, is dark brown, when dry,
however, greyish, except round the mouth and the eyes, where it
is almost black. The mouth is large and provided with teeth. The
are
eyes
sometimes
large,
sometimes black,
burning
as a
statements.
are
particulars
mane,
fire.
We
and
being
as
brilliant,
eye-brows
Its
described
glittering
observed
are
distinctly
except
that
it
visible.
is
Of
the
neck no
large,
drew
externally
jubata)
but
mentioned.
There
visible
is
Of
fingers.
visible
its
difference
hind-flappers
in
thickness
trunk and the very long tail of the animal: the body
nothing
is
behoeen the
is
not grad-
and with light streaks, or marked with distinctly visible light spots.
It has an astonishing flexibility in the neck as well as in the trunk
and in the tail. It can bend its body sideways and backwards,
and undulate it up and down like a rope. When the animal bends
till it is U- or horse-shoe shaped, the skin obtains many folds or
wrinkles.
From
buoys,
tail is
visible
above
is
wine-barrels
or
hogsheads.
The
to resemble tuns,
very large,
them
is
only to be explained
by the degree of speed with which the animal undulates its body.
For the same reason it also swims more or less swiftly; it may also
swim with
its
its
body
in a straight line
[1753.]
rapidly
propels
it
and
boils
it
water before
the
splashes
up,
with
When swimming,
rushing.
the
137
it
foam
and
distinctly
animal holds
its
audible
head two
feet
and crabs,
lobsters
Now we
will
(certainly
however on
fish.).
the
and sometimes
what we have gathered from the 14 above
mentioned accounts and from what Pontoppidan has taught us. I
the
rather
even
in
particulars,
the reader
invite
first
In
to
the
animal which
we
15.
Rev.
me
all
with
follow
to
to the
1751.
to
be
its
we
shall
meet
be a true cosmopolitan,
shall find to
Alden Bradford,
printed
in
the
volume of Silli-
second
is
described as having
five
of 15 inches.
size
of that of a
man
which he carried
feet
The
evidently larger;
138
[1765.]
Knud Leems,
through
come
are
partly
under
when
to the
surface
the
of
of the animal to
whitish
not
to
us.
the
belly
water,
swim with
We
have
the
whilst
shall frequently
that
is
call its
new one,
meet
viz.
hereafter.
its
lO.
is
however,
The
throat.
We may
which some
on the surface."
is
of
vertical undulations
here
the sea-serpent
i. e.
200 feet the large head
mane, the grey back, the habit
animal's
from wind
free
"passus",
forty
which we
is
known
trust themselves
The length
bend
above
visible
The seamen
it.
the sea
safely
is
eel-shaped,
by
In
1770?
Alden Bradford
deceased Capt.
17.
IV, Part
written
Paul Reed,
1777 or
1778.
in
of Boothbay."
Sc.
Vol.
I).
in
[N. 17.]
testimony on
American
mislaid."
Academy
139
Arts
of
Fortunately,
and Sciences,
"but
this
was
lost or
back, and, as Prof. Bigelow (see Silliman's Am. Journ. 8c. Arts
Vol. II) says
now
"is
in the
saw
he
motionless
stood
animal,
large
in
that
in
satisfy
the form
the
his
own mind
his
of a
that
feet
above water
that,
feet in length
he did
not go off to the animal through fear of the conseand that he judged him to be about three feet diameter
he also says, that before that time, many people, living on those
islands, on whose reports he could depend, had declared to him
that they had seen such an animal
and that more than one
had been seen by several persons together."
"Signed"
"Eleazar Crabtree."
We have again the statement that the sea-serpent held its head
four feet above the surface of the water; its length was estimated
at 100 feet, its diameter three feet; it was evidently this slenderness which led Capt. Crabtree to compare the sea-serpent with a
snake. The undulations are not mentioned, consequently most prothat
quences
bably
it
1.
"It
-- 1779.
appears by papers
sent
to the
Academy
in
P. 1).
140
[N. 18.]
this
1779,
it
fifty
It
an un wrought
to
be
fifty
spar,
or sixty
surface
scaly
that Mr.
evident
is
in
straight
surface
elevating
line,
of the
its
showing a length of
yet
water,
above
little
fifty
the
to sixty feet,
and so the back of the neck and trunk quite covered with a mane
resembling sea-weed, and the dark colour of the animal must have
led Mr. Stephan Tuckey to the comparison with an unwrought spar.
lO.
1780, May.
who saw
the
Academy
{Mem,
of Arts
Amer.
Acad.
Arts
Sc.
Vol.
IV,
P.
1.).
When we
consult
Silliman's Am. Jourri. of 8c. and Arts (Vol. II, 1820), we observe
that Mr. Alden Bradford collected for truth's sake some affidavits
of eye-witnesses
eye-witness,
and
he
forwarded
after
the
him
for
an
affidavit,
corresponding
letter
which
Secretary
of
he received
Academy;
the
It
runs as follows:
"Marshfield, March, 13th., 1804."
"Sir",
in
in
length;
inches
his
the
largest
size
should judge, 15
of that of a
man
which he
[N. 19.]
four
carried
or
Muscongus Island
feet
five
common
ance of a
When
black snake.
141
He
a quarter of a mile of
sir,
"Your
friend
"Geo. Little."
It
who
evident
is
nearly
50 feet,
to
small,
is
it
length
the
or
As
size of that
the
the
that
saw only
thus
occiput.
of a
too
man
great;
moreover
however,
only the
foremost part
its
this
is
it
is
clear
that
sometimes occurs
visible.
head four
feet
Again
it
is
the
gener-
men-
letter
consider
this
passage
relative
as
to
Capt.
George Little's
observation.
SO.
1781? In
31.
of
7,
off
Meduncook".
1782? In
Bath,
pedition
to
to
the
Bagaduse"
saw
to be three
142
33.
1783?
In
"People also of
33.
1784?
we
[N. 22.
read:
we
find:
dicular winding,
This appearance
(IV,
I,
Long Islands:
"and one of them, a Mr. Crocket, had seen two
of
them
togeth-
And
Am. Journ.
in Silliman's
in a letter
we read
Alden Brad-
to the Rev.
The occurrence
considerable.
of
two together
is
We
upon
relying
the
we
lives.
1784,
1804: "about
letter of
34.
1785?
the
whom
Mr. Staples
respecting
of Prospect
of
[~N. 24.]
had seen
boom
as a sloop's
and about
it;
and
was
"it
as big
35.
143
of the
great
sea-serpent, allow
me
to subjoin an extract
"A
very
large
snake
lat.
1st.,
from the
1786, onboard
passed
the
ship;
W.
appeared to
it
be 16
or
18
in length,
feet
of a light ash-colour
circumference
feet in
snake;
the
water.
As
colour,
made
trunk and
whole
stated
is
swum
ash-colour;
36.
the
This
be yellow.
and 3 or
tail
the
to
in length
showed
colour
of the
a long time in
belly
(read
throat)
is
we
1787?
William
Jenks,
dated,
me,
whom
snake
than a
such an animal."
fish,
144
ST.
1794?
[N. 27.
we
find:
"A
we
were
serpents
seen
3.
1799?
And
an animal of
this
kind about
that
the
and appeared
serpent
to
as they then
informed
motion."
SO.
Jenks,
of
1802
July.
Bath,
to
In the
the
letter
of
Boston, dated
his
written from his lips, that in Penobscot bay has been occasionally
seen within these thirty years, a sea-serpent, supposed to be about
sixty
feet
in
length,
and of the
size of
Cummings saw him, in company with his wife and daughter, and
a young lady of Belfast, Martha Spring; and judged he was about
[N. 29.]
times
three
When
of
Bradford
nearly
as
now
Wiscasset,
of
which
boat,
is
could
as
"A gentleman
.....
fifteen rods."
his
twenty three
feet.
this
was distant,
he
though
about
length
the
he was seen
145
be ascertained, but
Alden
Commonwealth)
of intelligence (Rev.
Secretary
the
of
inquired
that
asserts,
its
head out of
The
it.
rippled so
tint.
its
lately alluded
to
as
having
but mislaid."
In
we
the
"A
to
8c.
read also:
the
letter
from
this
Academy about
of the animal, as he
saw
at a small distance;
it
but
this letter is
lost or mislaid."
Fortunately this letter was only mislaid, and found back in the
hands of the corresponding Secretary the Hon. John Q. Adams
and printed in Silliman's American Journal of Science and Arts
,
(Vol. II,
1820).
The
letter
runs as follows:
"Sullivan, Aug. 17th.
"My Dear
"With
1803."
Sir,"
peculiar
the urgency of
my
pleasure
affairs
146
should
seal
rise
out of water so
much
[N. 29.
and
much
as
body
of his
we could
as
discover
was
all
of a blue
colour except a black circle round his eye. His motion was at
but
ocean
sixth
he
when he
but
moderate,
moved with
of the
kind,
all
is
the
if
Cummings
my
first
left
and can
with
me
in the boat
above description."
attest to the
"Abraham Cummings."
"Rev. Alexander Mc. Lean."
as
liable to
might be wished.
Rev.
Alden Brad-
I therefore
which runs
more
so partic-
in detail,"
as follows:
804."
scription
rippling
of that animal
of the
that
observe the magnitude or colour of any part but his head and neck.
The degree
But
certain I
am
that
[N. 29.]
head,
he had a serpent's
at
Who
least.
ever saw
of
fifty
and
147
or sixty porpoises
manner
in such a
moving
after each
who formed
that those
rear
the
colour."
The
blue
possible,"
as
colour,
colour
black
all;
Yet
such
is
it
to a
we may
that
first
in
Cummings
call
a nearly
colour
nearly
blue
"as
common
it
at
safely
as
Cummings
vary as in our
Mr.
"blue"
consequently
is
names
fact
I think that
the
of
of the
colour
the
But
inexplicable
apparently
first
declares
may sometimes
seals.
first
impres-
sion the
appearance
of the
figure
24).
(fig.
animal,
But
as the serpent
drew nearer
to
Benstrup's
Mr. Cummings'
boat, the resemblance diminished, because the serpent has not such
upper
thick
sharp,
also
lips
as
our
common
that
of
a snake's head!
to
seal,
us,
his
real
The mode
of
flat,
the resemblance
is
148
[N. 29.]
expresses
here
is
it
the
place
right
to
quently
may show
it
itself
when
fectly still
bat with
many
body
its
its
back, propelling
undulations.
ical
with
5.
flappers.
its
or bunches on
in
bunches on
folds
6.
lying quite
ways:
in the following
line.
its
by
Swimming with
Swimming with
its
still.
Conse-
Lying per-
Lying perfectly
back. 3.
flappers. 4.
its
itself
2.
1.
still
Swimming with
Swimming with
by
flappers, not
vert-
vertical
vertical undulations
and with
flappers.
its
or
porpoises
sixty
moving
"Who
Cummings:
who formed
and
in
haddock or macquerel, and none but the foremost shewed his head
Who ever saw a serpent's head upon a porpoise or whale? Now
who
ing at
is
I think it
is
immerg-
backfins?
it
swim
all?"
is
fin,
but
almost black.)
The animals may have been more or less visible above the surof the water, and the hind part hidden under water is not
always estimated in proportion to the visible fore-part. 2. The observers have not always seen the same individual, but of course
young ones, middle-aged and old individuals males and females.
1.
face
the
will
insert
here a
Hon. John Q.
letter
Adams,
show
my
readers
how
to
the former
"Wiscasset,
May
22, 1804."
"To
the
149
[1804.]
"Sir,
"As one
Academy
Natural History
in
eries
object of the
am
is
to notice
which
have
lately
collected."
versant
with Navigation
that
in
been
seen
near
or
in
was attached
to the story,
"A few months ago I happened to hear related the story of one
which was seen in the Bay of Penobscot in 1802. And for my
own satisfaction I have been inquisitive to the truth of the account,
,
and
to
The
first
of the
Alexander
Rev.
to
letter
evidence
general
the
Mc
Sullivan;
is
enclosed,
correct statement."
"All
that
evidence,
this
large
The
Penobscot.
reasonnably
vicinity,
part
or
think,
sea-serpent
existence
disputed.
cannot
fail
to
establish
the
fact
has
been
seen
of
such
in
resides in that
during a
more particular information is necessary to ascerknown on what species of fish he subsists. By this
of the year,
tain.
Nor
is
it
communication
actual
existence
have
of
it
150
of
and lead
information,
to
[1804.]
particular
history
of this
am
"I
The
four
are
to
already
inserted
where the
29,
n.
letters
marked
30.
will
and
inserted, and
is
my
marked
letters
19,
letter
their
in
C, and
readers
are copied, to n.
to n.
17,
where the
be found back.
Mag. LIV,
{Phil.
by
Mr.
W. Lee
him many
which
stood
years
ago
near Cape
feet long,
it
impetuous
species
of
This appears to
noise.
might well be
Pelamis
called
equal
size, it
monstrosus ;
must be
but
if
Pelamis chloronotis
called then
or Green-back Pelamis."
The length
many
to
200
of
feet is estimated
though in
instances
we have
ing the report of Mr. Cummings. The flexuous hillocks are of course
nothing
caused
else
by
but
the
the
vertical
fore-flappers
will
31.
is
because
it
is
a false
his credulity.
1808, June.
Society
[N. 31.]
151
"To the
"Your
the
of
letter
first
instant
received,
examine others
relative
the
to
it
desirable to
me
to
"According
to
my
in
it
on the coast of Eigg, but on that of Coll. Rowing along that coast,
I observed, at about the distance of half a mile, an object to
siderably
above the
distinctly perceived
one of
its
eyes.
great
we
he
that
we saw
could,
iently
of
stern
our boat.
by a
its
creek,
where
our
conven-
raised
it
we
it
When
water shallow,
the
leaped
boat
lay,
It
apparent
and
of the
clear
difficulty
continued to move
off,
with
its
head
above water, and with the wind for about half a mile, before
lost sight
of
oval.
neck
Its
them
which
could
I
Its
somewhat
smaller.
last
kept pretty
it
not be taken
could
feet;
so
of a form
Its shoulders,
it
if I
we
somewhat
can so term
tail,
distinctly as I
wished.
It
had no
fin
it
that
perceive,
undulation
80
it.
above water, so that the neck being under water, I could perceive
under water
it
took
to
if it
had any.
Its progressive
motion
When
152
its
elevated
[N. 31.]
it
objets.
"Donald Maclean."
what Mr. Maclean meant with "shining
filaments" which he did not see, I must return to the "Animal
of Stronsa", the putrified body of a large basking shark. My readers
will remember that the putrified dorsal fins of that shark resembled
bristles, which were transparent, and gave light in the dark (p. 61).
Evidently the Secretary of the Wernerian Society writing to Mr.
Maclean, asked him to give a full description of the animal seen
by him near "the coast of Eigg", and whether he saw on its back
"shining filaments" or not. Of course Mr. Maclean did not see them
For the first time it is mentioned by an eye-witness that the
To understand
well
were
shoulders
them".
This
visible.
very
is
he
Mr.
granted
snake
or serpentine animal
that
it
that
like
has flappers
remarkable,
other
all
persons
believed
to
see a sea-
was told him, he has distinctly seen that the animal at once
became much broader behind its long neck.
The animal plunged violently under water. When Mr. Maclean
had reached his safe position he saw the animal swimming rapidly
under water towards his boat. We must suppose that it swam so
near the surface though under water and invisible that the surface
rippled, and a wake was formed by the motion of the animal.
The animal coming in shallow water, turned immediately and swam
it
away.
the
Once it did not raise its head quite above water, so that
was under water. When the head was most elevated, it
neck
appeared
habits
evidently
yet
as
new
times afterwards.
mere
to
to
take
us
view
of
be
repetitions of so often
32.
will
mentioned
of
Mr.
Maclean
are
all
peculiarities.
[N. 32.]
crew
of
and
its
head as large as a
little
plate.
153
no molestation.
From
terrified
those
eyes as large as a
its
who saw
it,
to
my
may
is
is
so often
is
sex, for
The whole
Wernerian
Society
Carnivora
volume
(a
of
"it
Maclean
reprinted
is
in the neigh-
inquisitive.
it
be exaggerated.
coming
Jardine's
the
to
Secretary of the
Hamilton's
Dr.
in
sometimes very
is
Amphibious
Library),
Naturalist's
1839,
33.
1810?
says, according to
Sir
Walter Scott
having seen
for
wild
some reputation
of
mane and
fiery
1889)
in his class,
the
could
as
far
in the
eyes
which old
writers
feet long,
ascribe
with
to the
monster."
I
am
made by
serpent
like a horse
neither
be
far
the
who simply may have told that the seahim was about a hundred feet long, had a mane
mariner,
the
seen by
or resembling sea-weed
date,
nor the
locality
I
is
eyes.
Unluckily
34, 35.
In the Report of a
June 20 and 21.
that this Committee wrote a letter
to Mr. Samuel Davis, of Plymouth, requesting him to examine
upon oath some respectable men of that place, with regard to the
Committee,
of
1815,
1817,
we read
154
"Boston/September
1817.
1,
"Sir",
"At a meeting
of the
Committee
may
denominated a Sea
Serpent
for the
reported
to
the
remarkable animal,
exist respecting a
,
ult.
purpose of collect-
in
to
have thought
it
is
nature on
An
appearances
of a
this
sort
is
Plymouth two
similar
our coasts.
We
on
may
ately
aid
in
we know your
We
subject, which
and
us,
Plymouth,
at
shall
but separ-
now of
Any
we doubt not
suspend our
shall
communication
habitual readiness to
cooperation
gentlemen
among
this
general
you.
Plymouth
exist at
assistence
this subject."
appearance of
will
intelligent
be readily afforded
your
be received."
"John Davis
"Jacob Bigelow
"Francis C. Gray
>
Committee.
'
as follows:
by him
Finney
is
town, descriptive of an
in
lives
the
a
outer
few
is
much engaged
in
[N. 34, 3 5.
from
his
youth
accustomed
to
155
seafaring
life
in the fishing
to
who
Finney,
says
his
illustrates
it
have shewn
conceptions
on the
such as
be inferred
such
not
that
them
gills,
at
many
others
these
also
saw
but only
who were
as well as
it;
with emphasis on
dwell
persons
the
long
and distant wake made in the water by the passage of the fish.
As to the point of time, it must have been from known data
between the 18th. and 25th. of June. And I would remark, that
this
exactly
is
the
when
season
the
first
setting in of mackerel
"Yours respectfully"
"S. Davis."
And
"I,
being at work
1815,
sea-shore in
beach joins
in
sea
cove.
paid
little
able,
looked
towards the
cove,
it
drift sea-weed.
I then
viewed
satisfied that
was some aquatic animal, with the form, motion, and appearof which I had hitherto been unacquainted. It was about a
ance
quarter
rapidity
in
feet
of
to
a mile
the
length;
from
the
northward.
the
shore,
It
then
then
feet.
until he
still
156
the
of a
size
barrel.
bunches
about
to be
six or eight
it
head.
his
the
supposed to be
While he
long.
the
of
which
animal
brown
or
black.
breathing holes.
not
It
me
his
I therefore
tail.
not
thought
see
it
feet
saw no part
any
gills,
or
fins or legs.
size.
could
did
utter
remained
moved
I
I
uniform
supposed to be a
to be of a
and motionless
clear sky,
for
its
est
two hours.
abound
"Plymouth
Finney
northeast
ss.
appeared
and
to the right
His quick-
left.
off, in a
direction,
manhaden
herring
and other
in the cove
October
to
the
truth
of the
foregoing
me
Nathaniel M. Davis
Jus Peace."
"first
declarations in 1815".
Though
the Committee
now
the Sea-Serpent,
of
did
The
not.
presented
our
to
remain quite
seemed
we must
than
neck".
the
length
&c.
why
state
writes
will
it
be
animal may
head was a
read
had a white
Finney,
"Its
little
was a
head
little
broader
We
may
look upon
as
man
as
whole
all
the statements
dimensions, motions,
his
over
feet,
"Its
feet.
different sea-animals, to be
all
to
underjaw
it
the head, just above the water, in the place where the
of
of Capt.
Davis
We
hereafter.
of course
It
nor did
on
be from
to
body",
which
of
or joints, or bunches. It
coils,
its
readers
still
it,
Mr.
it
"questions"
157
again,
3G.
there
till
truth, which, in
my
opinion,
is
now
von
at Behring's Island
is
very
this animal.
long;
remarkable.
the
shape of the
It is of the
Red
tionately
large
fortunate
for
give
eyes
us"
said
it
frightful
Kriukof,
"that
appearance.
we were
"It
was very
so near land, or
else
the
far
on
the
shore.
The
looked
about
for
up
it
prey,
pieces of flesh
which,
ac-
158
cording to opinion,
is
Some
some
[N. 36.]
Aleutians,
tasted
"If a
sea-serpent
been
has
really
seen on
the
coast of North-
it
South-Sea,
for
the
said
it
We
however,
we
it
already
has a mane,
this.
But
it.
The head
seal, and
is
sometimes to
the
say
seal,
pointed,
seals
tion?
sea-lion,
neither
the
head
is
lips as
because nobody
say,
Aleutians,
Why
who
rather
live
afterwards
this
surrounded
blunt,
The only
rather
by
these
pointed,
animals.
rather
The
sea-lion's
also
by eye-witnesses
evidently
its
it
some
statements
we have
already
met with
or will
meet with
after-
[N. 36.]
wards.
of
of the
it.
As
a
It
sea-serpent
159
pieces of flesh, I
the
to
am
sea-serpent,
of
They
are
smaller
friend.
as a
mere
fable.
This report
is
LVIII, 1821.
Committee,
HlLLARD,
"In the month of August, 1817,
it
been
mense
size,
and
to
rapidity; to appear on
the surface of the water only in calm and bright weather; and to
seem jointed, or
like
number
other in a line."
Society
C. Gray, Esq.
regard
to
following
the
were appointed
existence
report
made
"Linnaean Society of
New
England."
said
now
to
lay
the
Society
the
ments."
160
animal
request
the
persons
substance
the
committed
of their
to the
respective
to
communicate
the
to
appearance
statements,
until
to us.
mode
Our
of
letter also
to
to each other
they were
regard
with
examined not
in
of that
make
to
[1817.]
and
all
certified
conducting this
examination, and
answer
"In
to
it
we
received
from
Mr. Nash a
letter,
dated
the 1st. September were read before the Society as were also three
depositions
tember.
his
taken
You
readiness
in
directed
in
Boston,
as
to
on the 30th. August and 1st. Sepyour thanks to Mr. Nash for
return
pearance of an
and
1815,
letter
to
this
Nash.
following depositions.
"4.
[1817.]
The deposition
"11.
161
Toppan
of Sewall
taken at Boston.
>
"14.
"15.
The
The
"18.
"19.
"20. Is
an
account
of a
serpent
said
to
seen
the
in
on
meeting
the
evidence which
Sea
ated
near
the
18th.
may
for
inst.
Serpent,
reported
to
purpose
the
exist respecting a
of
collecting
any
of the
to
to
be requested by a
undertake
"III.
after
letter
addressed to
this service."
The persons
recollections
questions
to
on the subject
be
proposed,
statement given."
"Questions."
"2.
"3.
At what times
"1.
of the
day?"
animal?"
a time?"
162
"4.
At what distance?"
"5.
How
"6.
"7.
"8.
Plow
"9.
What
Did
"10.
[1817.]
fast
did
it
parts of
it
it
How many
"13.
What were
"14.
Did
"15.
What
its
distinct portions
its
at
it
were the
and shape of
size
its
Had
Had
"20.
How
"18.
it
fins
it
did
or legs,
mane
its
and where?"
and where?"
or hairs,
terminate?"
tail
"24.
How many
or notice
any thing?"
"John Davis,
)
"Francis C. Gray
Esq'rs.
"Gentlemen
"I
have
received
strange
this place;
my
inst.
In that com-
and
[1817.]
was
he
judge
163
me, when
yards from
fifty
the
with
view,
glass.
The
interrogatories
men
are
that
of fair
you sent
me were
to
all
when
no time
of the
been
visible
seen,
Allen
still
one time.
at
likewise
is
animal that
in the depos-
Mr.
think
"I
portions
them
well described in
is
were
mistaken,
distinct portions
as
to
the distinct
I saw, at
though more may have
one time.
visible, at
I believe the
"I have
his
brother
questioned
who was
Daniel GafFney,
Matthew, when he
fired at the
"Your most
ob't
"Lonson Nash."
We
in
matter and
the
has
all its
energies
acted
historical treatice we
however have not followed the above order
but arranged the depositions chronologically.
,
WS
.
1817, August 6?
In a
letter
from Mr.
S.
G. Per-
which
we
we
and
read
"About a fortnight since two women who live near the entrance
of the Harbour of Cape Ann
reported that they saw a Sea-Monster
come into the Harbour, that it had the appearance of a Snake,
was of great length, &c."
,
38.
(See
164
Amos
[N. 38.]
mariner
on the tenth day of August A. D. 1817,
I saw a strange marine animal, that I believe to be a serpent, at
the southward and eastward of Ten Pound Island, in the harbour
"I,
depose and
say,
that
said
Gloucester.
when
o'clock
It
first
from ten to twelve inches above the surface of the water. His head
at that distance appeared larger than the head of any dog that I
ever saw.
From
very
rapidly
day,
saw no bunches on
him
He moved
his back.
On
this
did not see more than ten or twelve feet of his body."
it
seemed short and thick; his statement that it carried its head a
foot above the water, and that it was larger than that of any dog
the head may even have been of
at a distance of twenty rods,
that its motion was rapid, are all mere repeabout two feet
titions
of facts well
known
to us.
He
swam
its
body in a straight
line
a habit we have also already met with. Just behind the head
a part of the neck of about four feet was hidden under water,
and then twelve feet of the animal's body were visible again.
with
its
SO, 40> 41
(See the
shipmaster,
joints
feet in length
tail.
apparently having
fifty
yards from
165
of
of the
surface
about in
circles,
was
in a boat
time?"
at a
on the twelfth
several
thirteenth
inst.
inst.
On
yards of him.
fifty
the
all
time
he
a Q.
What
parts of
it
if
how high?"
"A.
joints
Its
or
and
a A.
U Q.
at
down
in
moving, or
to the
left?"
He moved
to the right
How many
distinct
and
left."
portions
of
it
one time?"
"A. I
should say
"Q. Did
it
"A.
It
"Q.
Had
distinct portions."
fifty
"Q. Dit
"A.
It
afterwards,
it
my
thought)
his
tail,
hearing."
appeared to
I
me
saw him
make towards
see
where
was, though
166
How many
"Q.
"Q.
Did he open
his
if
so,
how wide?"
"A. Yes, when
about ten inches. I had no glass when I saw him from the boat."
"Q. Did he carry his head above the surface of the water?"
,
at times, about
Yes,
"A.
two
he would carry
"Q.
Did he turn
He
"A.
made
that he
short
made?"
his
first
head and
tail
when
appeared
near together.
ss.
am
"I
mistaken
confident,
as to the
from
"I
of
tions
my own
still
vertical."
is
And
the
is
at one time."
Allen was
him, there was
still a distance
of a hundred and fifty yards between Mr. Allen
and the animal. As to the number of the bunches which Mr.
Allen reports, viz. fifty, I believe that he has not counted them;
he says: I should say fifty. Pontoppidan tells us that the greatest
number ever seen was twenty-five and I believe that this is indeed
As
really
to
mistaken.
When
the case.
Moreover
the
visible
its
part
length
to
of
from
eighty
head
the
to a rattle-snake's, say a
167
common
to
&c.
are all
it
common
statements.
surface.
When
it sunk directly
which we have met with and shall
meet with several times. That the teeth of the animal were not
visible at a distance of two hundred yards cannot surprise us. In
the animal's turning its flexibility again is mentioned: head and
down,
tail
41
See also
no 41 on
164.
p.
depose
a
sea
I saw
animal that I thought to be a serpent, in the harbour in
said Gloucester. I
about thirty feet above the level of the sea, when I saw him.
should judge
from
me.
he
about forty
He
appeared to
me
fifty
to
fathoms
should say
have
joints,
of a two-gallon keg. I
size
of his
ing
his
velocity.
The
tail,
parallel
with his
tail,
made
first
his
and
his
staple,
and
body
with
head and
in turn-
as he approached towards
his
tail
head,
was a
"A.
It
"Q.
What
little
parts of
after
it
sun
set."
how high?"
"A. I did not count the number of bunches, but they appeared
about
six inches
"Q. Were
its
"A. Vertical."
"Q. Did
"^.
It
it
to avoid
any thing.
He
appeared to be
168
[N. 4
"Q.
How many
far
L.J
from him."
did not."
persons saw it?"
fifteen or
"Epes Ellery."
August, 25, 1817. Personally appeared Epes Ellery,
ss.
by him subscribed.
Not a
single fact
41
41 on
n.
167.)
before.
William
"I,
merchant
A.
perhaps ten
He
water.
went
marks
in
move
in
inches,
different
those
like
made by
straight
skating
part
to
of water,
Its
where
visible,
his
shaded
Its leaving a
many
and
1817,
41.
168.)
"I,
ship
Then he would
in an instant,
August
Report
is
it
already
14.
mentioned by
its
mode
staple."
of a Committee, 1817.).
Matthew Gaffney, of
depose and
carpenter,
August, A. D.
wake behind
often
will
p.
ice.
Pontoppldan.
times,
on the
being
He afterwards
was;
tail
west,
line
leaving
directions,
little
light colours.
1817,
Gloucester,
say:
[N. 41.]
afternoon,
the
in
serpent,
169
in
nearly
feet of
keg,
a four-gallon
his
did
as
also
supposed and do
believe
white.
him
fired
at
He
hit him.
the
when he was
must have
fired, and
and went
several
that
had a
aimed
at his
had
down
like
My
rock.
there
thought he
directly
fish
gun
boat,
but appeared
to
directly
settle
no person
is
was coming
under our
in
down
pound; and
like a
suppose
to shooting
than I
am. I have seen the animal at several other times, but never had
so
-as
on
this day.
vertical,
like a caterpillar."
at
"Q.
How
"A.
did
fast
should say
it
move?"
He
"A.
that
makes
he
head seems
to
in
turning,
is
in the
first
tail
"A.
"Q.
He
tail
Who
was
in
the
boat
with
you,
when you
fired at the
serpent?"
"A.
My
"Essex,
M. Webber.
"Matthew Gaffney."
1817. Then Matthew Gaffney made oath
ss.
August 28,
170
by him subscribed,
foregoing,
that
the
best
knowledge and
[N. 41.]
true according to his
is
belief.
scription
who was
boat with
Matthew when he
his brother
fired at the
in the
animal, and
We
read
white,
and
neck,
its
here
or
of
that
several
feet
its
throat).
posed and do believe that the whole of his belly was nearly white".
remarkable,
This
is
with
sea-animals
very
as
Mr.
for
porpoises
&c.
furious,
it
when
near
to
41
167,
We
1817,
168,
p.
p.
August
14.
Lonson Nash
to the
Committee
"I
]4th.
instant,
for
nearly
half an hour. I
yards from
fifty
me, when
one
nearest.
view
manner
with
of turning
is
animal to
is
vertical
His
ney's descriptions
portions
His motion
glass
saw
at
no time
distinct
I believe the
though more may have been visible
be straight, and that the apparent bunches were caused
The Chairman
of the
Nash
iately
171
[N. 41.]
the following
letter*.
"Your
Society,
will
on
ceptions
go
far
subject,
some
giving
in
peculiarly
precise
exposed
to
you, that
if
it
should
point
to
"The
ance
last Ave
East Point on
off
the
28th.
and
This
ult.
his
crew
is
of his appear-
we gather from
the
to Boston."
appears
letter
would be
"We
particularly acceptable."
has a drawing
Some information
far it is
considered by those
who had
as
correct
representation,
would be disposed
to permit an engraving
respectfully
"Jno Davis."
"We
(n.
report
of
172
[N. 41.]
45)
n.
runs
as
Committee, 1817):
"Your favoured
fying
The
Society for
my
vote of
was highly
services
grati-
to
entertain
their
"You
him on
judged him
est,
Twice
near-
yards from
with
times,
colour
he
judged him
when
fifty
about the
size of
other
observations, relative to
to
my
the
naked eye,
moved on the
for
for
short time,
nearly
motion was
his
and
at
When
was
"His
velocity,
judged was
immersed
in
when moving on
the
at
rate
of a
the
surface
of
the
water, I
When
When
moving under water, you could often trace him by the motion of
the water, on the surface, and from this circumstance, I conclude
he did not swim deep. He apparently went as straight through
the water, as you could draw a line. When he changed his course,
he diminished his velocity but little
the two extremes that were
visible appeared rapidly moving in opposite directions, and when
they came parallel, they appeared not more than a yard apart.
With a glass, I could not take in, at one view, the two extremes
of
the
animal,
that
were
visible.
he should be
found seventy
five feet.
feet,
at least,
and
When
if
he
should
feet long.
[N. 41.]
173
much accustomed
been
to look
through a glass
was not
so fortunate."
"I
him
above the water, at any one time, and he appeared rough; though
I
supposed
appearance
this
was produced by
his
informed that
the
he
has been
serpent
there.
still
is
for a
am
is now
making at Boston but
how far his drawing is thought a
or
An
When
motion.
like a rock."
have
correct
representation."
"Respectfully, Sir,
W.
Mr.
8c. Vol.
D. Peck says of
IV. Pt.
I.)
"The account of
it
in Gloucester,
is
judice,
and
animal
leaves
explain
why
clear
as
when swimming
rapidly. Easy it is to
under water than when partly
visible above the surface of the water. Those parts viz. which are
above the surface must be borne by the body hidden under water,
behind
it
speed
the
is
cannot
be
so
rapid
as
greater
when
the animal
is
it
is
evident,
is carried by the
and not by the individual. It has no burden to carry,
it is specifically lighter, and the speed can reach its maximum.
Remarkable too is the fact that the animal, when swimming under
water
itself,
water,
does
This
it.
is
so
just
its
a habit of Pinnipeds.
motion,
am
convinced
that
he
is
right.
is
He
produced
could not
are
of the
its
174
mode
down
of turning,
like
its
rock,
[N. 41.]
when
its
sinking
disappearing,
of;
am
Mr. Beach's
figure.
43.
sixty
his
feet
length,
in
extended
on
foot.
time.
velocity
I
than
have seen
saw bunches on
little
remained in
very
How
much
with
at
"Q.
this position
quick,
any other
his
He
off
five or six
to
me
M. when
black
I
saw
minutes."
"A. About one hundred and eighty yards from the shore where
I
stood."
"Q. Were
its
"A. Vertical."
size
and shape of
its
it ears,
distance
hat,
at
as
otherwise
the
from
could.
have
seen
him
at
my
"James Mansfield."
August 27, 1817. Then James Mansfield made oath
the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed."
"Before Lonson Nash, Jus. Pacis."
"Essex,
to
We
keep
ss.
its
bunches, when
it
lies
is
able to
175
[N. 43]
43.
1817, August
17.
The second
as follows:
"On
seventeenth
the
of
August
He
came
the
into
of
and six
and running to a small point."
"Q. Might not the prong or spear that you saw, have been the
or spear about twelve inches in height,
him, a prong
saw the
prong or spear."
"Q. Did the animal appear round?"
"A.
He
did."
"A. Vertical."
"Q.
66
What was
its
colour?"
A. It appeared brown."
"Q. Did
"A.
It
it
appeared smooth."
size
and shape of
his
head?"
"Q. Did
it
"A. I thought
"Q.
How
its
shape."
fast
it
did
it
move?
"William H. Foster."
appeared William H.
Foster, and made oath that the foregoing deposition, by him
subscribed, is true, according to his best knowledge and belief."
"Before Lonson Nash, Jus. of Peace."
The first statement that strikes us is the prong or spear, seen
by Mr. Foster. I am convinced that this instrument seen by him
"Essex
ss.
August 27,
1817.
Personally
176
and with a
at
[N. 43.]
from the
spy-glass, rising
at the
43.
its
in diameter
1817,
August
See
17.
else
two
43 on
also n.
p.
175.
of the seventeenth
of the
surface
water.
fifty
feet at
position,
till
we
lost sight
We
of him.
me
is
ss.
This
further
than
still
account
is
particulars
fifty
are described,
it
is
though no
visible
lying perfectly
44.
to
There was
oar.
"Essex,
jr.
him with my
at
all.
Beverly from
the
bank
of
New-found land.
[N. 44.]
177
the
crew were so
much alarmed,
44.
1817,
August
18.
it
at
100
away
as soon
as
feet long."
merchant
marine animal
That
I have, several
times
seen a strange
had a good view of him, only once, and this was on the 18th.
of August, A. D. 1817. I was in a sailboat, and when off Webber's
cove (so called) in the harbour of said Gloucester, I saw something
coming out of the cove; we hove to, not doubting but that it
was the same creature that had been seen several times in the
harbour, and had excited much interest among the inhabitants of
Gloucester. James P. Collins was the only person with me. The
serpent passed out under the stern of our boat towards Ten Pound
,
Island;
We
immediately exclaimed:
saw of him
feet in length.
raised
should say
I distinctly
"here
saw bunches on
his
From what
snake!"
the
is
that
his
his
back
and once he
head appeared
flat,
and was raised seven or eight inches above the surface of the water.
He passed by the bow of the boat, at about thirty yards distance.
His colour was a dark brown. I saw him at this time about two
His motion
minutes.
not
great,
velocity, I
perhaps
yards.
shy.
active
as
curve
His
saw Mr.
more
was
at
He
the
size
to
GafFney
His velocity at
have
seen
this
time was
great
judged
fire
be about the
to
him
at
at
size of
a half
very
short,
and appeared
when compared
when he turned
seemed
vertical.
times,
faster.
barrel.
thirty
though
in the water,
to
his
size.
as
limber
The form
and
of the
approach towards his body for some feet; then his head
and
tail
his
head and
were on
and when
178
[N. 44.]
How many
distinct
portions
of
it
one time?"
"A. Ten or twelve distinct portions."
thought and
his eyes
and mouth."
I saw his eye
that
believe,
at one time,
towards,
In this account
there
too
is
From
tail
tail,
the animal
It
is
44
44 1817, August See
In the above-mentioned
from Mr.
Mr. E. Everett we read:
"My Brother Colonel Perkins went down
18.
also n.
above.
to
to be a serpent,
it
p.
letter
is
to see
there.
of a
it.
He
says that he
As he stood on
mile
of
him, but
the
is
S.
to
Cape Ann
satisfied that
shore,
it
made
such an
any thing
to
Fortunately
Col.
T.
his
friend
Jno
P.
when on board
Cushing.
He
his experiences in
the ship
published
it
in
Ann Marie,
the
Boston
[N. 44].
170
"Boston, November,
848."
paper called
the
the
"Illustrated
England
my
to the
friend
a very favourable
opportunity
From
M'Quhae,
lead
to
Equator
to
in action.
there
are
the opinion that the animal seen on the other side of the
differs
in
coast.
The drawings
given
appearance
the
of the
"On board
the ship
13, 1820."
"My
dear
sir,
T.
H. Perkins."
Ann Marie,
When
at sea, lat.
on shore
have
I
I
little
am now
to
time to spare
communicate."
"During the past three years you will have seen accounts in the
or reports will have met you in another form of an
immense sea-serpent having infested our shores in Boston Bay, The
newspapers,
first
of
appearance
there
cester
existed
with
returning,
to
satisfy
myself on
Mr. Lee.
who had
On
visited
our
the
a subject on which
several persons
180
himself,
exhibited
though with
Gloucester,
to
[N. 44.]
to us that he
We
fears that
circulation
in
harbour,
feet
water,
the
of
the
into
projects
fifty
or
sixty
feet
an agitation
observed
in the
water at
the entrance of the harbour, like that which follows a small vessel
going
five
there
was no shoal where the water was thus broken, I immedsaid to Mr. Lee that I had no doubt that what I had
iately
or
miles
six
seen
recting
to
in pursuit of fish.
di-
the
the
seen
attention
his
'
appeared.'
my
seen, or thought I
first
approached us
common
the
dently
the
it
was easy
snake,
vertical
either
movement
of the
As
caterpillar.
evi-
nearly as I
could judge,
body.
It
moved through
asunder.
It
water,
chocolate
part
in
of
the
length,
[N. 44.]
181
of
whom
had before
From
the time I
many
people collected
by
first
place
the
left
although
differing
daughters disposed to
the
return
my
after
were
details,
my
fifteen or
my
make
me when
went again
and
return
and
I stood,
twenty minutes."
fully
in
to
many
time,
this
to
few days
the ladies;
we
second
thrown
All
the generic
to
as
time
that
the
that
difference
tongue
of the sea-serpent.
of
the
animal
is
H.
It is
seen to be
out.
these
and
di-
it
is
subject,
is
perhaps not
letters
it
which
of interest to
know
unnecessary
to
On
20th.
of
respecting
the
sea-serpent,
here
printed
for
the
first
time, runs
as follows:
"You
except
will
me
to give
So
far
as
we have
yet
to
learn its
is
extraor-
of universal conversation
I will give it
you, but
fortnight
to this report,
and
it
the Country has been agitated with reports of the existence of the
monster, and
that
they
search
of
men
of reputation
him
in
Boats,
182
[1817.]
without any other effect than alarming him and deterring him
from suffering the approach of the boats. He is represented to be
from 50 to 100 feet long, of the size of a barrel about the body,
which
formed into
is
Ann two
and
My
create a
Brother
an animal
which
parallel rings,
when he
is
wake
Colonel Perkins
it.
He
says that he
As he stood on the
there.
be able to state
of character
all
its
Many
it.
prey,
went down
is
satisfied
shore,
it
it
to
Cape
that such
came within
so distinctly
persons
have assured
its
on the
is
to
the water.
me
who
are well
known
as
men
it
week
pursuit
at
of the herrings,
,
number of porpuses following each other, in rapid succesBut on Saturday, the day before yesterday, a vessel arrived
at Beverly from the banks of Newfoundland. The captain and crew
report that, off Cape Ann Harbour, they saw a Sea-Monster of
the Snake kind, lying on the water, of immense length. That
the crew were so much alarmed, that they got away as soon as
they could, and that they estimated it, at 100 feet long. Other
only a
sion.
the belief, in
its
investigate it, of
45.
Chairman
an evidence of
is
Chairman.
1 '
August 22?
We have already seen that the
Committee asked Judge Nash to give, if possible,
the fact that a woman saw the animal lying dor-
1817,
of the
which
existence,
183
shore. In speaking of
[N. 45.]
it
"I
have seen
took
the
before
place
mony
serpent
this
date.
Fortunately
we have another
testi-
H.
Perkins,
dated
August 1817
n.
(see
13,
44.
178.);
p.
after
visit
"A few
the
Oct.
ladies
days after
we had
my
pleasant
ride
Ann
with
seen
at
serpent,
to
descend from
which
until
then
the
carriage,
he
could
that
his
length;
how many
He
asked
feet in length
he was, but
184
[N 45.]
an object with which she had always been familiar. Mr. Mansfield
he
said
in
length.
It
to
is
is
one hundred
feet
Consequently I
a
may
fix
is
animal
only
,
4G
Mr.
have
report I
found
of
this
way
of reposing of the
Amos Story
having made
after
affidavit
"I likewise saw, what I believe to be the same animal this day,
viz.
twenty third
the
August, A. D.
of
1817.
This
was
still
in the
extended
feet of
him
at
least."
good spy
visible.
glass
sun shone upon him, the reflection was very bright. I thought his
size of a
man's body."
"Amos
Story."
ss.
in
this
animal's
position
head,
which
think
may
line just
the
above
[N. 46.]
the
its
185
it
which
animal
the
to
breathe
with him.
47
Perkins
to
"Subsequent
to
vessels,
and
48.
"Sewell Toppan,
M.
A.
eastern
at
point
or
before
feet,
seen
of
passing
by our quarter,
at
distance
about forty
of
fifteen
fish
ten
feet
surface
of
the
size
water.
of a ten-gallon
keg
and
six inches
he
left
a very long
he did not
186
[N. 48.
]
appear to
vessel.
alter
course
his
much
saw him
in
less
consequence of being
so
near the
have been
"I
had the
least
many
sea
to
resemblance
to
years,
this
animal.
"Sewell Toppan".
September 1, 1817. Personally appeared
captain Sewell Toppan, and made solemn oath, that the foregoing
declaration by him subscribed is true."
"Suffolk
ss.
Boston,
May,
"Robert Bragg
of
Newburyport
last,
Newbury port
of
mariner
Jus. Pacis."
testifies
That on thursday
me
to
times perpendicularly,
it
again.
fall
moved
He was
12
was of a dark chocolate colour, and from
what appeared out of water I should suppose he was two and a
half feet in circumference; he made no noise; his back and body
in
about
sight
minutes. I think he
ten
at the rate of
or 14 miles an hour; he
appeared
smooth;
motion
and
his
small
bunch on each
course
was
in
the
direction
little
"To
disturbed by the
all
his
up and down."
this account I
am
willing to
make
"Robert Bragg."
oath."
[N. 48.
"I,
That on thursday
said schooner
in
cove,
eastward of Eastern
little
testify
about 10 o'clock, A. M. as
last
87
and say:
was coming
Point,
miles from land, the sea calm, I was at helm. Robert Bragg, one
me
break in
out a
that
if
water,
the
serpent
swiftly by us
his
was about 12 or 15
a
to
off
point.
He
harpoon
he
head, and
head was
feet, his
threw out
his
his
feet
threw
the end of
it
resembled
his
passed
let
it
fall
again
it
whales
seen
and
falling
side to side.
The motion of
any whale. The motion
at
this
sea.
he advanced,
as
feet in circumference.
the
Have
animal was
much
body was
rising
of the
"William Somerby."
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts, August 30, 1817. Then appeared Robert Bragg and William Somerby and made oath to the
truth of the above declarations, by them respectively subscribed."
,
"Before
me,
Jos.
May, Jus
Pacis."
too,
so
little to
motion
in
that
"the
with
little
its
head went
to the right
by the
of the
left
to read "broader".
fore-flapper.
It is the third
was observed. The tongue most propably was rather pointed, which
two mariners to compare it with a harpoon.
Remarkable
led the
is
[N 9
188
by Bing
its
This
eyes.
is
48.]
brow figured
(fig.
published in
the
Boston
read:
"Captain Tappan,
person
great
and
rapidity,
at
three
others slowly.
He
me saw him
to
with
at
also
feet,
the
known
well
his
have given to
H. Perkins
it."
as to the explanation of
is
spelt
letter.
1817,
August 30?
In
the
same
in
the
letter
from Col.
Perkins we read
"One
of the
Cape Ann
revenue cutters,
had an
whilst
excellent view of
him
at a
he
50.
Herttell
to
neighbourhood of
sank and
1817,
him on
the subject.
He
states
that
distance
from
the
rocks,
inst.
while
usually
called
the
Scotch
Caps, which
[N. 50.]
at
lie
extremity
the
Rye Point,
of
He
no
back, about
unevenness of his
51.
1817, October
of
way
in the
little
or
and
The abovesaid
5.
be
his speed to
fifty
much
judged
He
less
189
which
have done."
runs as follows
letter
observed
Columbian
the
in
15th.
of the
inst.
a para-
graph stating that an animal had been seen in Long Island sound,
corresponding
Gloucester
some
with
on
occurrence,
the
more
made
but since
serpent
lately
and
you,
to
alluded
subject
newspaper remark
of the
description
seen in
observations
gentlemen,
the
harbour.
When
to.
other
several
spoke on that
it
of a
it
may
not be deemed
improper."
"On Sunday,
a
my
distance
to
dwelling
on
the
M. while standing
long
rough
Viewing
it
a half mile
my
with
glass convinced
me
it
and
was
soon intercepting
which
the
my
view of him,
sound opposite
him
Hempstead bay. At
obtained another
sight of
as
this
time he appeared to
that
Prom
made by
the time I
creating a swell
saw him
till
I lost sight
190
of
[N. 51.]
ten minutes, in
which
short time he had gone probably not less than six or seven miles."
"I
day on which
some persons
or
at
the
in
vicinity
of
Point."
"That
That
it
is
it
which appeared
"With much
"Thos. Herttell."
Though
back
expressed
uneven
irregular,
indented
deeply
terms
other
in
that
of
North-Sea,
the
Report
20 of the
N.
serpent
extracted
as
is,
said
from
all
terms.
seen
at a glance
"History
the
may be
it
we have
have
to
viz.
these
to
rise
account
here
is
of
Norway"
is
written
by
matter given by that Bishop about the sea-serpent, and the whole
affidavit of Capt.
von Ferry.
"We
authority
sea
by
relating
different
we
because
persons,
said
to
minute
so
heard
similar
of the animal
existence
appear
to
and
well
authenticated
as
the
preceding
documents."
Poor Committee!
among
learned persons
those
more
[1817.]
learned
all
to
Society
and
accounts
all reports,
me,
that
may
The Committee,
interesting
reports,
its
letters in their
correct
enlarge,
191
and
work
rectify this
in
called for.
is
after
to
explain the
in
closely
species
Scoliophis
relating
Report.
their
science,
common
atlanticus.
the
to
to
allied
in
the
those
little
snake
to
be
new
to
This account
is
and gave
it
the
name
of
it was killed."
Next they gave "a few remarks on the question" (raised by the
public) "whether the great Serpent, seen in the Harbour of Gloucester, be the Scoliophis atlanticus'. These "few remarks" fill three
pages and a half, and end with their conclusion that this is indeed
the case, "until a more close examination of the great Serpent
shall have disclosed some differences of structure, important enough
Now, my
why none
Cape Ann
them
that I am convinced that the female Sea-Serpent has no mane,
and that the mane is only a character of full grown males. So
most of the eye-witnesses saw a female. It is only the individual
witnessed by Messrs James Guion and Thos. Herttell which was
most probably a male and had a mane. Seen from a distance its
back was uneven and deeply indented.
of the eye-witnesses of the animal seen near
saw a mane.
hope
my
when
I tell
192
Hamilton
Dr.
devoted
in his
few pages
will
rath
und
here
insert
Everett, Esq.
is
it.
an extract from a
Blumenbach
time
of Gottingen
the
by Edward
letter written
Ritter"
Amphibious Carnivora
to
[1817.]
to the
"Obermedicinal-
runs as follows
it
"With Respect
.,
that
Serpent,
few
disappeared
Young
ance, was taken. This was brought to Boston, has been dissected,
also
Upon
be
described
to Sir
by the Connoisseurs
there. This
Society.
Humphreys
Gen.
the
in
of Boston
it
member
is
of the
Royal Society
possible something
may
appear
Afterwards
Serpent.
we
shall read
It is a pity that
more
his collec-
calls the
Sea-Serpent
"Our
[1818.]
As soon
de
he
ently
Naturelle
et d' Histoire
too
the
believed,
more
therefore paid
93
the
as
it
it
snake
little
attention to
be a
to
new
species,
and
to
those of
viz.
William Somerby:
feet,
sailors is cause
his
mouth,
to
circumference of 6
As we saw,
the two sailors only mentioned a tongue of two feet; they did not
bottom,
but
as a harpoons.
nor
did
they
describe
It
De
all
is
we were now to scrutinize the existence of the Great SeaSerpent, we must confess that it would be difficult to deny the
"If
appearance of an
swimming with
rapidity,
is
the
Scoliophis
this
is
doubtful; that
assertion
is
still
it
is
it
is
of the
ashore to lay
For
its
eggs."
by the Committee
earliest notices I
Peck
shores,
lately
of
says:
men
of fair
in Gloucester."
194
[1818.]
"The accounts
greater
part
these persons
of all
appeared
it
but
it
says
had protuberances,
it
Peck
to
Prof.
are
undulations
its
move
velocity
is
some
variously estimated; by
was thought
it
to
moving
shewn by
as is
its
in
line parallel
existence
we know
it
and we
moves by
pents
and that
its
motion
that
relate is indisputable;
laterally as flexible as
is
at times
visits
certainly
which they
animal to
the
is
that
of the
is
is
very swift
may be
other ser-
hoped
to be
that
if it
again
devised of taking
it
Long
seems from
natrix
this
in
in
Mexico or
South America."
remarkable
fact
is
it
that Prof.
Peck
1818) the
(n.
41,
declares
affidavits of
p.
:
Now we
170, and
Mssrs Lonson
n.
the existence
are in 1892,
the Arts
republished in
44,
of
its
B. Pearson,
p.
the
and yet
animal
it
is
is
doubted!
[N. 52.]
53.
1818 June.
195
Arts B. Inst.
that
states,
with
as
he
at
June
of
from a
Wilson, of Salem,
during his
supposed
first
wreck of a
the
vessel
when he
found
it
to be the sea-serpent;
190
feet in length,
and
he
believed
its
it,
it
and
to be
enormous
of an
After
size.
The only
the
such
length
its
coming
190
about
and
feet.
53.
Inst.
"On
54.
"S.
West
of Hallowell
it."
{Ibidem).
describes
it
as seen
or a sperm-whale
a grampus, or a porpoise.
We
viz.
a dolphin
porpoise
when
in
one of
its
shall
fins
(n.
151).
was seen
It
is
seizing a
evident that
uses, porpoises
and dolphins.
196
[N. 55.]
55
- 1818 July 2.
{Ibidem).
"and on July 2d. two persons, J. Webber and R. Hamilton,
saw it about seven miles from Portland, between Cranch Island
point and Marsh-Island."
56.
1818 July.
{Phil.
(for
he believes
by him
called
is
Brown
in a voyage
belonging
to
the
it
not a snake
is
new genus
but a
of fish
two
long,
feet
the
mouth
inches,
fifteen
jaws,
might be 58
feet."
is
see
snake;
if
he
of
had
smooth skin
(i.
beneath
e.
(i. e.
no
scales
seen
on
its
fishes.
throat)
gills
swam
one of them.
had a
under
its
neck.
It
to snatch
and eight
on the dorsal
its
Brown
(trunk)
above
indi-
It
Dark brown
muddy
white
,
seen
[N. 56.]
those
to
of
197
little
The whole
eye).
descrip-
is
direction.
For "eight
we may
gills"
safely
wrinkles,
or
folds
animal bending
folds
wrinkles
or
which in
head
its
turn
their
rectangularly
1818
July?
Mr.
"The fishermen
was
ago
in
visible
had seen
it
the
at
Brooke
Sejerstad
said
in his Travels
sea-serpent
was 60
feet.
far as it
who
in the Folden."
58. 1818,
"On
Such
throat.
A. de Capell
years
caused by the
the
SV.
are
towards
August?
being asked
(viz.
At
the
p.
merchant of Fieldvigen)
it
his opinion
himself, though
SO.
1818,
August
19.
In
made
Amongst
to
do
this,
and
to bring
it
home, dead
or
the
title
of
which
Rich
in pursuit
198
we have
attempts,
ful
drew
He
out.
received
will
We
12
After
o'clock.
length
at
fastened
him
struck
to
thing
strange
wound he
fear the
how he
cautious
several unsuccess-
this
fairly,
[N. 59.]
approaches these
my last, yesterday, we have been constantly in purhim; by day he always keeps a proper distance from us,
to prevent our striking oars. But a few hours since, I thought
we were sure of him, for I hove the harpoon into him as fairly
as ever a whale was struck; took from us about 20 fathoms of
warp before we could wind the boat, with as much swiftness as
Since
shores.
of
suit
We
whale.
him
had
from
loose
all
to
"Rich'd. Rich."
"
you
to
will
give
As
thought
would be interesting to
he is at some distance, I
it
hear from
met the Serpent off Squam, and chased him about seven hours,
when they closed with him. He passed directly under the bows of
Capt.
Rich's
pierced
boat;
immediately
he
he
feet;
distance but went with such a velocity that he broke that part of
the boat through which the rope passed and
hope they
will
the chase."
"He
his
has
skin
Capt.
scales on him
and no bunches on his back but
smooth, and looks similar to an eel. In the attack,
no
is
in a letter
from
my
his
have
brother."
"Saml. Dexter."
As
the
far as I
Sea-Serpent,
swam
with
its
"He
has no scales
line.
Interesting
to
us
his
body
is
in a
smooth,
[1818.]
199
be the animal
my
as
last
to
it
my
Among
those
many
who were
persons believed
affair
this
also
inserted in our Chapter on hoaxes. I will repeat here his last words
have
"I
only
the
German
you
will
him
assure
mentioned,
existence."
The
add that
to
literati is
if
that
circumstance
connected
with
Quarterly
Oken's
Peck, and a
German appeared
translation into
sea-serpent
He
done.
Water- Snakes
subject of study
and inquiry
too
Sea- Snakes ,
appeared
dissertation
in
1819.
Isis of
in
an
it,
in
America, made
as Prof.
entitled:
Peck had
Dissertation on
and that it was afterwards reprinted in the PhilosophMagazine Vol. LIV, 1819. He is a believer in Sea-Serpents,
Transactions
is
Peck) "do
deception just
as
paper of Prof.
ical
Prof.
the
Inst.
the
of
evidently
convinced
After
that
having mentioned
or real Sea-Snakes.
species
of real Sea-Snakes, of
which
"This
last species
species
still
and historians,
tedious
may be
labour must
inclined
all
to
be postponed,
inquire
into
many
and
of ancient
and unknown
200
[1819.J
writers.
Sea-Serpents, or
or
fins,
real
rather
fishes
than
serpents.
some Sea-Snakes without scales, since there are such land snakes;
and there are fishes with scales and yet without fins but there
are no fishes without gills and no snakes or serpents with gills
:
in
"Nearly
the
all
whom
writers
with
unacquainted
obvious
that
can
remember,
distinction
Roman
writers
This I apprehend
History
Sicily
with Leguat
observations
seldom
fall
species
are
and
is
it
and the
since
in his
they
relate
happened
in
to observe.
his
Natural
Remarkable Objects
,
of
&c. Their
monstrous unknown
to
name
given the
Rodriguez Island
in his Travels to
Pontoppidan, in
with
case
of
valuable,
the
is
been
have
fishes,
which
numerous
not
in
nature,
either
on land or in water,
reproduction."
"Among
served
by
the
four
different
Americans,
Massachusetts Serpent)
named
and
Sea-Serpents,
only
is
one
(the
evidently a
"1.
is
its
is
compressed,
obtuse,
to
catch
it
to the
have failed,
It is evidently a real
genus Pelamis
and
propose to
call it
Pelamis megophias,
which a
name
201
[1819.]
We
closer
of
apparently
more
plausible:
"The
1.
scales".
some
It is true that
who
one
smooth and
be
to
having no
This
rows."
verse
assertion
described as white on
shape of a dog's."
contrary
"The
2.
its
but against
"The head
of the
a snake's head.
an
like
it,
of the eye,
agree
all
"The
who deny
scales.
is
5.
it."
Nobody saw
oar."
Indeed a splendid
GO.
Science
and
of Connecticut, mariner,
state
cord
said
of
Salem,
Fairfield
County
the
in
of
Commander
her late
in
Essex
passage from
New York
Commonwealth
and
York
about
at
I
Salem
to
could
of
15
was
on Monday
miles
course
(the
in the
o'clock
five
judge,
Cape Ann
a-head,
to wit
at
New
N.W.
to
Massa-
of
as near as
N.W.) something
that re-
sembled a snake, about 100 yards distance from the sloop, moving
in
a S.
W.
direction.
in that direction
till
he
had passed athwart the course of the sloop, and appeared directly
over the weather bow, when he altered his course to S. E. At this
time he had been visible about five minutes, when he sunk, and
in about six or eight minutes after, appeared again directly over
the
he
weather quarter,
continued
sunk again
in
and
about the
that course
I
about
five or six
minutes, when he
at the rate
202
about
of
four
he appeared
the best of
miles
an hour,
on the quarter,
again
my judgment
[N. 60.J
motion was
his
but
after
less rapid.
To
vessel
with a
light air of
subscribed,
me
Gersham Bennet,
"I,
passage
6th.
Point
the man at the helm made an outcry, and said there
was something alongside that he wanted me to look at. I looked,
and saw something on the larboard side of the vessel, about twelve
rods
certainly
not
exceeding fourteen
I there
size
and
[N. 60
uncommon
appearance,
about seven
my
formed
was very
I
think,
anchor stock
of the
length
feet.
above
looked
203
head was about the
his
surface
the
the water,
of
at
opinion
clear
as
viz.
and
proper
snake's
head
there
was a degree of
slight
his eyes
flatness,
with a
were prominent,
for
with
the
sloop,
feet
by
occasioned
He was moving
and about
size
apart
the
as
of a
fast.
flour barrel,
the
tail
was not
like a
visible,
but the wake of his tail which he evidently moved under water,
showed a horizontal or sweeping motion producing a wake as large
as the vessel made. He turned his head two or three times slowly
round towards and from the vessel, as if taking a view of some
object on board. I went up on the rigging, for the purpose of
taking a view of him from above; but before I had reached my
station, he sunk below the surface of the water, and did not
appear again. Gersham Bennett."
"Essex ss. June 9th. 1819.
Then Gersham Bennett personally
appeared and made oath that the foregoing affidavit by him sub,
scribed,
contains the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth. Before
me
"Theodore Eames, Justice of the Peace."
It is
is
"wake
a horizontal or sweeping
motion of the tail, but it is far more probable that it was caused
by the motion of the hind-flappers, supposed the animal nearly
touched the surface of the water with the hinder part of the body.
New
the
top
considerably
head,
that
its
is
on
and stand out
a slight hollow
204
toad,
of a
to the
[N. 60.]
mouth
of the animal
1.
1819, July.
"As
inquiry
Norway,
received
leaving
others
I shall
during
it
own
their
to
my
re-
and
of
198:
at p.
"From him
Mr. Schilderup)
postmaster
(the
learned some
Norway, and
in
From having
formerly been
in
between
(Ottersum)
island
this
scription he gave of
made
"It
it
was
as follows."
its
first
1819,
this
off
During the whole of that month the weathand calm; and the serpent was seen
every day, nearly in the same part of the Sound. It continued
there while the warm weather lasted, lying motionless, and as if
dozing in the sun-beams.
This part of his account reminded
never before believed
was
er
excessively
it.
sultry
me
"The number
thirty
at
it
the whole of
while
it
so finely described
whom
from motives of
curiosity,
inquiries
among
The
the inhabitants,
who gave
by Milton."
was about
he said
went
me by
to look
subsequent
a similar account of
it.
it,
[N. 61.]
was
it
of very
considerable
whether
ascertain
moved,
made
it
whether
He
not.
or
said
feet.
it
but when
scales;
which he
had teeth
it
appeared
many
at
it
it
to the height of
Its
Its colour
not
length
205
it
distinctly heard.
tell
a very strong
it, and
coming as a bad sign as the fish left the coast in
consequence. Such were the particulars he related to me. Thanking
him for his information I took my leave of him and proceeded
on
looked
its
on
my
voyage."
And
at p. 200
"Near Ottersum is the small Island of Krogoen", (upon which
a merchant lived, who hearing that Mr. Brooke was an English-
man, who
animal obtains
explained
that
here.
the
shall
believe
proving that
G3.
serpent
For the
the
in
first
time
sunshine,
as I have already
we meet with
As we
needs
when drying
before.
it.
it
is
the statement
is
twice stated
my
last
chapter
will
return
to this fact,
206
1819,
G3.
August 13?
There
[N. 63.]
this
II, Boston,
of
For the
satisfaction
following
the
scription
letter,
of his
from
statements
number
a great
what
in substance with
of gentlemen
all
of
whom
agree
here related."
is
to the
the sea-serpent
this
subject.
newspaper printed
For your
my name
at
gratification,
passed
in
review
the presence of
we left Boston
way house, on
on Saturday morning.
early
On
that
so
vast
On
number
of persons
we
asso-
[N. 63.]
passed
foam
to occasion a
as
who were
in the water
more than
not
fifty
my
feet in length
however,
whether,
sixty;
appearance
the
to
and
judged he was
in carriage,
extend,
the
207
of
his
and, at
wake
the
your
better
some
him
he
novelty
the
the
other spectators
occasionally
occurred to
first
view
perhaps
me
that
view him
eyes
than
was
myself,
to take breath
by the aide of
did
not
my
the
abreast of
after
they
would
say he
sea-serpent as delineated by
glass
under
being accustomed
animal;
The
he
precise
of the
that
swam up
this
progress
he
as
prevented
I leave for
animal occasioned
the
of
we and
;
and
agitation,
discrimination
bay,
The
judgment.
saw him
is
me
in
now
marking the
and
turning,
Mr. Prince.
distinctly in this
movement;
turn
208
[N. 63.]
by curiosity
gratified
and each similar to the other; one however so near, that the
coachman exclaimed: "Oh, see his glistening eye". Thinking I
might form some calculation of his length by the time and distance of each turn and taking an angle with my two hands of the
;
he
length
exhibited
that
to
is
from
say,
his
head
his
to
satisfied
unless
long,
do
sir,
correctness
the
ripple
decision
myself. Certainly
wake deceived me
of his
it is
my
he
is
nor
eel
feel
sixty
feet
my
dear
kind
though
and
grampuses,
whales,
see
that
this
to
my
of
last
porpoises,
fishes,
but
the
nor
is
it
skips
The water was extremely smooth, and the weather clear: we had
been so habituated to see him that we were cool and composed
the
time
eleven
occupied
a
cloud
witnesses
exceeding
together
as
to
for
single
appearances,
purpose,
and
as
were
to the length
all alike
[N. 63.]
on
ured
the
on
anything
will correct
being
description,
marvellous
the
induced
also
stated
is
209
hope,
to
that
if
me, you
coming from
as
it.
60
drew
its
however,
occasioning,
animal
feet; the
under water
itself
it
a wake; sometimes
it
with-
it
and
known
long
are
habits
to
whether
was
it
and a
scales
The head
afterwards
animal in
the
The
on
right
its
racked-formed
side,
when handling
is
so
coils are
left
badly drawn
side
however,
and before
it
is
it
and though
The rippling
,
well repre-
is
quite
and the
not seen them!
facsimile
who
the pencil.
is
more that of a young
which the head of the sea-serpent
shows large
person
figure
his
first
inaccurate
is so
of the
Prince
fish-tail.
of
Mr.
us.
is
foam
behind
left
are
fish-tail
am
of that
And
finally the
which
is
The
letter
V aderlandsche
from
Mr. Prince
Letteroefeningen
is
translated
voor 1820,
werk.
On
well
same day
the
following
it
letter (Silliman's
known
"Col. T.
H. Perkins"
"Brookline, August 19, 1819.
"Dear Sir"
"I very willingly comply with your request
to state
what
14
saw
210
Sea-Serpent at Nahant
the
of
happened to
ment, and
see
on Saturday
particularly as I
last,
it
considerable
to
[N. 63.]
adventage
in
point
of
position
and
distance."
my
"I
got into
come
Boston
to
"I had not heard of the Sea- Serpent being in that neighbourhood,
and I had not lately paid much attention to the evidences which
had been given of its existence, the idea of this animal did not
enter my mind at the moment.
my
"As
curiosity
perceived
were taking,
they
course
the
at
moment
strange
now
that
Sea- Serpent
the
monster
taxed
myself to
investigate
appearance as
his
accurately as I could."
"My
first
object
shaped,
serpent
it
and he depressed
it
gradually,
to
within
satisfied
feet
six
or
underneath or
hollow
to
myself was
which appeared
that time very slow along the Beach, inclining towards the shore;
he at
him.
them
to
be
his
have seen
appeared
along
moved
first
if
not
some appeared
his
eyes,
though
had thought
be
look about
His bunches
and as he moved
to attend to this.
if to
depressed, and
My
next object was to ascertain his length. For this purpose I directed
my
relative length
[N. 63.]
protuberance
I
boats.
less
the
that
calculated
felt
eighty
than
feet
me and
between
distance
had noticed
persuaded by
211
the last
to
five of those
this
came
a point of land
this point."
him thus
minutes,
afterwards
again
made
his
the
appearance for a
moment
at a short
distance."
"My
first
reflection
the
after
animal
"1
am
very respectfully"
"Samuel Cabot."
Benjamin Silliman, adds:
"It is almost superfluous to add, that Mr. Cabot and his friend
Col. Perkins, are gentlemen of the fixst standing and consideration."
In Oct. 13, 1820, Col. T. H. Perktns, when on board the
The Editor
of the
American Journal,
Prof.
published
it
in the Boston
passage of
it
runs as follows:
there were
many
others
reported of his having been seen the same year. In that year, 1817,
although there were several reports of his having been seen yet they
,
I place
212
last
[N. 63.]
made
year, he again
his
pass
to
and
children.
their
On
weeks.
the
He
half an
what
is
from him,
mile
which called
half
object
the
what was
of
serpent
in
me
often describe
without
just
visible
the
col-
lected
mile,
monster which
the
James
Prince,
the
level
prey
his
tail.
his
not
body into a
From
When
of the sea.
letter
fifteen
to
were counted by the different persons who saw him, and his size
round they thought to be that of a common firkin or half barrel".
est
length given
had
length.
they
seeming always
the
good
If
at a time,
sight
the
to
of
[N. 63.]
two
at least this
from centre
distant
long.
feet
centre
to
four
they cannot be
They
agreed
all
213
less
too
(and
feet
than
to
be
think, considering
he would be ninety
this),
He
nesses.
then
sais:
remember
distinctly
the
Serpent being in
the
of
Many
down
hurried
to
it,
that he distinctly saw a large serpent about a mile from the shore
and that thousands were watching its motion on the beach and
rocks. The first idea that occurred to my brother was that it was
a horse swimming, its head at the time bearing a resemblance to
that of the latter creature. He afterwards saw the undulating line
of its back, and remained several hours watching the animal. Colonel Perkins of Boston, his wife, and family, were present at
,
this
we have
So
of
respectable persons
this
appearance
who
distinctly
three
different
statements
is
also
of
spot.
mentioned
in Dr.
G4.
1819, August.
Sweden
8fc,
207
at p.
John Greger
still
of
a young
man
who employed
preceding
the
Vegfjord
that he saw
it
it
was
in
August
with
while fishing
year,
in their nets
length
of
height
above
ding
and lying
more accurately
to
other
particulars.
in coils a great
them from
In fact they
all
attenfairly
214
took
to
south
(at
5.
considerable period."
for a
1819, August.
relates
"My
the
at
mained there
volume
heels,
their
The weather
boatmen
honest
me
which
pent,
his
the
way from
me. Previous to
is
all
left
without the
it,
variation.
216 of
at p.
[N. 64.]
at the
least
North Cape.
During the time they remained there they saw the serpent twice,
once at no very great distance from them. It was of a grey colour;
head
the
judged
with
blackish,
be
to
at
teeth.
least five
What
they
is
This
the
is
discerned
of
it
they
folds
it
of the sea-serpent.
The
OO.
Travels
1819? August?
"To
tells
at p.
222 of
his
us:
distance
large
in
length
feet.
the
said,
They were
for
from
only
of a
their
doubt
darkish
their
grey
short
account of them
to
folds,
of
cernable,
visible
He
plainly.
time.
as fabulous;
existence,
water;
but
as
it
people, since that time had likewise seen them on different occasions."
Not a
single
fact
that
need astonish us
[N. 66.]
together
not
is
reported
the
for
first
is
swimming
the
which
The colour
is
reader
will
made by
when
the
G7.
the
as
seen at a short
Their holding their heads very low, only just above the
distance.
The
time,
folds,
animals.
exactly
is
215
is
common
1819? August?
account respecting
last
habit of
them
too.
relates (p.
of the
403):
sea-serpent
received
He
bulk in
water.
colour
Its
it
ment
fear,
me,
nearly reached
this
measure-
observations
made by
My
here
described
many
of the
other
testi-
monies.
OS
this
author
1819? August?
we read
At page 406
volume of
in a note:
"The account
of Vadsoe)
This,
of
coarse,
is
216
GO.
Cheever
74 guns,
of
Am. Journ.
Aug.
1819,
to
"Extract of a
letter
from Mr.
Editor
the
to
26.
Chaplan
Eelch,
[N. 69.]
of
Sc.
"Dear
Sir.
Being on
the purpose
surveying
of
have
not
should
this
for
He
view of him.
his course.
lay
He
Pound
Island;
with
boat skulled.
we could
pleased
we
the
He
trace
and
We
of our
oars,
He
continued
some length of time, playing between Ten Pound Island and Stage
Point. As he often came near the Point, we thought we could
get a better view of him there, than from the boat, of which he
seemed conspicuous. Mr. Malbone and myself landed and the boat
was sent to order the schooner down, for the purpose of trying
what effect a twelve pound carronacle would have upon him. He
did not remain long after we landed, so that I was unable to
;
my
effect
my
of ascertaining
Erom my knowledge
of
aquatic
animals,
with
and
habits
We
intention
instruments.
,
and length.
say
ten
217
[N. 69.]
They decreased
feet apart.
first
one,
tail.
These bunches
glass. Mr.
Malbone counted thirteen, Mr. Blake thirteen and fourteen, and
the boatman about the same number. His motion was sometimes
very rapid, and at other times he lay nearly still. He turned
slowly, and took up considerable room in doing it. He sometimes
darted
The protuberances were not from his motion, as they were the
same whether in slow or rapid movement. His motion was partly
vertical and partly horizontal, like that of fresh water snakes. I
much
have been
was
His motion
the
he
say
allowing for
same.
his
for
length,
that
is,
his
tail.
That there
is
till
this day,
was incredulous.
is
not to
No man
would now convince him, there was not such a being. The sketch
picture of Marshal Prince, is perfectly correct. I could not,
with my own pencil, give a more correct likeness."
or
"With
respect"
"Major B. Russell."
I will not contest Mr. Eelch's opinion about Mr. Prince's figure
As to the letter itself there is not a single statement which can
detract from or add to our present notions of the sea-serpent.
In 1846 Col. T. H. Perkins, of whom we have spoken more
than once
who was
first
Lieutenant of the
Independence in 1819, to send him some particulars about this appearance. Mr. Bolton promptly replied under date of July 14,
1846.
This
letter,
Daily
was the
first
detailed,
officers
were
218
"The
Wm.
ship,
of the
T. Malbone,
[N. 69.]
this
midshipmen."
"To assist in the service several of the most competent and elder
midshipmen were designated. As they alternated periodically with
other gentlemen of the same grade, I cannot with any degree of
precision venture to name them. I hope that some of them are
yet
living,
distinction.
sufficient
number
of
seamen
and boys."
died some
years ago."
that on the first occasion
"I recollect
the
to
when
the
Lynx returned
known
mention.
Wm.
Compton Bolton
Boston."
It
cannot
surprise
1817", and in
some others
this
letter
Cheever Felch
with
the
himself, as twenty-
TO.
Dr.
1819, September?
Dr.
Francis Boott in a
letter to
VI, 1827,
says:
in the
219
[N. 70.]
after,
reported
published
that,
the
paragraph.
the card, I at
can
thought
it
As Dr. Boott
is
speaking of a
visit at
the words "soon after" of course signify in the latter part of August
71.
animal,
as
is
its
remain wet
are
deepest,
not
exposed to
may
use
this
for
very
are
not
only
most exposed
if
we
to the air,
but the hairs on those parts diverge and dry as soon as possible
and
now
when
more yellow-coloured
it
may show
collars
round
dark
220
may have
breadth
of
phenomenon
foot
stated,
and
often
is
[N. 71.]
appearance, as already
or
to
seals.
"Dr.
the
sea-serpent
with a drawing,
much
and
me
informs
Mitchill
memoir on
to Sir
interest
relates
it
written a
Joseph Banks;
as
Hawkins has
that General
of
facts
it
,
is
and
the circumstances
all
He
that
individuals
several
have
been
much
following
April
"I
by
extract
from a
letter
II,
1820,
have found
1820:
8,
have
of our
existence
own hand,
his
in
which he expresses
Serpent in
the
to
Sea,
is
several
his
full
faith
as
it
in the
regards
new commun-
subject,
very infirm."
"Sir Joseph
find at p. 411
relating
considered
many,
consider
as
to
the
believe,
it
in
it,
till
fabric
in
this
at
of
last
American invention
country"
cir-
(Great
Britain)
from
ever,
221
[1819.]
accounts
detailed
the
among
preserved
papers
the
which are
circumstance
the
of
Banks,
of sir Joseph
the
principal
appear to be these."
facts
And
at p. 413
"The repeated accounts
:
was deputed
the
visit
spot
and
one of
members
its
to
This
them.
to
is
the general
Hum-
who was
of the
gentleman
This
phreys.
despatched
Society,
which are
these,
Sir
to
still
a corresponding
Joseph
Banks copies
member
whole of
of the
In
Nov.
Dr.
1826,
4,
Hooker, a
Francis
Boott wrote a
letter
to Dr.
after
"All that I could collect upon the subject was sent to Sir Joseph
Banks, with
and the
The
of him.
to
published
as
whom
who
to be
is
of
New
sachusetts
was put
doubt of the
fact,
to rest
to satisfy
"I believe I was one of the first who mentioned to Sir Joseph
Banks, that a large serpent had been seen on the American coast;
at
events,
all
him on
distinctly
of a similar animal in
had no doubt
it,
to
convince
for
Sir
of
therefore
mation
could
when
I first spoke to
to
me, and
was anxious
animal.
papers
that
many
of
Boston
remember
the subject, he
was
collect
in
the
habit of sending
respecting
it.
In
one of
to find
on
my
him every
my
infor-
last visits to
return to Europe
that Sir
222
Joseph was
continued
In
October,
York Lyceum
the
of the
existence
of
the
serpent,
1828,
which paper
will
New
this
though he
relationship
of the
(figure 1
of
satisfied
doubtful
[1819.]
Humphreys
to
Joseph Banks.
"General Humphreys, by
mitted
839, asserts
.;
copy of them
whom
preserved."
still
Remarkable
Banks
Nowhere
fact!
neither
himself,
in
Y2.
1820,
them
stance occurred:
and thinking
of
the
in
course
263:
concerning
party;
at p.
of conversation,
whilst close to
at dinner at
sea-serpent,
in his Travels
fishing
hours before
volume.
A. de Capell Brooke
Summer of 1820, relates
little
their next
Mr.
July?
in
Hundholm
and previous
to his enter-
ing the harbour, two sea-snakes passed immediately under his yacht.
When
he
other
great,
were
struck
side,
and
visible
doubt of
He had no
and the circumstance
was related
at
entirely of his
he called them
own
accord."
73.
223
[N. 73.]
1820, August.
we read
"He was
month
of
2361,
p.
T4L
1820?
The following
"What degree of
me a subject of very
of gaining anything
by
be
hardly
sort has
being at
worth
made
all
its
consideration
little
the
so
it,
trouble
appearance
credited
it
it
for as I
may
gain
is
to
it
would
among our
transatlantic friends
as likely in
is
Europe
this
may
without
have the
same
fate;
intelligent
my
it
glass;
and, from
its
rugged
appearance
company were
Some
of
my ship's
of opinion
it
tail
the
or
point
of
hump from
rather a triangular
rock:
feet,
about
six feet
it
all
at once vanished
224
and
jecture
surprise.
above statement
me more
gives
It
seamen
as one of the
|~N. 74.]
confidence in
making the
Townsend,
described
1820.
Comber mere.
No doubt
commanded
the
latitude
46 degrees
of
ing of the
the
generally
the animal
was
also
Lady
is
northern
of Biscay.
The
lat.
so that
act of breath-
in
its head
showed "nothing where the water
The rugged appearance may have been caused by
called
from".
issued
water, just as
the
of
"spouting".
lying
reported
and so
water-level,
at
Bay
surface
just
a merchant-ship, the
E. N."]
it
its
all
back, as afterwards
(n.
154) or by
rise or
its
"hump
rock"
feet
all
this creature.
In
we
the
find
We
have already
quoted Milton,
who
the
sea-serpent.
Parts
more than
[1821.]
once
by writers of
cited
my
express
word
expression
or
counts,
surprise
articles
on the sea-serpent.
custom,
this
Milton's
in
there
for
verses,
which
reports,
however,
at
225
is
is
itself.
cannot but
Walter
Scott,
Pirate:
his
Ocean
of
mane
eyes,
stretches
that
like
raised
war-horse,
of
it
The
mane
are
eyes,
glittering
known
characters,
than once.
75.
Oct.
of
friend
his
Daily
1820,
in
the
Boston
"In addition
spondent gives
to
interesting
this
letters
narrative
his family
who
the
very interesting;
with
that
given
the
above,
is
description
of
the
it."
76.
now
1821.
lost
for ever
In
a letter
from William
in the
Warburton
to
226
[N. 76.]
VI, 1827,
p.
one
dined
"I
back."
five years
Of
course
merchant
of
it
of
T8.
This report
,
in Shetland
in his Description
1822.
Mr.
in his
de Capell Brooke in
A.
off
by many
Soroe this
last
is
to
full
made
its
appearance
enlarged
of a greyish
,
calm and
its
stated to have
The length
is
his Travels
416:
have received from Finmark,
appeared
it
Amphibious
p.
when
of the Shetland
1839.
TO.
is
Hibbert
565
p.
Isle of Stenness,
Carnivora
Dr.
1821?
Islands says at
of the animal
its size
that of
fine."
Mr. A.
1823, at
p.
[1823.]
ment
227
with
Maasoe)
me
"gave
of attention. It
is
he said
when
and obliged
serpent,
of the
to
pass
over
at
folds
body
of the
of
with
all
pent,
soon
down and
as
in
feels
it
thus
to
pass
circumstance,
striking
boat.
he
enables
as
Pontoppidan,
of
for fear
as
perhaps
under water,
On
raising
its
that
looking
afterward into
this
remarkable, but
is
which
with
pulousness
fables
by me
For
that
it
is
told
by our
unchanged
traveller
sake,
as
well as to acquaint
my
readers with
all
The passages
134.
p.
history's
has
insert
to
are
that
it.
am
all
obliged to
After
having
all
given
verbally
artless
class
of
for misrepresentation,
be entertained,
been so
sufficient
fully
to
the
of this
kind.
The
700 miles of
coast, extending to the most northern point, accounts have been
received from numerous persons respecting the appearance of an
animal, called by them a sea-serpent. This of itself would induce
simple facts
are
228
some degree
of credit
be given to
to
it;
[1823.]
when
able
are
so
fully
confirmed,
it
intervening
man
of
of the
truth
disregarded.
northern
least probability, or
could
coast,
the
even
known on
possibility,
appearance, and
size,
if
that
sufficiently obvious."
Remarkable
the
is
animal to be
the
fact
"in
all
probability
"The
strongest
confirmation
of the
fact
appears
made
its
it
will
to
be the ac-
be recollected,
distance from the shore, nearly every day, during the greater part
offspring of imagination."
We
their
may add:
fear to
investigating
not
only
their
curiosity
is
easily gratified,
but
nearer,
or
from observing
it,
as
naturalist
or
first
comparing the
[1823.]
Leviathan in
Milton's
Book
the
Paradise
of Job
with
him.
Lost led
229
which idea evidently
it,
to
am
far
He
relation
105, 109),
Knud Leems
Hans Egede (n.
the
written
quotes
further
letters
to
(p.
5),
library of Sir
p.
of
Joseph
am
also obliged to repeat here in extenso his plea for the sea-
419):
men
many among
the
more uninformed
classes,
who,
feet
one like the whale, more than 100 feet in length, would not only
stare
these
but would as
with astonishment,
assertions,
as
informed
if
of
the
they are
means
of other
much doubt
the
sea-serpent.
the truth of
This
is
but
productions, deprived
its
must be confined to
and the ideas they possess of life
of attaining it,
live in;
existence of
unknown
alone. By
by proofs of the
to the
quainted with
exertions
many
of the
present
age,
of
discoveries
of
produced
by the ingenuity of
chemistry
and mechanism
of
When
various
that
great
superior
master machine
it
force,
and indues
it
man
gives
in
the
the
him but
which not
he considers the
astonishing effects
united application of
a
230
but causes
to act in so extraordinary a
it
[1823.]
manner
in the creation
whether his
living
visible;
if
filled
parts
is
them
each
contain
difficulty render
that
aid
is
equally
The
mikroscoop
of the
of
is
that
of
them
these
countless
beings,
number
of
lost
is
other,
visible
may
perhaps
to
the
universe.
If,
secrets
of
he sees, on
forests,
the
trunk
feet,
fifty
it
of
glides,
the
stupendous
and viing
the
terror
boa serpent,
between which
and the sovereign of the forest. The
of all,
and he
the
finny
terials
of
his
composition
obstruct
his
pursuit.
that
them with
From
the marine
come under
his obser-
this
account alone, have been deemed fabulous: yet that their bulk
may,
[1823.]
and
that
living
midway
in
,
this
world
231
of
they
may
"Here
let
interesting
insensible,
me
pause;
for
to
rise,
have
already
comprised the
whole globe."
we
read:
a gentleman of
great
is
he
is,
name
and
integrity
"To
Prof.
in
his
Silliman,
full
him
confidence in his
Dear
Sir,
On my
discovered
to
miniature,
but
on further examination
it
was
common dark
perfect representation.
is,
the
time
ten
feet
the
length
of the
was
The
of the
serpent
remained
make out
tail.
232
[N. 80]
"Remarh of
We
may
all
known
Prof.
is
to
Silliman, that
at
this sea-serpent
premature,
least
"nothing like a
les
fin
the
for
assertion
81.
1824, Summer.
we
read:
about thirty
feet
Though
to
this
S3.
not the
is
1825?
yet
first
now
is
given.
in
n.
related
to
me many
years
ago by
my
233
[N. 82.]
swimming
was
It
appeared to
be at
slowly
"Once,
of an eel-
removed from what they considered a dangerous neighbourhood. He stated that he was shy in
mentioning this circumstance "lest the sceptical public should class
no notice of them; but they
hastily
to
is
considerable
date
nor
locality
is
the date at nearly thirty years back, and to choose the year 1825,
and
of
to
all
fix
the coasts of Great Britain only the western ones are frequented
by these animals.
of Scotland,
143). I
was a
am
of
which
have three
sea-serpent.
Its
enormous length of
Andrew Strang
pressed
against
its
83.
sea-turtle
ten
rods
from
passengers
234
[N. 83.]
witnesses,
place
as a sea-serpent."
New York
Captain
packet,
Holdrege,
But
Banks.
satisfactory
his
own
plain statement
St.
must be presumed
George's
far
more
to every
his letter."
"Pentonville
"Dear
Sir,"
that
Fig. 27.
The
Warburton.
how
side of
perfectly
proceeded,
we observed
sea. It
On
a sudden
it
appears in
slowly
sketch,
the
235
[N. 83.]
miles an
hour,
in
going
through
the
water so
called
the passengers,
to
of wind.
who were
down
all
whom
six
the
same slow
In the
captain.
at
head
to
stern
the
of
the
right
or
vessel
left.
As soon
he gradually laid
and
as his
it
down
in
horizontal
mast of a
vessel.
shown by the
circumstance, that the length of the ship was upwards of 120 feet,
and at the time his head was off the stern the other end (as
much as was above the surface) had not passed the main mast.
The time we saw him, as described in the drawing, was two
minutes and a half. After he had declined his head we saw him
for about twenty minutes a-head, floating along like an enormous
log
of timber. His
of an
eel,
years
five
even
previously
to
back;
the
Englishman, he gave
to
it.
The humps on
dromedary.
remain, Dear
Sir,
yours respectfully,
"William Warburton."
I
give
in
paper of Mr.
fig.
Hooker
PL
I. fig.
10).
236
The
up
description
words
in the following
water was
of the
was about
the
sixty
When
The
heard.
feet
it
came
may be summed
part
length. It held
in
swimming
water,
of the
surface
[N. 83.]
in
at
of two miles an
some moments it
rate
back. After
its
horizontal
with
position
its
body, and floated along like the mast of a vessel, evidently swim-
ming with
which
is
skin,
which
The
scales.
neck
its
horse,
of a
if
we
Nor does
vessel.
of the
position
that
Nothing
was smooth, otherwise the
evidently
scales
The wake
the
of
said
body in a straight
its
left
it
head
in
may have
vessel.
animal ap-
for the
show any
making nearly a
sketch
the
the sketch,
it
resembled
84.
burton
to
Robert Barclay
is
passage
War-
which we have
"Two days after we saw him he was seen by another vessel off
Cape Cod, about 200 miles from where he made his appearance
to us. This intelligence reached New York about four days after
we arrived there and the description given exactly corresponds with
,
the foregoing."
Evidently this was the same individual, or one of the same sex.
In 1827 Dr.
Hooker wrote
Vol. VI
Journal of Science
"When we remember
tural
History,
it
is
that
the
cerning
of the
scientific
the
student
of Nature.
sea-serpent,
seeing
the
It is certainly true
[1827.]
237
now
scepticism which
tomed
it
extremely
Kraken
of the
fables
witnesses
have
thus
doubtly
sure",
the
assurance
upon oath."
"So many wonderful
been
how
the existence
marvellous
city of
the
to
the
Time has
astonishing
is
beholders
to time to
do the same
"wonder
of this
bulk,
nearly
according
(even
approaching in
to
magnitude
may be
it
asked, has
to
many
much
ridicule
want
vance,
in
presented,
the
sequel,
and
of
such
little trust,
of such a creature, so
of respectable
respects;
even
it
the
Is
late
and
office
deep."
of the
solid
has
most
make
and Sciences,
it
satisfactorily
it
the
"to
impossible.
or
of the
century, that
last
with regard
this
of
of
to couple
it
although,
made within
have
been rejected,
generality
would be
against belief which
that
The accounts
are so accus-
introduced in conversation
is
difficult to
We
perfectly unwarrantable.
is
and
such
much
as to
satisfactory evidence.
evidence
additional
respectability,
as
it
to the extraordinary
We
trust to ad-
to
that already
an animal concerning
to
to the
238
a grandeur in
The monsters
the earth.
[1827.]
influence,
gratifying."
was during the year 1817 that it began to be correctly rethat in the neighbourhood of Boston and Gloucester in
America, an animal, in general construction nearly resembling a
serpent, had been frequently seen. These rumours created a good
deal of excitement, insomuch that, at a meeting of the Linnaean
Society of New England, it was determined more fully to investigate the matter. The Honourable Lonson Nash of Gloucester was
"It
ported,
by a Committee
which might be obtained."
appointed
"It
is
which
to
gather together
all
the information
his
unremitting and
meritorious
procured.
exertions
From
compower to
proffer, and all declared themselves prepared to take an oath upon
the accuracy of their narrations. No testimony was received, exceptindividuals
quarters,
different
municated
information
the
all
ing
of the
which
highest
it
respectability
was in
their
to
the unadorned
reports which were everywhere circulated:
and unexaggerated style in which their statements were worded is
of itself perfectly sufficient to win over to all unqualified trust. The
the
witnesses for
the
creature.
the
to
between
it
or
sixty
in ascribing a vertical
yards was no
uncommon
motion
distance
it
weather the most calm and bright. But these facts, along with
the various depositions, have been long laid before the public in the
men, who
He
next gives
the
we have
from
Sir
inserted
various
in
from Mr.
letter
transactions
letter
Warburton,
63
(p.
of
which we
220), Dr.
Hooker
different passages
to the papers in
goes on:
239
[1827.]
"We
sincerely
bare
may
facts
satisfy all
"It
and mermaids,
fact in
reason.
It
may
at
least
it
be assumed as a sober
God
of the
Thor,
We
mythology.
now
for
with
inconsistent
continue
or
the
doubt
to
suppose,
cannot
with
regard
to
facts
attested
by such
have
been in vain
German
translations of the
of
the
from Dr.
letters
Froriep's Notizen,
of
April,
85.
Vol.
XIX,
1827
August 24.
p. 193,
(n.
83
84).
409,
n.
trustworthy
the description
sions.
On
men
in
Christianiafjord
which, according
to
month
five
240
animal held
the
of
surface
distance
and the
and according
of peace,
the justice
the
[N. 85.]
its
water,
and showed
coils
total
length
feet).
It
was a
two
coils,
themselves were about six ells" (18 feet) "so that the
the
of
may be
animal
250
estimated at
the swiftness of a
common
(750
ells"
boat,
rowed
August,
of
the
made by
86.
passing
are correct
and the
and known
the
same
to us.
issue).
it
wharf,
"And on Sunday,
ing
it,
Liob-,
fjord
and Principal-Islands.
ST.
issue).
1827, September
Christiania, Sept. 5.
day-number,
Nusodden."
make oath
has
been
3.
The
seen
to those declarations."
again
the
Mon-
off
[N. 88.]
88.
1827, September
5.
241
issue).
"and to-day,
off
agrees
will kill it
80.
issue).
that
of the
and bring
1827, September
"Christiania
former.
reward
is
whoever
offered to
home."
it
September
9.
15.
Sunday
last
peared also off Drobak. Last week several persons saw large shoals
the
concurrent testimonies."
90, 1.
when on
down
which he published in the Archiv fur Nature/ esc hie hte of 1841.
"Nils Roe, workman at Mr. William Knutszon's, an elderly
and simple man, relates: I saw the serpent twice, once at noon,
and two days afterwards towards the evening, in the fjord" (near
Christiansund) "at the back of Mr. Knutszon's garden. The first
when it was nearest to me it was about a hundred feet
time
,
distant.
spot,
swam
where
Some
when it
hour.
it,
It
first
stood.
strangers,
then
observed
who were on
it
for
more than
half an
disappeared."
it
much
thinner
towards
the
tail.
Several
it
16
242
however, and the other part of the body were but partly
above the surface. The front of the head was rather pointed
the neck
visible
the
eyes
not
see
tongue and
it
opened
like
itself,
much
thinner
for
behind the head the mane was thickest and got thinner
Just
did
mouth.
mane
is
its
fur-
of
in general it
stated.
I have seen the sea-serpent several times, but for the longest time
and nearest to me, twelve years ago in the dog-days in the fjord
not far from here (Christiansund), when I was alone, one noon,
angling in a boat. Then I saw it within two hours three times for
a considerable time, quite near to me. It came close to my boat,
was only about six feet from me. (He placed himself in
room at a distance of nearly six feet from the wall, and said,
this was about the distance between him and the serpent.) I became alarmed; recommended my soul to God, laid myself down
in the boat, and only held my head so far over it, that I could
observe the serpent. It swam now past the boat, that was vehemently agitated by the ripple caused by its movements in the water,
which was previously smooth as a mirror, and afterwards took itself
off. After it had swam a considerable distance from me, I wound
my angling line round the little instrument commonly used (a
frame, moving on an axis) and I began again to fish. Not long
afterwards, however, the serpent came again quite close to the
boat which again was violently agitated by the movements made
by it in the water. I lay down again, and remained quite still,
so that it
the
keeping,
fore,
and
Again it passed
and returned, though not so close as bedisappeared, when a light wind rose, and ruffled
however,
me, disappeared
at last
far off,
[N. 92.]
my
Notwithstanding
the water.
243
very accurately. Its length was about five to six fathoms, and the
body
diameter.
be round.
anker
ten
(a
gallon
cask),
it
The eyes were very large and glistening. Their size (or diameter)
was about that of this box here (five inches), and they were as
red as my neckerchief (crimson). The animal did not open its
mouth, therefore I cannot give its size. It constantly held its
head above the surface of the water in an acute angle; not
however,
that
so high,
should
nose
the
down
on the water;
it
my
At the moment
proached
best,
boat.
its
were not
When
high
so
Pontoppidan
had
looked at
with astonishment,
great
it
resemblance
likewise said
that
given
of
animal
the
was shown
smiled and
water.
said
to
him.
He
that he saw a
it and
the animal he had seen. He
some of the other sea-serpents he had seen were
between
OS.
1829,
appearance
Daedalus,
whether
of
in
this
July.
the
Aug.
We
sea-serpent
6,
1848.
its
curiosity
shall soon
and harmlessness.
seen
244
an
his
opinion
that
it
article
the
published in
article
expresses
[N. 93.]
reprinted
the
in
Bombay Bi-monthly
Times. In the same journal for January, 1849, appeared the follow-
We
of that ship.
Cape
of
Good Hope,
was in the middle of the day, and the other passengers were
luncheon; the man at the wheel, a steerage passenger, and
ourselves, being the only persons on the poop. Captain Petrie and
myself, at the same instant, were literally fixed in astonishment
by the appearance, a short distance ahead, of an animal of which
no more generally correct description could be given than that by
It
at
M'Quhae.
Captain
without altering
It
its
passed within
head towards
its
us.
it
came
right ab-
Apparently about
in nearly
up on
its
as
moved along,
it
but
turning to
me
ishment,
strange
exclaimed,
that
seal,
parently
similar
of
small
its
correctness. Professor
believe
to
creature
portion
of
in
officers of
be incorrect, because
its
the tail,
Owen's suppo-
we saw
this ap-
[N. 93.]
comparing
hundred
to be in that
with
length
its
when
feet),
that
but a
true
one.
calculated
am
it
not
is
at
six
it
your service
it
is
ac-
an old
time,
the
at
we
longitude
of the
245
it
At
we have
present
only
to
fix
appearance,
will
it
that
is
new
or
unknown
to us.
4.
1830?
The well-known Mr. Heinrich Rathke, on
in Norway, being in Christiansund
noted down the
journey
his
nothing in
is
following evidence
of 1841.
"John Johnson, merchant, about 60 years of age, says in GerI saw the animal some years ago in the fjord" (of Christian-
man:
sund);
"it
me;
best
when
that
obstructed
observed
swam
it
its
me;
turned towards
in
coming
of this
to that side of it
which was
that
semicircle
passage,
house (55
feet).
was blackish;
its
much
large
in
general,
as
hat.
It
long. It was held but little above the surface of the water,
making an acute angle with it; and it remained above the surface,
as long as I saw it. Owing to the distance I could not discern
very
the eyes. Also on account of the distance or because the neck was
seldom
elevated
could
observe nothing of a
246
[N. 94.]
mane. The agitation which it caused in the water was very strong.
The movements of the animal itself were serpentine, up and down,
like those of a smimming leech. When the animal had reached a
where
spot,
water
the
Moreover,
disappeared.
05.
by a
ruffled
would not
it
1831?
was
gentle wind,
rising
animal
is
much
not
it
to
harm men."
easily
also
"Mr.
William
dived
plainly.
had
as
of a
or
snake.
that
we could not
see
it
the appearance of a
worm,
Its
sides,
in
it
much
may
observe
here that
if
may be
often
contracted
if
the head
neck
the
is
its
is
seen
neck
it
seals
and
appears as
sea-lions.
if
If a
common
seal has
shortened
neck on
in
,
as
reality the
the contrary
The same
head.
the
247
[N. 95.J
in
If
sea-lions.
contracted,
several rings of
blubber surround the hind part of the head which appears smaller
than the neck; if stretched, the neck immediately gets much nar,
96.
"There
Summer.
again question in
Norway
n. 756).
of the sea-serpent. It
is
said
have
to
1832
is
persons.
summer, and
this
of
traces
it
to
many
fields (??)."
We
observe
that
Evidently he
is
am
above mentioned.
As
to
the
tell
us again,
it
97.
"On
the
Sullivan
if
(Zoologist p.
May, 1833,
of
1714, 1847).
started
miles
eastward, on
a fishing excursion.
at S. S.
E.
deliberated whether
consultation,
on our
lee.
248
[N. 97.J
course;
off
direct
Mahone
at the entrance of
or
W.
as
we supposed
five or six
We
hours
Meck-
W.
S.
we
consequently
and getting our tackle ready for the approachthe salmon, when we were surprised by
the sight of an immense shoal of grampuses, which appeared in
an unusual state of exitement, and which in their gambols approached so close to our little craft, that some of the party amused
themselves by firing at them with rifles. At this time we were
jogging on at about five miles an hour, and must have been
crossing Margaret's Bay. I merely conjecture where we were, as
we had not seen land since a short time after leaving Pennant
Bay. Our attention was presently diverted from the whales and
"such small deer", by an exclamation from Dowling, our man-ofsmoking our
cigars,
ing campaign
war's-man,
against
who was
We
"Oh
sirs,
look here!"
of
denizen
of the deep
the
of
act
starboard bow,
,
we saw
fifty to
so
two hundred
common
far elevated
snake
and thrown
in
for-
under
mark.
We
were,
of
course,
all
taken
half
it
for
considered
skipper,
to
and treated
exclamation
is
much
rum
sights too in
my
is
the queerest thing I ever see!" and surely Jack Dowling was right.
most
It
is
in
the water.
"Such
is
are
still
Malcolm
remainder
it
still
six
the
bole of a
or nearly
I
do not
recollect seeing
who saw
with
streaked
colour,
as before stated, at
feet.
moderate-sized tree.
land,
feet in
black
249
[N. 97,]
New
in
and
all
the party
Lyster in Eng-
vegetating in Halifax."
"W. Sullivan,
5,
1824.
"B.
Mr.
Newman
unusual
This
state of excitement".
8, OO.
we read
that Prof.
n.
54,
p.
1833, July.
German
In
in
Froriep's Notizen
Benjamin Silliman
Introduction to Geology
is
148.
in a note to
stated that
"since 1820 nearly each year the mass of evidences has increased,
and that the current year 1833 has been particularly fertile in
such reports."
Dr. Hamilton in his Ainphibious Carnivora, 1839, says:
"The
last
notice
we have
seen
of
this
250
[N. 98,99].
date
state
1833.
It
many
evident that
is
especially in Norwegian and NorthAmerican newspapers, which I have had no opportunity to consult,
and which probably will never come within my reach. As we learn
from Mr. Froriep's Notizen Vol. XL, n. 879, p. 328, "Mr. R.
Bakewell in the latest edition of his Introduction to Geology
published
and
here
there,
(1833?)
wherein
states:
it
that
there
ascertained
is
of
descriptions
are
that
the
sea-serpent,
it
have not been able to consult Mr. Bakewell's work, but I insert
this statement here,
because
we
more than
lOO.
1834, Summer.
In
(n.
"One
precisely
of the
like
crew
that
he
told
saw
summer
while in
the
bay"
(of
Though no
am
JLOJL
1835, March
or April.
(Amer.
Boston
March
saw when
about nine or ten miles from Race Point light, what he, as well
as the whole crew, supposed to be a sea-serpent,
he could
251
[N. 101.]
see
it
with
and saw
glass
his
the
eyes, neck
his
other vessels near, the crews of which were in the rigging looking
same
at the
made
his
steam-boat
of a
and that
it was very long
motion in the water, was exactly
states that
and
tail
snake;
of a
those
like
he
object. Capt. S.
his
As
to the
swam
and
to
fro,
and that he
102.
Mr.
1836?
in
the
"The
German
as the
following
in
small fjord,
from
and
evidence:
there
during
several
minutes,
at
Torvig
saw
its
well
me
the
afterwards
it
it
at
of from
distance
swam round
the fjord
fjord.
I noticed as
Its
motion was not like that of an eel, but consisted in vertical undulations. They were so strong, that they caused rather large waves;
they were
and gradually
les-
discerned in a length
the shape of an anker (ten-gallon cask) and the visible coils of the
(twelve
entire
length
to
their thickness
fourteen
of the
inches
animal,
was that
square).
of a
good timber-
252
The
hindpart.
colour
What
my
the
estimation
At the back
animal seemed
of the
[N. 102.]
of the
size
outlines
me
to
to be a very
had according
of a tea-cup (3 T
to
inches).
103.
(Froriep's Neue Notizen, Vol.
1837, end of July.
IV, n. 67, p. 7, October, 1837).
"About the much mentioned Sea-Serpent the Drontheim Newspaper contains, as is ascertained, from an enlightened and trustworthy gentleman,
Summer
in this
fat herrings
because
of
which
them
statement:
"Uncommonly
early
appeared on
in the
ficient to agriculture.
serpent
following
till
uncommon
the
to preserve
the
warm
made
difficult
it
air,
so bene-
one of these
Krovaag
the
degree
that
It
true
but
this
to
terrible
followed
has
it
tried
several
fly
had no time
they
is
Isles;
when
the
to
came down
so near to them,
visitor
boat
properly
a long
for
fly.
made an attack,
distance, when one has
men overworked them-
has not
because
if
was not
its
head
The
to be discerned distinctly.
sea-serpent
is
thickest just
its
black
does
the
is
beast
of
motions and
made
in these
[N. 103.]
253
who with
the
tail
could
truth,
for
the
head
the
a length of from
is
spoke
who
thereby
afterwards
tail
600
to
800
ells,
The
trustworthy and
the
moreover,
observer
intelligent
is
racters given
that
description,
to
us
and where he
states
so.
Remarkable
its
the
is
in
upper-lips, as in seals.
we read:
we have noticed, apDrontheim, in the autumn of
1837,
And
in the public
of this monster
Newspapers of
cites the
it
as a sheer fabrication".
tells
us that
it
104.
1838?
known
The
reader
in
and
ablest
fort,
will
report of Captain
the
made acquainted
soon be
M'Quhae
of the Daedalus.
newspapers of Oct.
1848
scientific officers
F. R. S.
Admiralty Hydrographer.
An
extract
from
this
letter
254
"What an
The
we
appearance
Atlantic:
my
it
for
the
my mind
an extraordinary
Blossom, in crossing the South
description recalls to
witnessed in
took
the
extraordinary creature
fallen in with!
[N 104]
the
upon deck
could
ten
it
get
years;
glass
so
may
happened. If I
year
or
date,
eventual
shall
second
be glad to
edition.
But
correct
the
for
my
present
supposition in
I
am
an
was a
sea-serpent.
Amphibious
writer
sums up numerous
reports
cited
from other works, or from which he gave only short extracts. One
would say that Dr. Hamilton is an unbeliever, for he ends his
chapter on this animal with the words:
"With
these
extracts,
and without
farther
Great Sea-Serpent,
only
comment, we
close
remarking, that
till
Naturalists,
satisfaction,
which
is
desiderated respecting
it,
is
scarcely to be expected."
I only ask,
Amphibious Carnivora or the Pinnipeds (seals, walrusses, seaand sea-bears)? May it be, that he observed any relation
between them and the sea-serpent? I cannot believe it, for after
the sea-serpent he treats of the Kraken in the same volume. And
why did he end in such a vague way ? May it be because he could
not give an explanation, or because he hesitated to show the public that he was really a believer?
of
lions
X05.
tizen,
vol.
1839, August?
XII, n. 248, of
Oct.,
[N. 105.]
255
S. Navy affirms
way from Daims Island to
to
the
on
sea-serpent
his
lOG.
its
feet.
we
read
lOG,
A.
1847,
found
1716).
p.
first
paper
As
to us a
stance,
degree
I have not
had the
in the Zoologist.
it
"A
Zoologist,
15,
Sept.
1839.
Captain
that
of
obstinacy
cautious
of the
reserve,
most
which
sceptical.
is
We
remarkable circum-
by
the remark that the sea serpent has been recently alleged to have
been seen
at
d'Abnour,
Captain
coast.
commander
whole
of the
line of the
American
Ville de Rochefort,
under
few hours
we
In
rocks,
falling
off
we
reef.
scope
little
long
later,
chain
of
256
more
distinct,
tail,
longitudinally
inclining
and
angle
me
this led
to
before
ster
considerable
at
itself
At
we
last
water,
the
We
acquire
to
as
it
least
Although
the
editors
Captain d'Abnour
by
the
who can
for
most
of the
had
has
narrative
which led
me
Havre believed
when he
when he
help laughing
another
at
least
on
Every
"membrane
like the
lampreys",
of an
here
effect.
reads of a
and
that
quite
sceptic,
port,
his
Journal du
the
of
metres from
five
several
one extremity
limbs enumerated,
and
We
to the other."
find
"membrane"
transparent
one,
how
in
planely
don't
my
opinion
a thin
know what
could
it
be.
If not, if untransparent
is
am
convinced that
"membrane"?
Captain d'ABNOUR really saw
to call
it
it
was thin;
a sea-serpent.
The animal lay extended on the surface of the water, nearly still,
showing numerous bunches; head and tail being under water and
invisible.
Weisz,
lying
long
still
chain
extremities,
may show
coils
and elevated
The
fig.
50).
We
know
that sea-serpents
at
the
it.
As
they ap-
257
long
"a
of
linked
barrels
been
often
the captain
viz.
of
together".
worm"
is
"As the ship approached, these appearances became more distinct" and the sea-serpent raised in a playful
manner "its enormous tail longitudinally divided into two sections,
white and black". We know that the animal's head and neck are
longitudinally divided into two sections, dark brown or nearly
black above, and white beneath. It is, therefore, probable that
also the trunk has a dark back and a light coloured belly. The
supposition of this division of colours had already been made by
Mr. Matthew Gaffney (n. 41, p. 169). It is, therefore, very
remarkable that Captain d'ABNouR really saw that the tail too is
The animal curled its
coloured black above and white beneath
tail and let it for a moment "repose on a part of" its body. Then,
also
height
of about
two metres
(six feet)
foreflapper to the
its
made
the animal
individual
At
last
the
nothing at
that
it
of a
tail
water,
of nearly
the same
all
rose
to
metres"
25
which
tail
of course has
The length
(about
nor whether
it
was
as to its relative
from
close to or far
it.
of at least
exaggerated.
the water.
translated
lOGB.
1840,
September, 1840,
"Not long
June?
In
(see Zoologist,
since
into
n.
the Journal du
1847,
p.
1716,)
German,
54,
p.
Havre,
we
is
in
148, 1847.
of 15th
read:
new
so naturally incredulous."
17
258
I
the
month
lOy.
1840, July?
fur Naturgeschichte
south
who
his Postscript
addressed
Molde,
in
says:
I)
to
which
me
is
by Dr. Hoffmann, a
situated
several
miles
of
spector
In
letter
physician
year.
1841, Vol.
"According to a
respectable
am wrong
that
June of that
of
Hammer,
in
saw very
107
A.
The Editor of the Journal du
1840, August?
Havre before publishing Capt. d'Abnour's report (n. 106 a) says,
(see Zoologist,
"We
serpent
1847,
preface
shall
p.
1715):
his
narrative
has
sea-
American
better if he
coast."
had published
all
the
of the
108.
sea-serpent,
In
that
1841.
after I
The
the
had
well
left
Postscript
I)
Archiv fur
in
1841 published in
"On
259
[1841.]
the
am
obliged to give a
"On
a journey which 1
of the opportunity of
making
I availed myself
sea-serpent (Soe
so-called
Orm
in
the
offered in Christiansund
in the
neighbourhood of which
The general
this
animal
which
is
mostly
have
to
said
is
seen
the
in
larger
of
fjords
Norway,
notices
but seldom
in the
which has such a considerable extent, manifold ramifications, and in which numerous islets
are found, it appears almost every year. It is said to have been
especially observed in that part of the fjord on which the village
open
sea.
of Lorvig
is
quite
the
in
viz.
still
situated.
is
the year,
taking
them
with
animal by
its
asa
smell,
it,
don't
still
it
"To have
so that in the
go
after its
immediately
it
without
when
a sea-serpent approaches,
therefore
attracts
intrepid,
fishermen
and
the dread of
is
otherwise
fishermen,
When
because
the
least
noise
more."
are
my
inquiry."
spread
result of
Now
above
affidavits
(see n.
by
we may
at least
itself
admit
so
much
of
them,
to
believe, that
260
who
those persons
such a one.
really
[1841.]
For
should
not
cause of the illusion, which had created the belief in such an animal.
Some
know,
persons, as I
for a so-called
believe that
was nothing
sea-serpent,
else
of
swimming on
cording
surface
to
holding
me
of
this,
all
its
it
long
the
sea-serpent
size,
all
is
to a considerable length."
Now
the
sea-serpent
have
shall
to
discussed
partly
Sea-Serpents,
we
may
these
views in
we omit
here, as
we
as
Every one, I think, will agree with me, that Mr. Rathke has
committed two faults. 1. He criticises the correctness of the statements in question, apparently without having taken the trouble
to read all that had been written about the subject. Tf he had
done so, he would never have said that the particulars of the
evidences collected by him in Norway were sometimes contradictory; on the contrary, he would have observed that they completed
one another! 2. He was the first scientific man and zoologist who
Immediately
the
of
after
Archiv fur
see
it
Naturgeschic/de
W.
Animal
of Stronsa
this extract
and descriptions
of
He
ends
all
with
sea-serpent
by
261
[1841.]
Rathke
Mr.
animals
parish
have no
one,
its
them, which
Norwegian
seas
of
reason
me
doubt, gave
to
and swam
a circumstantial account of
It rose
seen.
parallel
with
it
for a considerable
Its
animal"
priest
to
1842?
journey south
1
of
unknown
still
lOO.
"A
me
words convince
These
mouth, which
repeatedly
it
size,
and
of
formidable teeth; its neck was smaller, but its body
which he supposed that he saw about half on the surface of the
with
water
was not
less in
HO.
1842?
"Another gentleman, in whose house I
had also seen one, and gave a similar account of it: it
also came near his boat upon the fjord when it was fired at, upon
which it turned and pursued them to the shore which was luckily
stayed,
near,
when
it
HI.
XX VIII,
1843, Summer.
Vol.
HI
28,
n.
606,
n.
A.
606,
"This
1843, October?
p.
"The Editors
marks:
p.
184).
of the
fits
on an appearance,
262
which the writer of these lines has witnessed a few times in the
North Sea, and when the inhabitants of the coast near Ibbestad,
if not
withheld by their fear of the supposed sea-monster, had
rowed with their boats towards the animal, they would soon have
doubt that the supposed intervals between
without any
observed
The number
Posten was
Christiansands
of the
most probably
days
At all events
swimming in
sea-serpent,
Norway,
spoken
appearance
the
before.
of
this is a proof of
an appearance of the
vertical
in
at that time.
IIS, 113.
which we
shall
1845.
meet with a
Morries Stirling
The
little
report of Captain
M'Quhae,
to write a letter
miralty.
"By
News
number of Oct., 28, 1848, "of the Secretary to the Admiralty, we have been favoured with the following letter from a
in
his
"My
dear
referred
to in
M'Quhae, of H. M.
you that part of the information
which I remember best. Several years ago, a museum was established
amongst other
at Bergen
in Norway, the directors of which have
Daedalus, but I
will give
subjects
of
general,
and
less
known
interest,
Bergen
last
the
my
of
its
History
in
more doubtful
or
men in
Newmann, Bishop
some
Natural
to
made
it
adjoining
ent
and energy
research
of
The question
attracted
Europe; and
Northern
study
their
elucidation
subdivisions.
had previously
of
the
to
turned
to
hearsay
dioceses.
convince
evidence,
persons in
The amount
various
but
the
walks of
testimony
life.
One
of
as
it
is
known and
was
suffici-
not mere
respectable
263
is
them, and
to
whom
of
one
not
70
"There are
have
you a more
colleagues in the
soon
as
was, I think,
to,
my
written to
Museum, and
Bergen
the
of
direction
long.
feet
almost
all
answer
their
as
account."
full
known
as
of
the
fossil
some
of the
antidiluvian
species.
be
same animal
the
as the
its
being supposed
"In
concluding this
own testimony
form.
cylindrical
while
becalmed
saw
large
as
(at
to
(I
hurried
the
will
statement,
existence
not
say
of a
allow
large
sea-serpent.)
me
fish
to
or
add
in a yacht
fish
ruffling
the
otherwise
I observed
of a
made out
what looked
immediately got
volutions
snake.
my
reptile of
my
glass,
to
be
fjord
and
distinctly
264
they called
each
following
it,
other
many have
of the sea-serpent."
14, 1857).
"Sir,
card
(with
seen
sea-serpent
does
Bay on the
of presumption
little
an
containing
of Table
entrance
a
drawing)
account of the
maintain
to
me by
interesting
that
exist,
greatest
line
gently
whole length
of
say
the
animal's
can form
distance,
for a
1000 tons,
kept
Indiaman,
an
size
It
it
feet.
made
Of
its
girth I
at so great a
the
sea.
the animal
in a lateral direction. It
be basking in the
have described,
dipping under
for
or
about a quarter
of
an
seemed
to
hour we started
it
when we observed
the
[N. 114.]
made
moved
in
off
straight
towards
seawards,
to
line
much
at a rapid rate; so
so that
265
the
when we got
N.W.
to the
It
house
could
glass
distinguish
it
better than
it
we
my
I
request
am
induced to add
now on
ine
furnished
it;
me
with particulars
animal seen by
the
of
about
nothing
said
my own
many
facts
saurian
gentleman
or
as
some
Dr.
animal.
similar
Biccard's
well
known
scientific
attainments
is
not
likely
to
pearance
of
casks
common
feet, is surely
the
sea,
not exaggerated, as
animal raised
its
serpent;
varnished
is
diameter
with
itself
at
we
upwards of 150
above the
fifteen
feet.
As
level of the
The animal
evidently
lay
haling
it
lateral
as to the direction,
its
nostrils
just
at
266
115.
The
printer;
G.
1847, p. 1606).
Archdeacon of Molde, gives
which was seen last summer near
{Zoologist,
Deinbolt,
account of one,
following
Molde.
W.
P.
[N. 11.5.]
28th.
S.
noticed
they
sharp
snout;
tolerably
its
correctly
colossal
fore-part,
which ended
in a
itself
form of a semi-circle;
of the
its
head raised
The colour
head was dark brown and the skin smooth; they did not
When
the
serpent
at it,
and
came up immediately.
It
raised
its
neck in the
it
dived,
air, like a
snake preparing to dart on his prey. After he had turned and got
his
body
difficulty,
in
straight line,
which he appeared
to
do with great
the
shore,
water,
dived
not
many
here,
or
on
other
parts of the
[_N.
267
115.J
witnesses,
does
lie
sea-serpent."
"P.
W.
Deinbolt."
were deceived as to
their
this
appearance
head" was caused by "two fins on the foreThe two fore-flappers of the
sea-serpent are situated at rather a great distance from the head.
The animal has a very long neck. This assertion is proved by their
own words: "it raised its neck in the air". If there were two fins
sides of the
on both
part
of
commonly observed
the
caused
rushing
117.
"On
of
was seen by
Biorgvin
its
in the course
through
passed
Daniel Salomonson
with
in
although
westerly
this
sea-ser-
saw a sea-monster
accustomed
whose
like
to the sea
head appeared
like
long
feet
four
of
its
its
active
two
rifle-shots
course
same day
five
it
When
it
and
it
towards Lundenoes.
his
rate
men.
The
he
and
from Rognefjord
on
cotter
he never met
declares
inst.
Sartor
pent
wife
Later
the sea,
monster,
such
described
by
noise
in
their
as
above,
little
268
shore
same way
in the
them
of
saw anything
colour
with gentle
surface
like
round form
its
is
undulations,
merely
that
so
when a steamer
as
they
that
say
[N. 117.]
On
it
often rose
up
gigantic body.
the
long)
nearing his
boat:
lay
feet
with
seized
like large
to
boat
eel
as
he
as
could
distinguish
was a whitish
strongly,
and
stripe under*
the belly."
"Report
Biornfjord
in
causing
great
deal
Our informant
he
man and
his
wife,
or
the
truthworthiness
may have
of the lad
Abraham,
am
(about
convinced
twenty
feet
that
long)
As the lad cannot have seen the proper belly of the animal, it
must have been the throat; the boy thought that he saw a snake,
and I think that he, being questioned, would tell me that a
snake has a head, a trunk and a tail, and hardly any neck and
I am also convinced, that the boy has not seen with a
magnifying glass: the measurements, he gives, are not exaggerated.
throat.
[1S47.]
269
1604):
(p.
many
of this
it
years to deride
only
a
elapsed
had occasion
since I
very
1586):
may
apply
records
all
is
month
of Sir J.
W.
Hershell (Zool.
it
those
who
up an authority above
enquiries
of their
gist
rather
or
Naturalists,
selves, set
is
different
knowledge,
to
choose
now
be;
to
be,
whether such
enquire
they
to
and
fact-naturalists take a
things
fore
to the following
are
things
it
should
not.
call
the attention of
of
its
readers
from
witnesses
able
The very
veracity.
absence
entire
question
generally
are
all
of
discrepancies
the
in
the
for
the
records
fact-naturalists
now
to
collected,
fishes,
Norway; and
accounts prove
the
of
therefore
whether
to all travellers in
decide,
can
refer
which we are
is
simply,
to
whales,
at present
acquainted."
I
willing
them
as
literal
daily
assertion
Newman
Rathke
not mention
appeared"
am
this introduc-
the
which follow
is
as the reports
270
[1847.]
1841,
filr Naturgeschichte of
above
accounts"
the
have
already
any discrepancies,
hardly
(n.
must also observe here that the accounts are not translated
literally. Many, and among them very interesting passages, are
omitted. The reader, who will convince himself of the truth of
my assertion has only to compare the accounts as they are inserted
other. I
in
with
the Zoologist
my
German
translations of the
originals, or
Mr.
writes
Gosse,
:
in
too,
his
of
extracts
Naturgeschichte of 1841
Archiv filr
1847
appeared
there
translated
in
London
daily
sea-
serpent."
And
1889,
John Ashton
"In 1847 a
Mr.
asserts:
in
his
Curious
Creatures
in
Zoology,
these
Newman, and
have therefore
quite overlooked the fact that the originals were in the Archiv
fur
The
last
of that year.
is
for
1847 appeared
in
October
class of the
animals
treated of in each
to
This I
suppose
all
the
records
bearing
this
natural
phenomenon
title
to
be fabricated for
of
[1847.]
been
witnessed:
seek
us
let
271
rather
solution
satisfactory
than
without
surely
it is
food,
light
much
Mr. Newman,
class
of Reptiles.
the sea
(n.
25, 90,
of
95, 97,
118.
No
ever
1848, August 6.
more shaken the incredulity
that
generally
known
the
as
of hundreds
seen.
of October, 9,
"Intelligence from
"When
frigate
in
viz.
have already
here,
exist
collections."
at
Plymouth on the
4th. instant,
and passed under her quarter. Its head apand there was
feet out of the water
about sixty feet of its body in a straight line on the surface. It
is calculated
that there must have been under water a length of
sight
of the
peared
to
thirty-three
frigate,
be
about four
or forty feet
more, by which
it
which were
full
of large
capacious to admit of a
jagged
tall
man
teeth,
seemed
they
sufficiently
"Sir
In
requiring informa-
272
of a statement published in
of a
paper,
from
seen
[N. 118.]
Her Majesty's
having been
my command,
Daedalus, under
ship
dimensions
extraordinary
of
sea-serpent
on
her
you,
the
for
information
my
of
M., on the
that
miralty,
at
o'clock
five
in latitude 24 44'
S.
P.
Lieutenant Edgar
Drummond,
was
company were
ship's
"On
whom and
four feet
at supper."
it was discovered
enormous serpent, with head and shoulders kept about
constantly
as
our
be an
to
with
at the time
it
very
least
which
was,
sixty
feet
animal
of the
a fieur d'eau
to
no portion of
it
through the
my
acquaintance,
quarter,
lee
that
had
it
been a
man
of
after
purpose."
"The diameter
of the serpent
,
fins,
seaweed
the
boatswain's
273
[N. 118.]
transmission
to
my
Lords Commissioners
of the
"To Admiral
W.
Sir
H. Gage, G. C.
H., Devonport."
Literary Gazette of Oct. 21st.
In the
to copious extracts
op's
work:
"We
now
have
remarkable
resemblance
between
Captain
wind and
rufflsh weather,
head several
its
length so
to
as
its
ibly impelled
!
the
represents
folio
barrels,
or
it
risings,
was reprinted
all
News
of Oct.
men-
the Daedalus
in fig.
ship's stern
The Editor
News adds:
of the Il-
18
274
[N. 118.]
received by the
our
well
artist
has
Lord ComM'Quhae,
as
M'Quhae,
and with
of their
ticity
",,.
i.
Authen-
details
as to position
and form."
On
Drummond,
ant
the
officer
watch,
mentioned
Captain
M'Quhae, published
the
in
an
of
As
as
in
own
in the
form
can discover
of
his
extract
far
the
of
report
1st.
of
it
did not
December,
and runs
as follows:
beg
"I
"H. M.
1848,
to
extract from
lat.
my
S.
25
journal."
Daedalus, August,
S.,
6,
St.,
quarter,
W.
crossing
direction
the stern
in a
the appearance of
fin,
its
was
at
top,
fin
feet
in
that
the
captain
he saw the
tail,
also
asserted
or another fin
it;
the upper part of the head and shoulders appeared of a dark brown colour,
and beneath the under jaw a brownish white. It pursued a steady undev-
[N. 118.]
275
iating
water,
purposes of respiration.
twelve
It
large
when
to
or
No
eel.
nearest
was perhaps
fact it
one in the
has
ship
naked
and with a glass for perhaps fifteen more.
The weather was dark and squally at the time, with some sea
similar,
so it is at least extraordinary. It
eye
five
for
was
visible to the
minutes,
running."
who
are disposed to
marine
the
of
monster seen
on the
officers,
August
of
6th.
it
an
suggest
to
as
last,
it
explanation
of
the
in
self)
number
of
to
Her
in
officers
"One
so
called
anguilliform
were seen
the
to
closest
which
that
is
advancing
with
no
those
it
of
at the rate of
swim
front
part
of its
it
may
allied
more
the
if
its
be asked,
to
it
at all
animals could
to
to
pulsive efforts of
allied
from twelve
its
could
appears
snakes and
"But,
was not
known
all
less
tfeau
a fleur
an hour, without
miles
fifteen
"sea-serpent"
fishes,
and
to
the
if
snakes
or
have belonged?
that
likely
gigantic
the
to
the
To
this
enormous
eels,
I
to
would
reptile
in
what
M'Quhae
class
reply, that
question
of
it
was
among them,
to the Plesiosaurus."
276
[N. 118.
m\
v
"From
the
known anatomical
agreed
in
(which
must
water,
inference
have
that
resembled
those
the
animals
bodies
carried
of serpents)
their
necks
above the
ing beneath
It
the
would be superfluous
tail
to point out
how
[N. 118.]
resemble,
philosophers
in
277
ings
M'Quhae. In the
Captain
of
latter
and draw-
we have many
of
the
the
of
The
skeleton.
several
above
feet
the
extinct
the
back,
head,
short
the
water,
the
neck, carried
serpent-like
unlike
so
its
analogy
with the
effected
evenness,
and
by an ap-
number
In the
1848,
the
letter
F. G. S.
"I
"Sea-Serpent"
the
inst.
as
in
London News
the Illustrated
of the 28th.
animal
seen
last;
most
they
and
it
is
evident
much
that
upon
whom
beg
acknowledge
to
myself greatly indebted for the patience and attention with which
he listened
by
me
during the
"As some
of a
ject,
we
remark
by the alleged appearance
sea-serpent, I venture to transmit a few remarks on the subwhich you may or not may think worthy of insertion in your
columns.
instance
tudes;
interest
has
been excited
but
in
vinced
that
on
in
Norway
have
of
have
109, 110).
con-
this subject."
to
am
summers spent
natives
lati-
amongst
naturalists
and assured
278
me
was scarcely a
there
that
who had
An unknown
lakes
sailor
[N. 118.]
Oxoniensis.
Annals of the
History
Trans.,
M'Quhae
Captain
gives
1827),
the
March,
for
Harwood
benefit
{Phil.
of a further
viz.
whether some land species as the boas among
which are individuals "forty feet" in length, may not sometimes
conjecture
betake
themselves
to
'
know
to
Professor,
is
it
Owen
opinion
his
directly,
but sent his answer to the Editor of the Times, evidently with a
view
of bringing
letter
tenso;
opinion
his
important to be abridged;
too
is
it
in ex-
"Sir,
Subjoined
is
"As
therefore give
it
in
addressed to
literature,
me by
a nobleman
interest in science."
it
my
opinion
once for
value
"I
all
may
am,
am
desirous to give
be allotted to
if
it
space of such
it."
Sir,
"Richard Owen."
"Lincoln's Inn Fields, Nov. 9."
"The sketch
head
by
of
the
your
action
query,
(this
animal seen
the
of
the
terminal
If
it
be
to those
who
the
true
answer,
it
destroys
[N. 118.]
judgment.
faction of the
them,
certain
am
conditions
far
new and
of the discovery of a
279
g.
its
existence
witnessed
gator, nor
fallen
in
serpent"
ous
about four
the head;
He
writes
was discovered
"On
our atten-
to be an
feet
enorm-
The diameter
its
No
it
alli-
"animal"),
(read
of the serpent"
throat".
neither a whale, a
fins
own account
from
his
the negative).
by
or
vertical
horizontal
made under
The head,
beast.
was
that
of
a
e.
undulation."
strong
g.
is
calculation of
preconception
stated
of
snake;"
its
nature
length
of the
be,
to
the
last species
to
M'Quhae
which he
has
certifies
London News
for
transmitted
to have
drawing
to the Admirality,
and
October 28,
1848,
p.
265.
Your Lordship
will
observe that
a fleur d'eau
such actions
a
failed to detect
serpent or serpentiform
notwithstanding
inflexible trunk,
of
the
being a
must be kept
in
mind
seastiff,
the approximation
made
these
me
to
is
be so uncertain as to be inadmiss-
Head
beneath the
palpebral
beneath
eye
surface
it
or
characters
of
the
animal are
aperture;
modifications
certain
with a convex
muzzle,
obtuse
"Had
The more
animal.
the
of
[N. 118.]
280
colour,
dark
been a
man
of
my
my
acquaintance,
the
to
had
it
is
was too short and close to be distinguished on the head, was visible where it usually is the longest,
on the middle line of the shoulders or advanced part of the back
where it was not stiff and upright like the rays of a fin, but
"washed about." Guided by the above interpretation of the "mane
of a horse, or a bunch of sea-weed", the animal was not a cetaceous mammal, but rather a great seal. But what seal of large
size, or indeed of any size, would be encountered in latitude 24
44' south, and longitude 9 22' east
viz. about three hundred
miles from the western shore of the southern end of Afrika? The
most likely species to be there met with are the largest of the
cies
hair,
which,
if it
seal
tribe,
e.
known
to the southern
iceberg.
281
[N. 118.]
in
northwards
shore,
native
its
abode, after
it
it
has
is
made
its
floating
its
the
into
latitudes
its
food. It
of the Cape,
is
before
beheld a
of waters
well
it
swimming
Entering unexpectedly
in the
open ocean.
be interpreted as a
spectacle,
and might
marvel;
human mind
occasions
detected
a
or
the
pair
of gigantic
itself
the representative of
as
"The vertebrae
Wernerian
Transactions,
are
certainly
vol.
I.,
and sworn
are
those
in
of
the
a
Museum
great
of the
shark,
of
College
the
of
genus
282
Selache
and
length
in
feet
five
not
are
distinguishable
"basking-shark",
called
[N. 118.]
of
my
"I
phenomena witnessed by
of the
tation
am
the Daedalus. I
interpre-
the
to
its
or
elements
rate
them
enabled
swell",
species
they do
of their description,
zoologist
the
to
class
which
little
is
not
tain
sea-serpent?"
after each
"Why
should
be a great
not
there
"Do
you think, then, there are not more marvels in the deep, than
are dreamt of in your philosophy?" And, freely conceding that
point, I have
bound
felt
must, of
faith.
then
and died
the
to
the
and have
species
ning,
and
creation
first
Conceive
introduction
number
their
left
into
6th.
of
seas
August
of
this
last!
of
time,
Now, a
effort
and commonly
floats
from
integument,
sink,
ered
and
let
out
the
lived
imprisoned
begin-
its
with an
planet.
must have
the
the
of individuals that
so
dives
would the
and, if in deep water, be seen no more until the sea rendup its dead, after the lapse of the aeons requisite for the
yielding
of
its
revealed
to
the
present
generation
a change
the
old
the
respiration
of
During
life
the exigencies of
him
283
[N. 118.]
"As whom
the fables
name
of monstrous size,
of the species
not
many
if it
existed, has
who
directions. Considering,
too,
of
it
seems
still
more reasonable
to
However,
shore.
clo
of the
is
The
structure
when
it
is
single
whilst
chary.
No museums,
means
so
etc.,
cachelots
as those of
grampuses
Denmark, Norway,
"I
have inquired
repeatedly
collec-
United States,
cies,
not
sea-shore",
less
apparently
than
beaten
a
to
[N\
284
118.]
people of Cape Ann," United States (see the 8vo pamphlet, 1817,
October
means
and figured
page 38),
Boston,
some
surpassed by
the
of the
conditions
the
satisfies
in
Illustrated
London News,
1848,
28,
congers
of the
of our
known
problem.
Ophiognathus of Harwood
own
coasts,
and,
like
which
species
to be
an extinct whale;
Miiller
many
fossil
which belong
to
species
larger
was
twenty
feet
in
The
same formation
length;
but there
is
were marine."
"The
replaced
the
in
lias or
oolite,
and no
in
No
tertiary
remains of Cetacea
Eocene or
re-
reptile,
(vol.
reasonably
be
V.,
second
series,
p.
512).
is
The
inference that
may
able
that
reptiles should
have ever
men
In other words,
to
them-
the
absence
utter
285
118.]
[~N.
of
krakens, or Enaliosauria
than the positive statements which have hitherto weighed with the
mind
public
from
eye-witnesses
larger
body of evidence
of the sea-serpent."
What
speaks
for
this
itself,
letter
and newspapers. So
As
have found
it
quarter
it
it
in the
is
many
"Sir,
in
animadversions
me and
by
August
of
of
Professor
others from
last,
Owen on
Her Majesty's
the
in
Times
of the
14th. inst.?
"I
am,
Sir,
"P. M'Quhae.
"London, November
"Professor
Owen
18.
correctly
states
that
creature
an
shark,
great
alligator,
common
it
totally
its
being
differing
Phoca
of
seal
not
to
justified
either
"It
by
is
now
its
which Professor
Owen
it
"a
assert, neither
any species
was
from
grampus, a
different
possibility of its
flat,
and not a
stiff inflexible
trunk"
also
its
length was
made
286
the
to
was developed by
length
great
contrary
quite
conclusion
fact.
its
[N. 118.]
was not
It
and until after that most important point had been duly considered
and debated, as well as such could be in the brief space of time
allowed for so doing, that it was pronounced to be a serpent by
who are too well accustomed to judge of
all who saw it, and
and breadths of objects in the sea to mistake a real suband an actual living body, coolly and dispassionately contemplated, at so short a distance too, for the "eddy caused by
the action of the deeper immersed fins and tail of a rapidly moving gigantic seal raising its head above the water," as Professor
lengths
stance
Owen
imagines, in quest of
"The
On
my purpose
ated representations
very limited.
and
lost iceberg."
its
powers of the
creative
from optical illusion; and I beg to assure him that old Pontoppidan's having clothed his sea-serpent with a mane could not have
suggested the idea of ornamenting the creature seen from the
Daedalus with a similar appendage, for the simple reason that I
never seen his account, or even heard of his sea-serpent,
had
my
until
arrival
be found
Some
London.
in
the
for
other
solution
must
therefore
optical
"Finally,
of
illusion.
possibility
form, colour,
may
the
exercise
"pleasures
opportunity
fortunate
shall
of
imagination"
until
some more
in
the
present
instance
assuredly
no ghost."
appeared in the
also
It
Illustrated
1848.
And
wrote
this
a gentleman,
a
letter
to
who
the
News
(see
learned Professor:
"The very
M'Quhae and
,
my mind
by Captain
quite satis-
[N. 118.]
we
hear
shall
the
of
existence
of
being again
his
writing to you
in
object
the
to
as
factory
sooner
seen
or
later.
my
But
to
is
287
to
by Mr. Owen, in his letter to the Editor of the Times, of November 9th., that it was not of the serpent species, because "they
failed to detect any undulations of the body", whereas the fact of
being "no vertical or horizontal undulations perceptible"
there
stamps the character of the animal; for it is well known by all
he
half of the
body,
propelled
is
while
kept quite
is
when
or
great,
or
rapid pace,
head,
when
observers
game, small
stiff
other
and
is
in chase of
by the
entirely
the
the animal
scared
portion,
tail,
with
or the smaller
a curve of the
with the
it
Animal
the
S.
The
of Stronsa.
detail.
than
it
the
to
has
that
belief,
was an analogue
cast ashore in
more attention
deserve
received
yet
I strongly incline
of,
if
Orkney
in
1808."
be thrown on
to
all
had
veracity
encounter
to
could
the
have tempted
sneers
of
his
who
has
intimately
knew him,
faithfully described
at a short distance
the
gallant
for sagacity
to
be an
four
the
its
On
what he and
his
feet
enormous serpent,
was about
fifteen
it
was discovered
serpent
M'Quhae
From all
Captain
incredulous countrymen.
The diameter
of
288
mane
its
of
snake.
is
M'Quhae
"Captain
estimates
aa
of the water,
the length of
its
body
at the sur-
feet,
face
rather
or
horse,
of
ralty
it
[N. 118.]
through
It
man
my
of
acquaintance,
should
it
easily
been
it
it
purpose."
"If
of moderate
convex,
size,
the
engraving,
reaching
moderate
size.
The
and destitute of
because
it
cranium
very
is
surface of the
scales
passed
the
close
"The
that
it
and
thrown out by Mr. Owen,
The
it
is
at
shoulders
its
eel-shaped,
with
of twenty
extends
extended
only
down
feet,
over
the
mane
it
the back."
to be
[N. 118.]
a
cartilaginous
fish,
totally
289
different
to
naturalists."
of weed.
same kind
Now "An
Officer
of
was a
the
of
particulars
it
it
here in toto
"Sir,
your paper
Observing in
has
that he
was,
beyond
all
question, a living
animal, moving rapidly through the water against a cross sea, and
within
five
points
of a
fresh
its
as
it
overhaul
of ten
it
in
but to observe
There
speed.
it
it
at
its
nearest
was nothing
to
be done, therefore,
accurately as
as
position
lee
being not
at
after
sundry guesses
was that
we
all
down
at last settled
to.
My impression
19
290
we were
[N. 118.]
it,
fast leaving
ient servant,
"An
Now
the
reports
report, which appeared in the Times of Octo1848, contains the description of the mouth: "and when
extended its jaws, which were full of large and jagged teeth,
Daedalus.
ber,
it
ship Daedalus."
all
the
of
The
Her Majesty's
Officer of
us run over
let
first
9,
nor
by
substantiated
it
than
feet;
diameter,
M'Quhae
Captain
Drummond. To me
longer
three
cording to what
about
we
himself and
the neck
as
already
know
So the jaws
feet.
one
admit "of a
standing-
came
by
Lieutenant
to
man
the report
is
estimated at 16 inches in
or
about three
tall
whom
signed.
it
is
is
feet
man
tall
the
mouth
!"
The animal seen by the captain and some of the officers and
Daedalus, was as follows: It swam with its body in
a straight line. About sixty feet of its body were visible. Its head
appeared to be about four feet out of the water. The part of the
body hidden under water was estimated at thirty feet at least.
The diameter of the neck behind the head was estimated at one
foot and a third. When the animal opened its mouth large jagged
teeth were seen. "It moved with such velocity that the water was
crew of the
surging
under
its
was
portion
of
invisible
the
neck
and much
(Captain
farther
M'Quhae
back).
says,
though without any reason shoulders) were kept above the surface
of the sea. The animal was, during the time it was in sight,
,
never
once
below
the
surface.
Lieutenant
Drummond, however,
brief
interval.
The
colour
of the animal
[N. 118.]
Though
stated
Captain
the
says:
fins,
Drummond
Lieutenant
that there was "a backfin" which was perhaps twenty feet
"and
in
had no
it
291
true back-fin
it
ought
to
As
visible.
were a
howev-
was nothing
er,
it
else
the
surface
the
tail,
of the
or
"The captain
water.
it
he saw
it."
This
must have been one of the animal's hind flappers. Lieutenant Drummond must have been mistaken as to the length of
the head, which he described as "perhaps ten feet." His calculation evidently includes a portion of the neck. The head moreover
was rather pointed, rather blunt, flattened at the top; the upperjaw projecting considerably. He too uses the terms of shoulders in
saying: "the upper part of the head and shoulders appeared of a
dark brown colour, and beneath the under-jaw a brownish- white."
The three figures are tolerably well drawn; in fact they are the
best of all the sketches ever made of this animal. They are as if
of course
were delineated
they
in reality
"made from
the
after
mammal. The
of a
description
is
and the
text
of the jaws, the length of the mouth-split, the exact place of the
even
eye,
the
mammalian
and no
when
ears
flattened
characters.
or
No
earholes
drawn
are
or mentioned.
were not
The
is
The
distance
known
as
the sea-serpent. I only wish to point out here that in none of the
the head can boast of great correctness; for such a
would never have been described as resembling that of a
snake. It is clear that it is drawn too high, too short and not
three
figures
head
flat
enough.
It
is
remark on a passage
sea-serpent in the
Norwegian
Owen
Seas.
in Prof.
Owen's
"Few
sea-coasts have
been more
292
[N. 118.]
or by more acute naturalists (witness the laband Loven) than those of Norway. Krakens and seaserpents ought to have been living and dying thereabouts from
long before Pontoppidan's time to our day, if all tales were true;
sedulously searched
ours
they
yet
of Sars
any Scandinavian
to
proof of the
non-existence
are
seen
by three
different naturalists,
not one single bone has ever fallen under the notice of zooloProf.
gists.
well
Owen
calamaries;
was no
they
are
readers
know
is,
it
of such
report
official
Now my
also
may be found by
scores
a
It
calamary.
may
At
present, however,
be remarked here
too
that
especially
Of course
whilst
the
of Captain
letter
on the
miralty
11th.
Mr.
Drummond,
agreed
latter
it
after the
because the
M'Quhae was
of October,
memory.
Andrew Wilson
"fin" mentioned
"This
fin evidently
the introduction
of the
word "like"
mane
of a horse",
(as I
have inserted
and which
it
in par-
word "rather" in his description) serves to correlate with the "bunch of sea-weed" which "washed about its back"."
I believe to have clearly shown that the "fin" of Lieutenant
Drummond was nothing but one of the animal's fore-flappers and
the other fin
"twenty feet more backward", was one of the
animal's hind-flappers, and I believe that I may express my conviction that Mr. Andrew Wilson was just as wrong in supposing
entheses
the
after
[N. 118.]
this
293
M'Quhae
M'Quhae
report of Captain
says:
in this instance
And
was a huge
serpent,
(!)
"Suppose
that
sea-snake
gigantic
of
size
carried
is
out of
latitude,
Though they
touch
don't
(!!)
our
subject
the
directly,
following
Dodo,
of the
well
are
proof of the
Dodo we have
existence of the
unlike the
truthseeking fully
an
satisfied.
With no
to
give
in
such an
investigation),
we have
different
points
similar
objects.
made by
objects;
finished
in language
resemblance
of
We
different
some
works
of
all
no
little
importance
Dodo,
that
mistaken
be
cannot
as
referring
to
itself,
of art.
coarse
Yet throughout
to
grotesqueness
other
all
which
it is impossible to mistake,
and which satisfy us that the
draughtsmen drew, not from imagination but from something real,
and from individuals of one and the same species."
I am obliged to remark here that the proof of the existence of
the Dodo quoted by them is not unlike the proof of the existence
,
and a
foot of the
Dodo
are preserved in
294
they would
As
been
have
right.
This
is
not
[1848.]
the case with the sea-
as I
far
HO.
the
turtles,
pair
anterior
creature
was
observed
with
distinctly
ease;
being
it
larger
than
the
posterior;
the
movements could be
and
all
its
appeared to
be
pursuing
visible,
its
prey at the
its
Mr.
mony
Newman,
"in
all
the
respects
testi-
Though
think
that
all
reports
[N. 119.]
natural-history
esting
facts,
it
is
295
moment
is
mind
his
with
long,
feet
pent,
brings before
about eighty
of about
head
the
that of the head itself; at twenty feet in the rear of the head the
is
it
pers
like
those
make
the impression
vertical undulations, is
flap-
moved
in
it
falling
curves
surface)
feet in length,
paws on the
comparison
IS.
of
belly",
"thus
it
worm
with four
{Illustrated
London News
made
and
amusing columns."
"On the morning of the 31th. December, 1848, in lat. 41 13' N.,
and long 12 31' W., being nearly due West of Oporto, I saw a
long
think
black
creature
with
direction,
there
being a
a sharp head,
moving slowly,
should
breeze
at the time,
296
[N. L20.]
on. I could not ascertain its exact length, but its back
twenty
feet
if
its
was about
head, as near as
f-
Pig. 31.
The
from
could judge,
M.
six to eight.
S.
Plumper.
to
make
a closer
the
as
ship
in
water,
the
declare
they have
neither
nor
seen
was something on
moved through
examine
it
its
like a
heard of any
we
saw. There
mane, and,
as it
more
closely, it
was too
far astern.
I remain,
yours
very truly
A
Evidently the
Naval Officer."
gentlemen to do
pressing,
if
happened very
ence
of
so.
an appearance
recently.
sea-serpents
will
that
like
How many
of the Daedalus
had not
journals of navigators!
131.
1849, February
read, p. 2459:
18.
[N. 121.]
Adams
"Captain
of the schooner
297
ed at Jacksonville,
New
arriv-
York,
off the
ing
the
John's
St.
which he took
of
snake,
survey
tion of its
rivetted
be a serpent.
to
times
several
the vessel,
to
the
bar,
(Florida)
was suddenly
passengers,
out
and
It
at
in
length.
placed
His
itself
tail
athwart
its
feeling
partial
Adams, not
to
had
an
encounter
off.
harpoon
seized a
and was
compare the
fig.
133
19 in our report
1849,
May
"The following is an
Edwards of the Alpha.
N.
at
strange
shaking of
well
quarter
tail,
as
as
{Illustrated
civil
extract
"Wednesday, May 30, P. M. strongW. and a sharp sea on; about 1.15 I felt a
the ship. Mr. Thomson, my chief officer; Mr.
N.
breezes
as
5.
January, 19.
George Park
30.
n.
engineer
myself,
whales have.
ran on deck
was of a
light
lee
It
298
brown
spots
a porpoise.
[N. 122.]
had
It
like that of
than the rest of the body, which was the thickest part of
twenty
(say
it,
in
feet
about the
size
diameter).
He
an hour."
les
who
pondent,
be the
sea-serpent
the
1.
("A
corres-
above,
us the
astern,
S.
sends
time
first
by
in a S. E.
stated
is
to
far south)."
Evidently
near
the
astonishing
its
the
characterize
off
the
of
it
that
not
seem
dark
visible
so
long time,
brown, but
pointed
it
of a
tail,
the
end of
the
for
is
mon
track of vessels.
1849,
15.
Extract from
W.
men,
and they
lat.,
so
S. lat.,
London News
{Illustrated
a letter, dated
we may conclude
and 145
September
tip
clear,
is
is situated at about 38 S.
taken place between 40 and 45
and
123.
it
may have
the
it,
described,
This town
situated.
is
he
pointed;
rather
is
latitude
the appearance
the
rapidity
"Sept.
the
fins,
mentioned
scales are
sea-serpent.
which
took
No
bourne
surface.
tail,
what he
water.
of
for
the
to
smooth),
sel
did
evidently
The absence
coming
in
vessel
colour
hue.
lighter
the
"H. M.
S.
for
Cleo-
ran
aft
to
see
it
from
the
about thirty feet long. After the report, all hands came to deck;
but the evening was fast drawing to a close, and the ship going
at
eight
knots,
soon
left
the
W."
{From
a Correspondent.)
Most probably
this
he
living,
details
S.
one
If
299
[N. 123.]
me by
oblige
greatly
will
is
still
in the land of
me some more
sending
seen.
during a
Notes on
his
Norway
in
Observations in
amount
the
Natural History
and the
of
which
if
fol-
they add
fact
"Being in the
and
the
in
any rate
at
opportunity
but
men
as the
home, or,
whose
as
existence
general
fjords
belief
all,
making
of
the
in
inquiries
country
of
regarding
exception
all
the
naval
could see,
as
lost
no
to
the
animal in question;
officers,
sailors, boat-
and fishermen
concurred in affirming most positively that
such an animal did exist, and had been repeatedly seen off their
coasts and fjords
though I was never fortunate enough to meet
,
man who
could
boast
of having
seen
him with
his
own
frequent
scepticism
appearance;
of the
and
English,
all
seemed
for
eyes.
and
to marvel very
much
at the
credence
what
to the
refusing
to
minds
of the
Englishman, who, he at
must undoubtedly disbelieve the existence of the
marine monster. That Englishman, however, certainly partakes of
the credulity of the Northmen, and cannot withhold his belief in
the existence of some huge inhabitant of those northern seas,
of superior shrewdness in the eyes of an
once concluded,
300
when,
to
his
mind, the
The reader
many
of
whom
were too
intel-
to be doubted."
will
Tribune (1852);
been so clearly
[1850.]
of the
New York
report.
After
"This,
however,
will
not
prevent
us
134.
1850? The
following evidence
we
"Off Madeira,
with
Captain
Santa Cruz,
told
me
Islands.
on board R. M.
Christmas,
may be
called one of
tell
S.
Made
acquaintance
of the
read:
Thames.
office
He
He was
lying in to a gale of
wind
in a frigate of
which
by the
ship,
as
if
pursued, and
lo
waist, with a head like a horse, raised itself slowly and gracefully
from
again,
the
deep,
head foremost,
coasts of the
United States/But
it is
not the
first
time
[N. 124.]
remember the
Brown (n.
now made
report
56).
its
Hans Egede
of
Remarkable, too,
feels
Is it
5)
is
stated that
it
Is this
not a matter
appears only in
five
animal
and may
wind? There is the
Captain M'Quhae, who speaks of a "breeze" and
must come
it
statement
to
consequently
here
(n.
weather?
is
301
of
gale
of
wind".
It
is
is
also
worthy of our
serpent (n. 54) was engaged with "a whale" (of the smaller kind).
Not
like
less
that
important
of
is
moving
The
thickness
of the neck
the
nostrils
M'Quhae had
135.
1853?
Dr. Traill says in the Proceedings of the
Royal Society at Edinburgh, n. 44, May, 1854, that it "is said
to have been seen lately in some of their fjords."
302
13G.
[N. 126.]
for
38 S., long 13 E., while the ship was under a light wind
smooth water, a sea-monster of great size and singular appearance was descried. Attention was first directed to it by the
broken action of the water which otherwise was smooth all around.
The animal was discovered protruding its head above water to the
length of about 30 feet, at an angle of 60 degrees to. the horizon.
His head was about 12 feet long and was marked by a white
stripe or streak down each side. At about six feet from the termination of the streaks, which were presumed to be its jaws, there
in
lat.
and
in
was a protuberance on its back like a small water-cask. The creature kept its mouth shut, but its eyes were plainly visible. At the
point of contact with the water the body seemed about as much
but
black,
merged about a minute each time. From the broken action of the
it seemed as if protuberances, similar to
that
conjecture
best
The length
of the
lar-
and about 8
feet
length,
we
as
reports.
recent
too,
be
we
"It
down on each
is
made
presum-
In
jaws.
its
read
ed to
observe
afterwards
shall
It is a
had a white
whole length
of the head just above the water, there where the underjaw must
have been".
And
by the gentle-
is drawn
and described whitish brown or yellowish white. The protuberance on its back (read on the back of its neck) was a fold
men
of
the
Daedalus
(fig.
28,
29,
30)
the
underjaw
white,
in
Gardens,
the other
the
may be seen
when they contract
logical
same
"protuberances,
character.
similar
to
that
on the
back" were of
[N. 126.]
is
known
well
to us.
Or
all
303
undulations.
ical
colour
the
of
foregoing statements.
As
the
of
animal's
throat,
it
agreed with
this is
by the animal's having a skin just like sealions. It is so loose and folds so easily, that if the head is bent
a little downward
or if the neck is somewhat contracted
several
only explicable
also
which
seen,
are
folds
led
Captain
Brown
(n.
56) to mention
under the neck". He had better have written "gillmeaning the furrows between the folds.
The length of
180 feet may be somewhat exaggerated, though we will afterwards
prove that individuals of still greater length must exist.
"eight
gills
splits",
137.
Harrington
1855, August?
Rear-Admiral
to
W.
we
read:
am
"I
Holt, shipowners of
off
the
Island
no
am
reader
convinced
will, I
that
hope, be convinced of
138.
3d. of
(n.
it
The
131).
Illustrated
May, 1856).
[N. 128.J
304
and 35.
The
Fig. 32
Guy
of the Imogen.
"Imogen
westward."
"About
five
a strong
[N. 128.]
(above
feet
the
surface
of the
305
sea),
its
wake. Mr.
telescope.
After
the
passing
ship
its
seemingly to look at us
head,
(fig.
we were unable
perceptible, although
disturbed
its
body were
clearly
fine
by
a perfect opportunity of
we
inclose
our references,
and remain,
"Sir,
in
straight
we have, but
these
line,
here
it
is
four
figures
swimming with
vertical undulations.
To
the
description
can
XSO. 1856,
July
8.
(The
Illustrated London
News
of the
of the Illustrated
London News."
London, September
Agency, 4, Cullum-street
25th.
1856."
"We
ship
Princess,
Captain
A.
R.
N.
Tremearne,
in
London Docks
""Thuesday, July
itude
accurate
8,
18 14'
E.
At one
P.
M. saw
56' S.
Long-
306
[N. 129.]
30
that
and
feet
hit
this
it
At
rifle- ball.
"We
not improbable
It is
tail.
wind and
eight, fresh
name
rect
Fired
fine.""
leading
its cor-
descriptions
some
doubt of
longer
forbid
Princess
the
of
fact of
such appearance."
Tremearne
"Captain
Morgan,
passenger
who
crew,
others
assert the
that
states
by the
Captain
but
Princess,
expected),
also
saw
and
monster,
this
13th.
be at London
bourne,
and
of October
Dock
jetty,
naturalists
make
and
other
scientific
further inquiries
pro-
correspondence
to
The
the
ship's
fish
or
for
the
departure.
J.
description
is
make the following conCaptain Tremearne really saw a seaswimming with extraordinary speed,
enables
serpent,
ship's duties,
speedy
"Edmund
jecture.
her
Though
figure
interrupt
us to
surface,
it
[N. 129.]
The extreme
velocity of its
motion
is
307
(n.
of
described
too
29),
Afterwards
seal.
with sea-lions,
at
Mr.
described
it
first
as
sight
Kriukof
(n.
better acquainted
36)
men
of
the
left
and
six
too
is
animal had a mane. The violent motions of the flappers must have
this
is
sea-serpent".
splashing
omitted
308
ISO.
warded
request,
by
1857, February
16.
Biccard
his
Dr.
to
The following
friend
the
[N. 130.]
Mr.
Cape
letter
was
F airbridge,
at
for-
his
[N. 130.]
309
me and
others opposite
"On Monday,
the
afternoon.
called
self
into
right
the
into
position
the
delineated
and
bay,
in
Sketch
soon afterwards
n.
we
2.
He
lost
then stood
sight
of
him
altogether."
"As I have stated the distance the animal kept from shore was
more than 200 yards; its length was about 200 feet, but its
thickness I cannot tell, the upper part of the body only being
visible. The head could be seen but indistinctly, as he raised it at
intervals, as shown in the sketch. I consider the protuberance to
,
not
I could
The
except
the
head,
"Yours, &c,
"Biccard."
310
much
something very
and
spots,
in so
other.
did in
Harbour
the
lateral
flexibility!
staple
or
it
"It
touched
nearly
it
of Gloucester, in 1817.
horse-shoe"
doing so
representing
the
in
glittering
It is,
it!
black
like
[N. 130.J
head with
its
its
"the
tail",
tail
and
the head then appeared only to be a few yards one from another",
once
"it
does
not
down
lay
in the
describe
position
this
it
his
it
figures
changed
tell
its
it
us.
position
As the
straight-
out,
itself
disappeared,
down
was
13X.
but
time,
every
on
really spotted
1857,
it
its
It
off.
is
head.
December
for
(The
12.
1858,
p.
Times of February
5,
5989.).
from
Bombay
of Trade,
last
kept by
journal
for
voyage.
mander
of
whom
am
Her
the
existence
H.
Harrington;
February 2,
"Copy
of
me on
to Liverpool. I
of
Majesty's
an
such
14
made during my
made by the com-
and
Daedalus,
ship
14
1
/
South
Castle
Street,
as to
G.
Liverpool,
1858.
an Extract from
the
Bombay
"Ship
to Liverpool."
Castilian,
He-
[N. 131.]
"At 6.30
m.
p.
strong
311
breezes
sailing
about
twelve miles per hour. While myself and officers were standing on
of the poop, looking towards the island, we were
by the sight of a huge marine animal, which reared its
head out of the water within twenty yards of the ship, when it
the
lee-side
startled
suddenly disappeared
appearance in
the
was shaped
have been
like
head,
about two
it
feet
from the
the
top;
much
so
its
feet
scroll,
its
on
that,
so
its
appearance,
first
my
its
impression
appeared
to
going too
fears,
and
it
enable
to
fast
us
its
to
reach
feet
long.
mast-head in time to
the
hundred
those
that
us
it
several
of the
crew who
was more
which case it must have
been five hundred feet. Be that as it may, I am convinced that
tribe; it was of a dark colour about
it belonged to the serpent
observed
than
the
it
head,
press
of
of
the ship,
in
several
to without risk,
it
spots. Having a
was unable to round
and therefore was precluded from getting another
canvas
state that
white
I
The animal
seen
serpent, of which at
when
the animal
moved
its
whole length
must have been visible and estimated at about two hundred feet.
The head was seen in such a direction that it resembled a nunbuoy". The diameter of the head may have been six feet. At a
,
moment
its
312
[N. 131.]
formed round the neck just behind the head, as may be seen in
our sea-lions, and which led Captain Harrington to write "with
a kind of scroll
The discolouring
its
encircling
it
about two
e.
of the
i.
feet
occiput.
all
to
do
appearance.
Some days
"So
a boat to
it
sea-snake."
like a
huge
mon-
sending
living
my
Smith firmly
Captain
Hereupon, "An
officer of
H. M.
S.
the
in
n.
118. This letter was immediately followed in the same paper of the
"Sir.
letter
eric
"The
has
writer
sea-serpent.
this
would seem
to
that
considerable
be a
obtained
feet
"In
rightly,
diameter
latter
this
in
your paper
and upwards
instance
and testimony of
may be
the
Still
it.
genus
for
there
,
remember
sight;
the
in
length,
in
feet in
variety
slow
practised
it
this
of
to receive as evidence of
vision
of
the
Circassian s
any new
fact; nevertheless
commander should go
for
and
as it
"W.
A. B. Hamilton."
313
[N. 131.]
"Dear
Sir,
February,
might be instrumental
of such
existence
many doubts
dispelling
in
respecting the
my
officers."
communicated
"I
course
the
in
send a copy of
to Capt.
it
who
conversation,
of
to the Times."
it
am now
men
more be
sure
de-
If
it
but
it
am
by. I
known
well
London
in
commanded
having
a steam trans-
Russian war
during the
port
am
friend of mine. I
is
now
in
the
East.
My
therefore,
many
class
certificate
in
pagating
injury
in
so
to
known
also well
present ship
of
which
reasons
(in
important
is
in
the
room
own
addition
me no
of
who
my
holding a
a personal
is
good, and,
assisting
it
me
if
first-
from pro-
untrue, do
of
the deep."
"I
shall
next week.
will
letter
addressed to
and,
if
3] 4
[N.
31.]
This
"G. H. Harrington."
"To Rear-Admiral W. A. B. Hamilton"
was again answered in a very witty way in the Times
letter
of Febr.
23, 1858;
on Explanations.
this
an
old
acquaintance
p.
ours
of
now wrote
299)
(p.
the
following
remark
firmly
believes
in
the
existence
some huge
of
upon (and
descant
as
am
to
not ashamed to
and minute account of Capt. Harrington, on the seamonster which he and twenty people saw on the 12th of December
the
clear
the
off
last,
my
belief
the
however,
about
so
very
different.
am
not,
to
too
express
unsatisfactory
my
hope that
as
I enclose,
may
so that naturalists
the case in
all
its
Of
course,
it
nique
of
1858, n 2, Febr.
p.
also foreign
we
March
1858."
newspapers should
find in the
496, an
5,
Revue Britan-
article full of
erroneous
statements
"Amongst
the
meeting again
in the newspapers
we
eye-witnesses
declare
Captain Smith
witnesses
have
to
have
of Newcastle
been illuded,
seen
it,
writes that he
as
is
through
his telescope
315
[N. 131.]
which
the
really
repeats
Tiines,
he
that
is
the sea-serpent twenty fathoms from his ship, that he has recognized
as
it,
poise
if
that
wife
his
as
had
his
two
as
soon
as
he
officers,
has seen
to
London,
scepticism. If he
furnish
1U3-
with him
it
come
of its fins!"
my
attention
a passenger on
board the Carnatic to a large spar sticking out of the water one end
some
thirty feet
above the
appeared to
me
to be
to
the
eastward
having altered
when
up
it
its
It
was seen by
all
those
my
own,
was an enormous sea-serpent. The American ship A. B.
Thompson from Bombay to London, was in company at the time
wind light and variable, with clear weather".
We have not
that
it
is
it
a spar, an
un wrought spar,
or spruce, a
have illuded
etc.,
the
has been
observers
316
sketch
have in
How many
published.
way got
this
First
The
Series.
is
History
to his readers
year's
always
towards
felt
entitled
is
Serpent.
Romance of Natural
his
last
Unknown" and
Great
"the
interesting drawings
In
History
[N. 132.]
my many
field of
it
recommend every
desti-
and
work in his leasure hours; I have read it
with great interest and pleasure, increasing my knowledge, wandering with the writer from north to south and from east to west,
from one pole to the other and from continents to the greatest
of a
tute
botanist
genius".
poet's
read
to
can
zoologist
his
The
sea-serpent's question
"If I
this
roman-
tic naturalist,
may
venture
it:
out
point
to
bestowed more than usual pains, and which I myself regard with
more than common interest, it is that of the last chapter in this
volume. An amount of evidence is adduced for the existence of
monster
sub-mythic
the
such
as
ought
almost
to
popularly
known
brought
together
been
never
has
doubt
set
at
solitudes;
vast
form;
to
ocean
lone
be
render
way
the fitful
its
and the
lost in
His
chapter
interest.
But
been able
to
on
there
me
if
is
all
home on
gigantic;
its
its
dragon-like
the
sea-serpent
are
several
explain.
Ann, 1817, he
In
will
facts
draw the
it
also
my
spectacles."
read
with great
with
be
describing
to have
Cape
of mane was seen by any",
the
animal,
seen near
which
is
the
as
it
to
it
an obsolete antiquity;
sea-serpent",
and such
which
vaguely
dimensions,
words
in
before,
rest.
"the
as
same page
(p.
284)
when
so
On
[I860.]
"probably
Mr. Gosse
pillar
pared
looping
the
is
progression
last
with
which that
of a
He
like
that
Now my
of
readers
common
was
geometric caterpillar".
or
of
one
be at
will
mode
"the
eye-witnesses
the
caterpillar",
317
some
caterpillar of
com-
butterfly,
Americ-
"Though the
add weight
position
to their testimony,
the
admit
following
all
Col.
inquiry
all
in Massachusetts in
that obtained
to
318
[I.860.J
"2.
Daedalus in 1848,"
the
his officers,
who saw
it
from
118).
(n.
"3.
That
"4.
Mr.
of
Monies
who saw
Stirling,
it
in a
Norwegian
113).
fjord" (n.
in
his
officers,
who saw
it
my
Chapter
examine
to
which
to
Now
Mr.
animal
at
be so,
for
rapidity.
sion
the
recognized
classes
of created beings
all?
the
else
Further he
hypothesis
of
&c.
and
being
could
move with
not
that astonishing
seal-
winds up with "my own confident persuasome oceanic animal of immense proportions,
:
which has not yet been received into the category of scientific zoology; and my strong opinion, that it possesses close affinities with
the
fossil
Enaliosauria of the
lias."
[I860.]
To our
great
the
Zoologist
and
like
we
surprise
who
319
see that
warm
ever was a
living Pie-
still
siosauri
riband
fish
is
Three descriptions
Isles.
6934,
6986, p. 6989),
who, thinking that it was a
new species gave it the name of Begalecus Jonesii. The second
description was by Mr. Jones, the naturalist on the Bermudas,
at whose deposal the fish was placed by Mr. Trimingham, the
after his description, points out some striking
captor. Mr. Jones
peculiarities, which this riband-fish and the sea-serpent seen by
captain M'Quhae, had in common, and concludes that a part of
the reports of the great sea-serpent must have been caused by the
Newman
by Mr.
the last
p.
himself,
appearance
cription
said
riband
of
of his
new
fishes.
seems to waver in
"In reference to
similarity
of
the
species
his opinion
question
last
own
for
for
have already
as I
he adds
Jonesii,
the
course;
present
hereafter
allow
to
better
to express
every
an opinion.
am
quite
sea-serpent to hold on
opportunity
may be
its
afforded on
133, 134.
"On
1861
August.
Sunday afternoon,
hundred persons,
in
at that time in
{Zoologist, 1862,
the
p.
7850).
hotel,
were called
at
no great
this
appearance from
wdiose ravages
among
the
rocks,
But the particular case in question was far different from those.
The pursuer of the fugiting shoals soon became visible; and that
it was a huge marine monster, stretching to a length quite beyond
320
dimensions
No
one, in
an
of
short,
by the event of the day following the one just recorded. On that
a little before noon, my wife was sitting, as was her wont,
day,
reading on the upper piazza of the hotel. She was alone. The gentle-
men
was
and the
were
as
usual
absent at
event of the
moment
family
the
But
son
ladies
by a cry from the house of "The sea-serpent the seathis had been so frequent, by the way of joke, since
startled
serpent!"
the
my
myself and
including
Boston
or
two
the
of
it
to
hotel
the
corner
cry
of
it
was
in a straight line,
after
coasting for a couple of minutes the north west front of the hotel,
(as accurately as the
and
ing as
that
to say
is
surface,
as
to
astray
it
about ninety
feet
it
and was seen no more. The person who was thus so lucky
this unobstructed view is one so little liable to be led
get
ment with
entirely
as
much
confidence
may
as
my own
eyes had
[N c
134.]
321
truth.
its
Mr. Newman,
the
editor
known watering
to consult
of the animal
135.
an
town:
May
1863,
"The following
is
16th.
(Zoologist,
1863,
addressed
Mail Screw
Royal
"African
My
to
16,
rest
1863.
dear
gentleman
All
Palmas, May,
at
8727).
this
in
be
set
p.
hotel.
Athenian,
steamer
is
it
Sir,
On
doubts
may now
May
the 6th. of
the African Royal Mail Steam Ship Athenian on her passage from
Teneriffe
to
Bathurst,
in
fell
Chappie, quartermaster,
with one.
At about
a.
m. John
at
wards the ship. He called the attention of the Rev. Mr. Smith
and another passenger, who were on deck at the time, to it. On
nearing the steamer it was discovered to be a large snake about
100 feet long, of a dark brown colour, head and tail out of water,
the body slightly under. On its head was something like a mane
or sea- weed. The body was about the size of our mainmast. You
are at liberty to publish this."
The reader
scription,
but
it
The same
of 1863,
Xt5o.
vier
was
of the animal
visible
June,
1871.
(G.
Verschuur, Bene
who saw
"the second
News
13.
those
tail
it
After
reis
om de
icereld in
an appearance of a would-be
officer,
who
322
seen
in
was
[N. 136.]
and
24th.
In
the
August 20th.,
1872,
Zoologist
of
May
1873,
p.
21st.,
3517, the
to be that
which
is
called
August,
1872.
Invernesshire
By
Rev.
the
Kent."
"On
the
we
G. B.
Sleat,
besides ourselves
two
of
ladies
mainland
the
average
being two
miles.
with
we
of
breadth
F.
and K.
lay
down
Isle
of the
of
Our
party
a gentleman
the
Skye
Sound
of
from the
It
perceived
glasses
oil
all in
being
disappeared.
Presently
the
regular order.
it
moved
first
lump
rose
We
its
mass,
which
of the other
and then sank again. When they rose, the head aphad been down, and the lumps rose after it in
regular order, beginning always with that, next the head, and
five,
or
peared
rising
six,
first,
gently;
if it
all
together, rather
creature
crooking
appearance of undulation
up
:
back to
its
when
the
[N. 137
323
140.]
____
-*_*
Two
the Rev.
flatter
Twopeny.
slightly visible
above
but we did not see the head raised above the surface
either this or the next day, nor could we see the eye. We had
no means of measuring the length with any accuracy, but taking
the distance from the centre of one lump to the centre of the
next to be six feet and it could scarcely be less the whole length
the
water;
of
be
the
portion
visible,
including
intervals
the
submerged, would
forty-five feet."
"Presently,
as
we were watching
the creature,
it
began
to ap-
a hundred yards of us
mile or more.
careering
nor so
well
as
a fin striking
up
at
first.
At one time
at a little distance
"On our
north side
miles
wide,
return
of the
the
the
next day
we were
it
is
about three
324
[N. 137
140.]
we saw
the
lines,
it
day.
first
did
Soon
least
itself,
as
longer than
it
looked at
it
mouth
becalmed in the
reached
nearly
Island
the
As
water.
could
fifty
of
Sandaig,
came rushing
it
its
past
us
return from
shot
it
still
It
through
visible
of
it
rather long
It
its
before,
as
on the day
as its
quick pas-
sage
Sleat,
it
small
of
its
land,
"We
the
following
instances
correctness of
of its
being
side
of
Kylerhea saw
it
pass rapidly
the
evening of the
his
21st.,
boat, and saw the creature at about the distance of one hun-
dred and
fifty
yards/'
[N. 137
140.]
"Two
clays
we saw
after
325
it,
at
and that they sometimes rose and sometimes sank all together. He
estimated its length as not less than sixty and eighty feet. He saw
it also in two subsequent days in Lochduich. On all these occasions
his brother Farquhar was with him in the boat, and they were
both much alarmed and pulled to the shore in great haste."
"A
at Duisdale,
lady
the
Sound which
she
"We
from
the
opposite
is
when
it"
the
island
of
it
was seen
Eigg,
"We
have
permission
not
to
last instances."
"John Macrae"
"David Twopeny"
The
"P. S.
believe
to
lic
the
in
existence
of the
creature
the subject always gives rise, partly on account of the animal hav-
bound
ists
to leave a record of
may
receive
it
as
piece
what they think it is worth. The animal will very probably turn
up on these coasts again, and it will be always in that dead
season", so convenient to editors of newspapers, for
but in
a
the
still
considerable
In
the
warm
days of
probability
summer
that
summer
it
it is
never seen
autumn. There is
the same coasts be-
or early
has visited
fore.
of
1871
326
[N.
137140.]
crossing
very
yards
fifty
our
to
turbance of the sea, or making the slightest noise, and floated for
some time on the surface, but without exhibiting its head or tail,
showing only the ridge of the back which was not that of a whale,
or any other sea-animal that I had ever seen. The back appeared
sharp and ridgelike
and in colour very dark indeed black or
almost so. It rested quietly for a few minutes, and then dropped
,
down
quietly
ed on
the
above forty
surface."
feet of
should
It
it,
that western coast are quite familiar with the appearance of whales,
and porpoises, and when they see them, they recognize them
Whether the creature which pursued Mr. Maclean's boat
off the Island of Coll in 1808, and of which there is an account
in the Transactions of the Wernerian Society (Vol. I, p. 442); was
one of these Norwegian animals, it is not easy to say. Survivors
who knew Mr. Maclean say that he could quite be relied upon
seals
once.
at
for truth."
caught,
one
happen
till
it
is
variety
accounts
given
of it,
reason
the
rate
at
or
five
us
at
an hour.
miles
six
about
the
When
it
two
other
disappeared
it
when
it
found
itself
made our
sketches
of it,
should be mentioned
"It
that
ural
has
History",
[N. 137
140.
827
and
fables
exaggerations,
it
country
that
of
alist
thing about the animal. In the meantime, as the public will most
explanations
following
the
dubious about
probably be
me
been proposed to
harring-barrels
viz
bladders,
inflated
pig-skins
greater
difficulties
but as
are
to
porpoises
logs
all
itself,
we
feel
"D. Twopeny."
We
same
outlines
pearing
my
dently recalls to
American
of
readers'
reports.
fore-flappers.
Edward Newman,
Mr.
the
who
first
above
his
p.
&
in his opinion
ribband-fish, (see
319),
tain
have
a
this
long
large
belief
since
expressed
my
as
firmly
that
there
to us naturalists; I
main-
firm
conviction
interfere
ency
is
with a
always in
more damaging
328
of unbelievers.
M'Quhae
tain
The guess
we
simply incredible:
So he
now
seal
feet
in length is
is
all."
may
be.
little
137 140.]
again
is
that a
into
[N.
1873,
it
have not been able to get a sight at the Times of Nov. 20th. of
year, but
this
the Zoologist of
December
says,
seemed
ears
in the
to
flaps
in it, in
which were in
glimmer
peculiar
creature
I
could see
ing
it
and a
indeed
while I watched
it
for half
its vitality
an hour
as far as
apparently
drift-
with the rising tide, but always keeping about the same
tance
with
in
presented
The
front.
off
the
Dr. Soutar
shore
forms of the
and
I are
more
dis-
or less familiar
letter
from
Mr.
Joass,
we read
the following
[N. 141
329
143.]
Mr. Vernon Harcourt told me that he was in a small yacht off Glenelg
the evening of the day mentioned in your report, and about
six miles from the locality and that he and his crew saw what
on
is
Again
man
am
does not
Mr. Joass'
of
144.
New-
November
my
obliged to express
1875, July
1875
20th.,
8.
appeared
the
following
engraving
and
account
"Our Engraving
M.
A., Chaplain
is
with the
received,
following
H. M.
to
S.
from
letter
London,
at Zanzibar, Oct.
21:
captain
and
which
careful examination
have been
have
crew of the
placed
made from
barque
pronounced
deeper in
to
it
the
the
descriptions of the
Pauline,
water,
but
I should
then have
was attacked."
"Captain Drevar,
when
bound with
in
lat.
coals for
5 deg. 13 min.
S., long. 35
deg. W., on July 8 last, observed three very large
sperm whales, and one of them was gripped round the body,
with two turns, by what appeared to be a huge serpent. Its back
was of a darkish brown and its belly white, with an immense head
and mouth the latter always open the head and tail had a length
,
beyond the coils about 30 ft. its girth was about 8 ft. or 9 ft.
Using its extremities as levers, the serpent whirled its victim round
and round for about fifteen minutes, and then suddenly dragged
;
the whale
down
to the
bottom, head
first.
330
[N, 144.]
331
[N. 144.]
after
its
and
officers
Drevar
"Captain
is
singularly
intelligent;
nor did
This
report
able
whom
translated into
German appeared
in the Illustrirte
We
35
W.
long,
i.
e.
near
on
The
lat.,
of Brazil),
coast
at
(p.
Zanzibar.
35
third column)
"The great sea-serpent will not be ignored. He has now appeared, by affidavit, in a police court. The captain and crew of a
vessel called the Pauline which has arrived in the Mersey from
Akyab, report that in July, 1875, off Cape San Roque, on the
north-east coast of Brazil, they saw the great sea-serpent. On
Thuesday, the captain, whose name is Drevar, appeared before the
stipendiary magistrate of Liverpool, Mr. Raffles, and expressed a
wish, on his own behalf and that of his crew, to make a declaration
affirming
Mr. Raffles desired Captain Drevar to prepare a written declaration and bring it before him. This captain Drevar did, on Wednesday, accompanied by a number of his crew. The declaration is
332
[N. 144.J
of about
feet,
off the
Pauline, shooting
its
the
officer),
am
itself
The
de-
(steward) and
I
feet
claration
it
appeared
tail
thirty
Owen Baker
(seaman).
so fortunate as to be able to
as
"The
London,
story
of
it
the
in
age to Akyab,
Raffles,
The
stipendiary
affidavit
was declared
to
which
The following
on record.
will be regarded as
is
its way:
the County Palatine
unprecedented in
"Borough of Liverpool,
in
of Lancaster, to wit.
"We,
of Liverpool
in the
the
and
35
W.
we observed
county of Lancaster, in
on July 8, 1875, in
lat.
them
was gripped round the body with two turns of what appeared to
be a huge serpent. The head and tail appeared to have a length
beyond the coils of about thirty feet, and its girth eight or nine
feet. The serpent whirled its victim round and round for about
fifteen minutes, and then suddenly dragged the whale to the bot-
tom, head
first".
Owen Baker.
Wm. Lewarn.
[N. 144.]
13, a similar serpent was seen about two hunthe head and neck
itself along the surface
Again, on July
dred yards
off,
333
shooting
water
several
feet.
This
"A
pendicularly
in
Owen Baker.
was seen elevated some
it
also affixed."
Horatio Thompson.
William Lewarn.
Owen Baker.
"And we make
this
the
and
affidavits,
cessary
to
oaths."
aforesaid
make
tenth
the
declared
Severally
and
day of January,
subscribed
at
Liverpool
and seventy-seven."
H. Landells, Second
Officer.
Owen Baker.
declared
"Severally
tenth
and
In
Nature
Drevar has
witnessed
its
of
February
circulated
subscribed
at
day of January,
J.
P. for Liverpool."
10th.,
when
in
lishman
this paper,
January,
but
it
it
in
the Graphic of
in the Illustrirte
334
of Febr.
Zeitung
3,
1877.
What
[N. 144.]
Graphic
runs as follows:
"Captain George
Drevar, master
engraving
is
taken),
which he encountered
lat.
13'
N.
long 35
W.
South
July, 1875, at
8th.
off
twenty
miles
The
and
distant.
Drevar says
Captain
weather
clear,
fine
wind and
sea-moderate. Observed
pillar,
Fig. 42.
Another
the
up
about
fountain-like
bleached
with
the
sun;
them,
and
but the
the
pillar
first
11
the
sea
pillar
fell
feet
above them. At
high
glance I took
jL
breakers aS
was splashing
pinnacle
rock,
frantic
with
excitement,
made
the
sea
in
their
vicinity
like
cauldron
whales that I have ever seen moved slowly thence towards the
vessel, their bodies more than usually elevated out of water, and
[N. 144.]
not
spouting or mak-
ing
the
335
noise,
least
with fear;
deed,
cold
in-
shiver
my own
went through
last
had seemed
The
Fig. 43.
as helpless
for
its
July
same
13, in the
Roque
latitude,
little
but at seven A. M.
east of
San
was throwing
zontal
its
position
out of water as
it
It
feet of its
our vessel."
"This narrative
is
from a
extracted
letter
January 1876.
in
It
"My
relatives
The two
figures,
try
to
Zeitung
has
that the
German
published
about
translation
what the
was
correct
Illustrirte
and laying
all responsibil-
ity
long.
35
W.,
near Cape
San Roque. At 11
in
lat.
o'clock
5
a.
13'
m.
336
[_N.
144.]
etc.
word for word as in the
"head foremost to the bottom
where no doubt
length
its
to
be
160 or 170
feet; it
in girth.
"On
the
all
give
to
it
warm
reception.
and disappeared."
German
The
tree
convinced
the
that
story
contains
violent
who
Lee,
Mr.
is
it
known
readers
report
is
or
gambol with
41).
translater
truth,
quoted
usaully
by him
every
explains
says
sea-serpent
after
fig.
each
in his
p.
"It
is
statement
evidently
Great
nearly
Fire
of
its
body some
one third
London.
is
it
I have
no desire
Monument
of the
[N. 144.]
337
the master and crew of the Pauline into conformity with any pre-
conceived
the
idea.
may have
they
great
alternately
veritable
sea-serpent;
or
creatures
Tolling over
may
of the snake
coils
body
tion of the
would
ster,
mon-
the statement as
It is
it
stands,
it
must be
left for
further elucidation".
the
tail,
the
mouth being
last
left
phrase:
"but,
swimming calamary
its
tail
This,
now,
or a similar
in the air,
total
it
will
attain a length of
60 to 70
feet
with a
338
[N. 144.]
body tapers
bulky
the
whilst
and may be up
but the
less,
teeth,
to the tail.
It is a terrible cavity
to fourteen feet in
to
fifty
four formidable
this
family.
family
Some
To become
till
command
old
their
own
sole proprietor of
erous.
The
hatred
greatest
bone-whales,
or
exists
the fin-fishes,
or
rorquals,
of
latter
fight
monly ends
sperm-whales
not
however
without leaving
ly
of
the
pursued by the
terrib-
of the
bites
"mouth and
Knowing
teeth".
the
pitiless
we cannot
believe
that
would suddenly
was the attacker, it would
an unfailable sign of
not have had "its mouth always open",
but would have bitten repeatedly the whale And so
great pain
I firmly believe that one of the three sperm whales, had seized
with its colossal mouth a sea-serpent by the trunk. The poor defenseless sea-serpent with its enormous flexible body wound round
sperm-whale,
attack
it.
Moreover,
if
sea-serpent,
the sea-serpent
the upper jaw and forepart of the quadrangular head of the sperm-
[N. 144.]
We
whale.
know
for
flexibility,
too that
1817
from
reports
body
its
tail,
and
dorso-ventral
we know
is
wherein
its
Biccard
American
in
rather
1819,
to
has
sea-serpent
swim
lateral flexibility
its
its
the
that
can
it
339
37, 38.).
(fig.
and
animal
the
described
bend
itself
have
been described
ventrally,
for
as
colour
its
if
this
dark, or black.
Consequently the
black.
Drevar was
tain
(under
belly
sea-serpent
right
in
his
was white,
part)
being white.
as
It
did not
On
two
into
had bent
statement
and
sections white
Cap-
itself laterally.
that
part) of
The
neck high in
sea-serpent
air
antagonist.
that
the
on
repeated
the
water
of the
not
assertion
it
is
impos-
tail
cauldron".
like
The dimensions
and
of the head
part being each about thirty feet beyond the coils are certainly
exaggerated
as is the circumference
or
nine feet
'.
The
sea-serpent in
the
glasses.
natural
in
The
air.
They
rolling
animals
which caused
formidable flappers,
fountain into the
its
over
and over
so
its
the spermwhale
to the
is,
in
my
And
its
extremities as levers".
(?)
minutes and at
is
very
opinion,
its
victim
last
down
340
is
be
to
and
ascribed to their
each
help
quite
other
and
of
their
captain's
enemies,
to
statement
is
"swam away,
we may safely read
after
exhibiting
and hatred
and so the
danger,
in
correct:
ion"
character
warlike
their
to
[N. 144.]
of the
signs
greatest
terror";
here
was beneath
them, but
perceptible to
it,
of the Pauline.
It is,
free
for
itself
followed by
the sperm-whale.
now
It is
the right
moment
to say
evidently
opinion
than
as
Andrew Wilson
Mr.
figures.
to
in his Leisure
Time Studies
the
he declares :"...., to
fight
for
of another
is
my
The reader
understand that
will
and pythons".
son's opinion.
145.
ment
the
of
On
ing
itself
along
the
surface
forty
feet
of
its
with
standing
ently
same
is
as that
survey
body
swam
line,
it
quite perpendicular
taking a
shoot-
some
towards the
vessel.
This case
is
[N. 145.]
sometimes elevates
Egede
seen by
If
the
feet,
(n 5),
part
fore
its
Captain
am
Adams
height as was
and Captain Drevar.
the air was really sixty
considerable
(n 121)
height
Captain
to
341
seen
146.
of January,
Proctor
entitled
"Strange
article
by Mr. R. A.
Sea-Monsters",
following report. I have not been able to consult the Echo, but I
have found
it
cited in
"Soon
last
Law
affidavit to the
following effect:
connected with
tail
saw
distinctly
from
its
junction
342
and
extremity;
its
seemed
cylindrical,
with a very
taper,
tail
The
ity
it
[N. 146.J
tail.
were distinct
stripes
tail
to the very
extrem-
terminated in a
fin
all
marine salamander.
flabby)
nearly
"It
was apparently
of
substance.
ten
at
the
of
rate
lethargic.
saw
spout
in
fins,
the
of
the
water,
thought that
motion of the
is
also
very
so
that
it
is
easy
to
"it
tail
natural
that
the
captain
up and down)".
It
say
if
it
above,
it
who
as
we
is
it
for a
moment
to a snake". This
is
one
[N. 146.]
in full length
prehensible.
trunk
tail
and head
a fleur d'eau
with
its
very com-
of the water,
and
in this
their
(to
neck
weight
their
the
is
carried
by the water
will
tail
also
is
But
it.
only
that
under
so
that
I think
swimming with
tail
neck
its
itself,
is
will
hidden
drops
and the
trunk
the
case
343
In
contracted.
situation
this
it
swam
very difficult to
is
decide whether the animal has a neck or not, and so the captain's
head
"the
assertion
was
immediately connected
with
the
very conceivable.
is
body,
From
the
hind part of the head the contracted neck gradually grows thicker
the shoulders, where the animal seems to have
towards
its
largest
diameter,
flappers,
with
the
described
tail
observed
body
swum
up
the
in
black
believe
to
was
yellowish one
than
at
distinctly
The colour
in this
As
there.
Webster
Mr.
nor can
saw
feet,
set
is
and
much
to
the
from
its
tail-root,
junction
of
and
extremity".
some time
sun,
that
tail
for
here
broader
there
"this
its
pale
as
alternately
having
it
being
that,
so
captain
the
its
mistaken.
length
I
it
again coloured
am
inclined
to
tail
were seen,
not
the
mentioned.
344
have been
slight
along
ridge
is
as
extreme end
the
of
junction
its
the
The
It is clear that
for
Mr. Webster
As
in a fin or not".
much
swimming
is
it
to
of a
importance to this, as
tail
evidently).
terminated
tail
Anderson
of the distance.
its
tail
whether the
"cannot say
tapering to
cylindrical,
[N. 146.]
smooth, and
like
for
the animal
swimming without
on
sleeping
that's
the
does
surface,
not
spout
either,
as
in
and without
So
puffing.
I think I
all
whale,
that
is
case
regular
the parts
Mr.
Andrew Wilson
relying
is
"flabby"
the
that
possible
just
or "gelatinous" creature
whose manner
would correspond
with the details of the narrative. The "immense tail" might be
the enormous arms of such a creature trailing behind the body as
it swam backwards, propelled by jets of water from the breathing
mentioned in
swimming,
of
was a giant
this narrative
cuttle-fish,
absence of limbs,
colour,
etc.,
"funnel"."
My
it
is
Mr.
Wilson
manner
believes;
for
of
the
enormous arms
when
and
thirdly,
that the
colour
of a
of such a creature
swimming backwards,
two peculiar arm pockets;
it is
is
an
345
[1877.]
"Zur Geschichte der Seeschlange" appeared, writanonymous writer. Evidently the report of Captain Drevar,
article entitled
ten by an
which appeared
of that
cially
year,
in the Liverpool
Linnaean
(p.
Society
61
88),
(1817),
The
writer superfi-
animal of Stronsa
Boston
to this essay.
known
the
tales of
Pontoppidan
our n.
118,
the
hoax of the
Daphne (1848, Oct. 21), our n- 129 and 130, the cheat of Dr.
Koch (1845), and the true sea-snakes (Tlydrophidae). In two of his
assertions this anonymous author is incorrect, viz. It was not Captain M'Quhae who asserted that the animal's mouth was large
enough
to
admit
of
man
tall
standing upright in
it,
but an
(see
147.
my
Chapter on hoaxes
1877,
"An
instance
of
May
we read
21.
p.
34.)
In Mr.
in a note (p.
Andrew Wilson's
Lei-
Ill):
its
native seas
afforded
14S.
1877, June
2.
Not
less
346
the report of the
is
we
[N. 148.]
Unmasked
Commander Pearson
of fins above the surface of the water, extending about thirty feet,
feet
thick,
shoulder
about
six
teen
a
feet
turtle,
the
neck
narrower,
about four to
five feet,
the
and the flappers each about fifin length. The movements of the flappers were those of
and the animal resembled a huge seal, the resemblance
fifteen feet across,
of the
shoulder
(where
its
it
the periodical.
L.
which arrived
at
347
[N. 148.]
sea-monster
At about
voyage.
which
she
five o'clock
encountered
the sea
joined
could
her,
not
progressing
nearly
a
of
stay
an
in
to
make minute
The
observations.
eastwardly direction,
and
as
the
fins
vessel
were
more
sea-monster.
Its skin
,
was,
so far as could
be seen,
The head was bullet-shaped with an elongated termsomewhat similar in form to that of a seal, and
was about six feet in diameter. Its features were only seen by one
officer, who described them as like those of an alligator. The neck
was comparatively narrow, but so much of the body as could be
seen
developed in form like that of gigantic turtle and from each
side extended two fins, about fifteen feet in length, by which the
monster paddled itself along after the fashion of a turtle. The ap-
that of a seal.
ination,
being
was struck by a detached fragment of submarine rock. The disturbbelow water, it is thought probable, may have driven up
the monster from its "native element", as the site of the eruption
ance
only
is
where
it
was reported
to have
been seen".
officers of the
Navel Gazette
The Commander,
existence.
,
has sent an
official
smooth
the officers."
sea.
348
of the 30th. of
[N. 148.]
"We
that
the
north coast
the
feet
in
line
he says:
fins
S.
Osborne,
"My
inst.
attention
In a
was
irregular
heights
(the former
number
of
place
on the 2nd.
of Sicily
sketch,
They were
beam".
40
Haynes, of H. M.
of the
or
off
accompanying
called
first
P.
vessel
letter
W.
for the
to
the
foremost
steering,
part
swimming
and as we were
passed astern,
in
the
monster.
By
an opposite direction
this
time
to that
it
had
we were
could
the
sketch.
Eig.
4-1.
The
349
[N. 148.]
appeared
flappers
the
to
length.
From
became immersed,
about
third
resembling a
seal.
the
of
According to Mr.
fins
semi-revolving
and
which
(where? this
All
this
part
was smooth,
was immersed."
a Mr. Frank Buckland has sug-
Henry Lee
is
not
mentioned)
"the
that
ridge of dorsal
As
Fie. 45
to
The
me,
sea-serpent as seen by
to be of this opinion
live in
of the Osborne.
So
motion
whole length.
was
seemed
it
have
to
It
feet,
and of Massachusetts.
falls
to the
ground.
350
At
events
all
This
the
have nothing
fins
is
[N. 148.]
them with long flippers and the turtle-like mode of swimming, forms a zoological enigma which I am unable to solve."
tion of
We
fins
Haynes wrote on
The
He
was
perfectly
smooth,
distinctly
sea
different.
had no doubt disappeared, and the huge animal emerged. The owners of the fins
were evidently frightened at the approach of the sea-serpent. Lieut.
he fixed his
that
Haynes
the
glasses,
ridge
of fins
of an
feet
feet thick
animal's
was about
flappers
the
flappers
those
so
are
able
say,
the
is
about
sea-lion,
high above
do
to
the
left
one
is
having just
animal
resembled
huge
back of the
seal,
but
i.
its
is
to
e.
brought
a
remarkable statement of
of
is
elevate
while sea-lions
happens alternately,
to
water,
trunk,
about the
the
of
surface
the
broad, "and
The movements of
cannot possibly
sea-turtle
so.
paddling
turtle."
for
consequently
fifteen feet
feet in length.
fifteen
were those of
of
flappers
each
its
seal,
head."
the
This
this report.
head or
of the
resemblance
is
We
in
my
"The
being
strongest
opinion
the most
face of the
seal.
its
estimated at about
fifty feet
of the
forty
feet
[N.
148.]
351
to
where the
its
back.
M'Quhae
were:
118)
(n.
about two
breadth
length
the
of
feet,
diameter
feet;
one foot and a third; length of the neck to the fore-flappers about
twenty feet; length of the trunk from the fore-flappers to the hind-
about twenty
flappers
length
feet,
the
of
about forty
tail
Osborne
those
repeat
breadth
forty
put down
sixty
flappers.
The
situation
to
flappers
the
for
the
of
officers
feet;
the
five feet,
say
according to
my calculation
consequently
Daedalus were
the
whilst
in
bad
to
in a
more favourable
Lieutenant Haynes
aside,
moment
distance,
this
hind-flappers
than
feet
be
six
is
estimate
animal from
was
comparing
feet
the
to
saw
they
M'Quhae
Captain
and a third
e.
i.
to
about
head
the
of
which seems
of the
feet,
Let us now
feet.
distance
for
beheld
latter
situation
estimate
to
saw the
the former
it
the
different
lengths
the
of
surface
Lieutenant
animal,
the
of
the
Haynes estimated
with
had
the
his
written
that
animal.
It
it
ridge
of fins
is
evident
that
doubts
about
the
point,
this
ridge
at fifty
tail
the
"unless
became immersed,
invisible.
top,)
its
distance
of the
were entirely
conviction
the
back, where
its
hind-flappers
firm
but in a
nothing at
has
to
all
and
my
do
else
were
of fins
so
as
to
its
survey before
come with
entire absence of
its
it.
Evidently
nostrils
to
it
time some
below water,
blowing or spouting".
never dropped
for "there
head
was an
its
352
The
interesting.
placed by
foremost
the
statement
Times
ridge of fins
only
moved
[N. 148.]
They were
slowly along.
part of a sea-serpent. In
my
re-
opinion this
is
remarkable statement,
seal.
This
is
in
for
a
is
resemble a
to
form
observe
fortnight ago
is
is
clearly
that
of fins
along
seen
it,
and
possibility
Lieutenant
back".
nobody of my
such a position It was the
I believe that
of
the animal.
Though
it
moved with
lifted
up
In the
of
doubted of
admit the
will
readers
ridge
length.
Haynes
Naval Gazette
the
greatest
velocity,
it
letter
to the Editor
the
ming
its
in
sequently the animal could have been seen for a few seconds only
from aside, and then only from behind. Most probably in passing
the yacht, the animal turned its face once towards it, for we read
in
Times of
the
14th. June
"its features
officer."
stated to be about 15
or
semi-revolving motion,"
which
of
50
is
feet
is
now
not mentioned
The reason
of
about a third
is
353
[N. 148.]
probably
it
which led
of this estimation
it.
individual was
(fig.
it
is
partly
flapper
one
only
for
is
the
details
furnished
the
in
Times appear
account of the
to be
that
am
character
not at
and only
Wood,
Searles V.
Mr.
the
is
rise to
the surface
Jun's
comparison
Nov.
18)
is
In
any longer on
better at
chapter
is
expected
entitled.
serpent given by
himself to
mals
better
In
exist.
said,
it is
superfluous
Andrew Wilson
men
of science as well as
wish
those
considering
the
to
parts
after
quote here
the
authenticity
Can we,
view, but
interesting
author treats
the
first
very
dying or dead
it.
1879, Mr.
January
Time Studies,
to dwell
the
of
least
deep-sea fishes
fishes are
at
all
in
either
of
interest.
says:
354
ing past years,
dismiss
The answer
basis of fact?
[1879.]
to such a question
must be an emphatic
negative; since the evidence brought before our notice includes the
in
of
truth
served
on oath and by
testified
various
seas.
who
affidavit to the
their
in
have
cases
and ob-
been deceived,
is one
which must also be
due allowance for exaggeration,
and for variations in accounts arising from different modes of expression and even from mental peculiarities in the witnesses, there
remains a solid body of testimony, which, unless there is some
special tendency to mendacity on the part of persons who travel
by sea, we are bound, by all the rules of fair criticism and of
simply
have
persons
dismissed.
For,
evidence,
to
making
after
receive
all
as
else-
and duly
related
of anomalous
every
in
we must argue
Either, therefore,
vessels.
the
instance
senses
of intelligent
must have played them false, or we must simply assume that they
describing what they have never seen. The accounts in many
are
instances
mistaken
a
record
describe
the
inanimate objects,
for
distance
affirm
minutely
so
spected
is
firstly
,
might be
We
that
of strange
evidences,
as they
are
many
verified
if
may
pieces
viewed from
thus
to ordinary
then
of evidence on
judged according
in-
which
rules,
"The
first
presenting
issue
must
therefore
submit
is,
when weighed
prima facie manner, plainly shuts us up to
the belief that appearances, resembling those produced by the
presence in the sea of huge serpentine forms have been frequently
noted by competent and trustworthy observers. Unless we are to
believe that men and women have deliberately prevaricated, and
that without the slightest excuse or show of reason, we must
evidence
accumulated on
the
sea-serpent question,
in a
believe
that
they
[1879.]
355
opinion
the
that
"sea-serpent"
of a
in
next instance."
by
crew from
his
serpent,
my
use
to
since,
deck
the
of the
said
he
I
remained below
had seen the sea-
liar all
after!"
life
"something"
In
vessel
his
was a dead or
living
"Numerous
cases
exist
in
position
be a
to
minds
the
of the
officers
Daedalus
by the
118),
(n.
crew of the
way,
believing
sea-snakes,
that
(n.
these
explaining
to
it
however,
In
The
sea-snakes
Mr.
of
the
Osborne
appearance
148),
(n.
my
and
These parts,
ribbon-fishes.
Andrew Wilson's
Leisure
Time Studies,
lecture on
"The Sea-Serpents
subject,
that
treats of the
officers of
have found in
XIX,
serpent
by the
have inserted in
review
which
Vol.
Next he
developed
gigantically
sea-serpents
a great calamary.
or
and
as
naturalists
summary
of Science"
of the
is
interesting, both
now prepared
to
is
past,
this
and
distinct
356
kinds
probably
monsters
oceanic
of
[1879.
which
of
exist,
no
single
that
Liverpool
P.
J.
made by
sperm-whale,
evidence without
made
ually
single
have
letter
it
am
find
first
convinced that
in
this
144,
(n.
read moreover in
Drevar
my
145)
readers will be
Drevar was
We
settled
end,
to
its
perpendicularly
feet
not a canard.
1881,
that Captain
has
which he
long
its
ticle in
which
this is
Wood,
14
1879,
January
28.
is
satisfactory as
I quite agree
The Graphic
with him.
of April,
19,
1879, says:
"The following
correspondent
whom we
to
ing
a.
in
is
taken:
is
an
Major H.
extract
W.
J.
Senior
"On
abeam
of
the
ship's stern
and splashing
vancing nearer
in
again
with
and nearer
at
rapid
pace. In a minute
who was
read-
[N. 149.]
357
ed up in time
to
monster,
the
see
as
Greenfield, one of
passengers on
the
By this time
board.
it
500 yards
a
owing
and
to the vessel
steaming at
then
the
off,
in the rear,
little
about
rate of
westerly di-
in
On
rection.
ap-
proaching thewake
the
of
the
ship
serpent turned
its
lost
of sunlight reflect-
ed
on
the
Fig. 46.
The
sea-serpent as seen by
waves
City
of Baltimore.
were
its
movements
that
when
it
out
of
the
best
view
cables'
of
field
prevented from
of
length,
the
glass
ascertaining
the
that
I
it
could
had
when
see
darted rapidly
it.
scales or not
was thus
but the
monster
is
before
whether
it
obtainable
it
that
it
opened
its
jaws wide
lowered
its
as
it
rose,
as
it
almost
immediately
at
all,
and
358
When
eyebrow.
with a
the
[N. 149.]
its
head
sufficiently
out
huge log of
wood, prior to darting forward under the water. This motion
caused a splash of about fifteen feet in height on either side of
water
of the
much
the neck,
in
drop,
itself
let
it
to
it
were,
is
he mentions as co-witnesses
and he expresses
answer
like
whom
as
to
his willingness
in the subject. His address while on furlough is Rosebank Villa, Southfield Rode, Cotham, Bristol."
The appearance took place in the Gulf of Aden, as pointed out
by the latitude and longitude. The account here is very correct as
interested
now
will
The
try to show.
is
called black
and the appearance of the skin was that it was without scales.
The head and neck, about two feet in diameter, rose out of the
water to a height of about twenty or thirty feet, and the animal
opened its jaws wide as it rose, evidently swallowing some fish,
captured under water in its pursuit of a shoal of them and closed
them again as it lowered its head and darted forward for a dive,
reappearing almost immediately some hundred yards ahead. The
body was not visible at all, and must have been some depth
under water, as the disturbance on the surface was too slight to
,
attract
notice. This
is
on a former occasion
little
below
foreflappers,
caused a
the
surface.
well
as
splash
as
the
distinctly
hindflappers,
visible
paddling very
rapidly
(or
on
may
take
it
is
very exact,
we
foreflappers,
about twenty-five
seen
to
have been a
little
smaller than
with a dragon's
its
is
little far-fetched.
its
jaws, knitting
its
heavy eye-brows,
[N. 149.
features
its
Mr.
Senior's
wild
its
may under
prey,
circumstances
these
little
359
to cause
"the
expression
We
wood,
of
"when
out of water
caused
prior
in
have been
fairly
omitted
water,
shape of a
far-fetched:
also
fifteen
suffi-
such
of wings".
falling into
might
last
it.
splash
This
every
as
on either side of
in height
feet
pair
by a log of wood
caused
head
its
it
of about
much
parison
drop, as
let itself
it
neck,
the
the
darting
to
splash
duck, disappeared.
like
of pursuing:
habit
its
an object.
Our
Graphic,
to give
is
taken
third
of
figure
middle
the
but as
my
one
which
is
the
illustrated
scale,
text
It is
the
in
saw no reason
15
1879,
it
from
the
contains
"In
Nature
XIX
Vol.
p.
286
I observed
some remarks
res-
"The age
pared
to
of incredulity
admit
that
several
is
past,
and
distinct
naturalists are
kinds
now
pre-
of oceanic monsters
probably exist."
"I was pleased to read this statement, as I have for
been convinced
that
some
many
years
been
witnessed,
but
little
given
question,
the animal."
"Busselton
is
little
360
[N. 150.]
Bay, which
is
sheltered
of that
of
is
Lockville;
to
so
is
latter
place,
few
is
the
of
station
Ballarat
"Last month T heard a report that the sea-serpent had been seen
near
Busselton,
the
spectators.
Having the
him such an
interesting
him on the
account,
that I applied to
by
to
publishing
extracts:
just as the
sun was
and
ered
that
ridge
on
at
till
then
the
it
it
my
sound of
my
came back
to
at
[N. 150.]
(under water),
wide
at once, like a
visible
me
both
leave
361
in shore,
but so rapidly as to
on
"ridge"
the
water distinctly
It
gave
M'
the idea
of
"Just as I met
him
came
and
all
to the surface,
till,
showing
be
distinctly
"I
make an
here
sketch:
"It
straight
fins."
distinctly.
Eio;.
fish
Head.
The
47.
Outline
proceeded toward
of.
by the Rev<
w. Brown.
So
moment
it
did
to
me
when
at rest for a
whole length show up sufficiently. What its propelling power was I cannot say from observation
I saw no lateral
fins and no fish-tail."
did
its
"When
the
rapid
it
started
movement
away
of a
at the
pike
sound of
or
my
sword-fish,
it was with
and yet the thick
voice,
bluff head
man-of-war gave
when
362
know
with
[N. 150.]
any more
of
clear
Many
"I
trust
that
of credulity"
past."
is
"H. C. Barnett."
W.
"Fremantle,
need not
only
gives
my
tell
very
May
Australia,
readers
19."
that
"Colonial surgeon."
the figure
representation
indistinct
is
of four "bunches", or
visible
The blunt head compared with the end of a log the imperfect
description, and the so-called square appearance of the bunches
must be ascribed to the falling darkness. The other details of the
report: the swimming of the animal in bunches, its causing the
,
"ridges"
in
well
spar,
straight
1879,
151.
in
and
shape of a wide V,
the
its
length,
my
taper, are in
its
its
holding
its
resemblance with a
"fish" a sea-serpent.
call this
and
water in
the
head
Nature
April
5.
In
Novemher
for
18th.,
statement
is
a facsimile of a sketch sent
by Captain Davison, of the steamship Kiushiu-maru and is
,
forwarded to us
Davison's
Mc
Mr.
a.
m.
for
insertion
which
statement,
Kechnie,
is
in
is
as follows:
the
countersigned
Saturday,
jump
his
chief officer,
about a quarter
when I saw
was something attached to it. Got glasses, and on the next
leap distinctly saw something holding on the belly of the whale.
The latter gave one more spring clear of the water, and myself
and chief then observed what appeared to be a large creature of
of a
mile away.
Shortly
after
it
there
the
itself
about thirty
feet
it
mast and
after
descended into
[NM5L]
Mg. 48 and
Two
49.
363
the water,
seen by Captain
With my
first.
Davison
of the Kiushiu
glasses I
Maru.
made out
is
Graphic
is
an unbeliever,
else
he
pages
of
journal".
this
think
that
there
is
nothing curious in
these figures,
the
"Saki"
Kiu
of
Isle
Siu.
"Misaki"
or
Chichakoff.
This
It
is
also
"cape".
signifies
is
or better
Satano Misaki
called
of
of
which
serpent
(n.
54).
Nova
near Halifax,
excitement" and a
evidently
hunting
Scotia,
little
by the ship
appearance
as if
,
in
an unusual
saw
curving
Also
Captain
And now we
state of
after the
Captain Christmas
its
which appeared
Brown saw
have
for
it
the
"surrounded by porpoises"
fifth
(n.
(n.
124).
56).
whales,
364
description
neck
dimensions of the
After
the
seconds
stood
in
(n.
the
into
which
The
is
incorrect.
The
and of
whale's
taking
56),
escape,
the
an erect position
sea-serpent
evidently a survey
water,
the
the
description
about ten
all
first",
for
animal of Captain
the
like
its
is
estimated
about the
gerated.
Brown
[N. 151.]
"descended
finally
the
exactly
Christmas
way
(n.
in
124).
not
some hue
colours,
The vague
it must be
definition
may be
of blue,
the result of a
brown, or purple.
damp atmosphere,
or
which
nearly black.
is
As
the sea-
serpent has a very long and pointed tail, the fan-shaped or double
done
in
tail
fig.
emotion,
caused
the
as
the
whale
violent
and
escaped,
splash.
3.
Not
doing so,
in
the
flappers
illusion
ing
the
the
reality;
to
an animal
lieved by
more
his
own
tail
imagination than
has ever belonged
Mr. Searles V.
Wood
in that
153. 1879,
number
of
is
really be-
Nature!
J.
F.
[N. 152.]
three
diameter.
in
feet
coming towards
down with
splash,
great
It
turned
It
us.
365
its
the ship,
up about
staying
after
five
seconds,
but rose again three times at intervals of ten seconds, until it had
turned completely from us and was going from us with great speed
and making the water all boiling round it. I could see its eyes
and shape perfectly. It was like a great eel or snake, but as black
as coal tar, and appeared to be making great exertions to get
have
seen
many
kinds
ship.
different oceans,
of
fish
in
five
sea-snake before."
Of
this
Senior"
the
in
feet
at
speed.
great
about
so
from the
estimated
stood
seconds,
ten
seen
of the animal
is
five
seconds,
went
down with
of
The animal
like those of a
air.
Wood
is
The colour
149).
(n.
it
three
feet.
149).
way
The
as the individual
thickness here
Consequently
could
captain
not
is
vessel with
discern
four
different
two of the
158A. 1881,
1881
fore
Nov. 12?
The
Zuid-Afrikaan
mentions:
"In
the
mentions
of Nov. 17,
"Mr. C. M. Hansen,
that on Saturday even-
ing a
wrecked,
attention
of
to
after
little
Monillepoint
this
six
o'clock,
he perceived near
great
his
sea-serpent,
Hansen
its
its
.as
366
animal
swam with
lations.
It is
bull-dog's
this
it
impression.
called
that
is
undu-
first
hogshead.
gallon
is
dimension of the
the
pass
feet
water. It
body
its
near Cape-Town,
I
the
of
in order to
colour
its
is
make
now
brown.
153.
154.
1882).
May
1882,
31.
of July,
Steamer Katie."
"When
the
New- York
after sunset
in
N.
before
and
Steamer Katie,
May
on the 31st. of
which
fine
W.
Lloyd
Stettin
to Newcastle,
W.
of Butt of
us,
at
distance
first
we took
the
it
broken
nearer
for
waist-cloth
we saw with
of
ship
if
with
filled
a glass on the
left
water.
As we got
the water, and this motion was of the same length as the part of
the
object,
visible
ing
pieces
of
the
this
on
dark
that
we
damaged by some
if
connected
row of
hills
for
cliffs.
When we,
however,
PI
T3
368
changed
our
all
feet
from the
visible
end a
fin
whilst
the
consequence of this
In
could distinctly be
the
object,
to
from
obliquely
course
time,
the
still
[N. 154.]
made out
kind of immense
dimensions."
"The length
which had in no
any resemblance with the back of a whale, measured, according to our estimation, about 150 feet, the hills, which were
from three to four feet in height, and about six or seven feet
case
from
distant
each
other,
tail
end, than on
Had
mal.
these
creatures,
which
for so long
it
them
clear to
when they
its
much
as possible."
being a sea-serpent.
It
became
water visible here. It is clear that the Katie regood distance from the animal, so that Mr. Schultz,
a well-known animal painter, could not obtain a better view of
turbance of the
mained
the
at a
flappers.
as possible.
The
[N. 155.]
155.
369
"Believing
it
vation indicating the existence of large sea-serpents should be per1 send you the following particulars."
m. on Sunday, September 3, 1882, a party of
gentlemen and ladies were standing at the northern extremity of
Llandudno pier, looking towards the open sea, when an unusual
object was observed in the water near to the Little Orme's Head,
travelling rapidly westwards towards the Great Orme. It appeared
manently registered,
"About
p.
to
two minutes
and
in that interval
was watched
It
for
about
it
of the bay,
fully
any
ordinary
on
the
of
comparing
of
have since
the
made
impressions
sketches,
these
to
observers
independently
as
vessel.
is
200
say
which
memory,
sketches from
left
slightly
varied,
have
they
accompanying outline
as representing as near-
riariOOt, J.
cester,
discard
"D
F. J.
of
solicitor,
^__
W.
the
Mario w,
Manchester,
theories
this particular
of
Mrs.
birds
Marlow, and
or
purpoises
as
Orme
several others.
They
phenomenon."
"F. T. Mott."
of
the
place, as
is
stated, near
Orme's Head, a
The
mo-
370
of
[N. 155.]
serpent.
Another correspondent of Nature immediately wrote to the Edi"I have seen four or five times something like what
tor as follows
no doubt whatever that phenomenon was simply a shoal of porpoises. I never, however, saw the head your correspondent gives."
There! It is just the head which shows that the animal seen by
the party of gentlemen and ladies above mentioned, was one single
animal and not a row of porpoises
And therefore, one of the eye-witnesses, Mr. W. Barfoot,
promptly answered in Nature of Eebr. 8 1883
"Like your correspondent, Mr. Sidebotham
XXVII,
p.
315),
Nature
(in
Vol.
referred
birds,
from twenty
creatures
hour.
the
in
an
its
surface; but
all
present."
"William Barfoot."
In 1883 Mr.
Henry Lee
pated
chapter
to
it;
and numerous
articles
concerning
it
appeared in
"But,
their
inferences,
Mr. Edward
Newman
man
of wonderful
power of mind,
[1883.]
371
of great
time when
as
he said
writer.
At
believers
in
1847,
on
this topic,
and
the
all
magazine
his
more recent
to correspondence
therefore
the ful-
lest
am
I too
under obligations
Newman,
Mr.
to
collected so
many
his journal
but I
fail
As
to see in
Sea- Monsters
of his
who
one
has
to the contents of
part
as to
Unmasked,
may be
allowed to note
the following.
First
them
eral
afterwards.
centuries
I,
however,
blance
of
of
those
wonderful
existence
ideas
drawn,
or
don't
observe
any
resem-
concerning the
of antiquity
beliefs
of
serpent,
serpent
is
etc.
seasea-
to prove
has never
sits
to
explain
the
Of
"Of
various
sea-serpents
by reference to
his favoured
1817
no zoological explanation". He neither
gives an explanation of the sea-serpent seen in 1833 by British
calamary.
he says:
officers
(n.
can
Harbour
of Gloucester in
offer
Lochourn
(n.
372
Then he
"Many
says:
[1883.J
appearance of serpent-like
(n.
the
readers
beg to
(I
to that account),
refer
must be
"it
left for
149)
(n.
wood
into
with
"but, as one
visible
will
with
it,
but ends:
does not
And
of
come within
my
ken
Osborne
he says:
seems
"It
applicable
to
to
in
line,
close
the
swimming, forms
of
swimming
basking sharks,
four
to
Nevertheless
cognized
of
enigma which
in
class
a zoological
am
"To which
of the re-
created
Such a contradiction
And
mode
unable to solve."
order; but
turtle-like
(i.
e.
cala-
do not understand.
after
theory
and Mr.
resemblances
straining
or
be erroneous,
proved to
casting
the
"Great Sea-Serpent"
forms and habits
proposed by Dr.
the
nary
marine snakes,
may,
attain to an extraordi-
size."
"2nd.
of every
That
to
warrantable.
It
appears
to
me more
to science,
than
that
many
[1883.J
size,
may
373
am
156.
"The
October 15?
1883,
1883, mentions,
sea-serpent
inevitable
at
noticed
rate
of
off
the
down
has
north coast
The
387:
p.
and
left
of Cornwall.
the
west
as
off the
north coast
The greasy
trail left
is
behind
it
on
is
most probably
for
persons in
Norway
witnesses
and
their observations.
monsters lived
374
[1884,]
heard
all
that
least
in
Atlantic
the
and a long
tail.
me
requested
to
Honigh
my
supposition.
me:
tells
is
my
"On my
that in
in the
mentioned,
opinion there
Museum
Though
is
Honigh, teacher at the National AgriWageningen to communicate to me further particulars about the sea-serpent and about its literature, learned by
him on his travels through Norway, and repeated this my question
I
begged Mr.
cultural School at
in
February 1889,
157.
am
still
1885,
August 16.
{Nature of September 10, 1885).
be expected that the season should pass without the appearance of the sea-serpent somewhere, and if we are to
"It
believe
was hardly
the
to
information
boat.
head,
It
coils
flat scaly
[N. 157.]
water just as
375
it
it.
By subsequent measurements
on land the length of the animal was estimated at about 200 feet.
It pursued its course on the surface of the sea until close behind
the
boat
peared a
went down with a tremendous noise, but reapshaping its course for the Melo, where it
when
it
little
after,
The weather
the
at
time was
hot,
calm,
are intelligent
fishermen have averred having seen the sea-serpent here. The existence
of the sea-serpent
The
sea-serpent
is
in
heard by the
the
lads.
head was
Mr.
W.
E.
Edition
9th.
(June?)
its
rapid
motion
made,
Norway."
as is often stated,
flat,
is
its
is
its
being
scaly.
correct.
of the
number
Encyclopedia
article
published in 1886
and journals, which came in
Britannica,
of titles of books
his
numbers.
my
part,
for
"the
144,
376
while,
his
article
with
very
mal
or
prevent modern
such
creature
by the
in
ence
few
still
who
the
residuum
so-called
ani-
sufficient to
possibility that
some
He
explanations
different
is
all
some well-known
to
different persons
the
to
zoologists
may
exceptions,
by reference
[1886.J
and seems
fully
enumerates eight
with them.
agree
to
It is
evident that his only purpose was to satisfy the request of writing
an
article
15S.
we
on the Sea-Serpent
1886,
August.
an Encyclopedia.
for
In
the
read
"The
now
sea-serpent has
It was seen by
two young men, who were rowing in a boat, and who, it seems,
the monster fruitlessly chased. They describe the animal as growing
furious, when it found them escaping. "It lashed the water with
its tail,
which seemed to be about seventy-five feet distance from
its head. The head was as large and round as a Hoar-barrel; and
its eyes of a greenish hue, looked "devilish". Before resuming its
journey up the Hudson, it squirted from its mouth a stream of
foamy stuff resembling long shavings from a pine plank."
I have no reason to consider this account as a hoax, though it
it is
sea-serpent very often follows boats. I have explained this by the ani-
some emotion,
as
tail,
as
Maru
also
tail
(n.
of its tail;
estimated
is
at
on that occasion
supposed
ob-
its
or
(n.
it
151).
seventy-five feet,
The length
is
certainly
it
Osborne
that the eyes "looked devilish", and also that of their colour being
REPORT
[N. 158.]
AND PAPERS.
foamy
it
and
of frequenting
unique.
well
and
shores,
may be
owing
explicable,
apparently strange,
Xt>,
it
The "stream
is,
it is
stuff
locality
377
1886, August?
In
rivers.
number
the same
of the Graphic
says*.
160.
"And
first
tide
seen
1886, August?
another
yet
took
also
it
the
man
(On
(appropriately)
monster to be an immense
a notion
throwing twenty
at
out of water."
161.
1889,
"The
sailing
May.
In
read
this year, I
from Liverpool
refused to believe in
Of course
the name of
The Editor
its
to
Philadelphia,
who
hitherto
existence."
immediately wrote
to the Editor,
courteously
a captain
obstinately
answered
that
begging him
for
had forwarded him a written copy of the account taken from the
38th. number of the Grondwet of May 21st., of this year, published
in Holland
Michigan but the written copy had already disappear,
378
ed in the
the
[N. 161.]
paper-basket,
original,
to send
same
for the
reason.
In the
first
Creatures in
Curious
his
the
treat
of
part
are:
1.
Pages 268
Zoology.
The
sea-serpent.
illustrations
to
all
The drawing
a Hydrophis. 2.
Egede's sea-serpent, as
3.
fig.
An
22). 4.
of
Gesner
(our
Pontoppidan (our
Aldrovandus' work, and 5. A
was published
it
a bad drawing of
is
fig.
in
Ashton 's
Mr.
is
of the sea-
"These
existence, and
found in the Indian Ocean, but the larger ones seem to have
which are
28).
fig.
when speaking
assertion,
been seen
in
still
in
Andrew Wilson
Mr.
when
and
ically
common
in
this
make
condition
little
from their
trips
More
space
officers
(n.
(n.
118),
Mr. Maclean
of Lars Johnoen
97),
and
of Lieutenant
think
the
Walter
is
to the observations of
may
(n.
Haynes
least explanation,
verdict
(n.
be
(n.
92), of Captain
M'Quhae
given that
is
Scott, and
its
existence although
be branded as a falsehood."
JLGS.
derland
"The
schooner
Long
1890,
June.
Be Amsterdammer, Weehblad
Captain David Tuits, the
voor Ne-
sea-serpent
again.
Island,
British
of
a sight of
He
it,
is
near
a per-
[N. 162.]
379
fectly
trustworthy
but
sea-serpents,
of
feet."
I think it
135.
n.
is
called
snake
"a large
100
feet
long,
of
a dark
German newspapers
"To what
daily
class of
he
me
known
that
or six
we
I.
first
given.
municated in a
is
letter to the
letter
"A gentleman
now Secretary of
the
Commonwealth,) inquired
and
Science
vinced
Vol. II, Boston 1819 (1820), we are conBradford's inquiry of Mr. Cummings took place
Arts,
the
Mr.
that
Aug. 1803.
before
my
Fig. 52 shows
As we read
p.
in
Peter Ascanius
note,
517,
readers a porpoise.
his
Icones
rerum naturalium
summer
"In
often
meet
the weather
to
in
is
They
when
calm and
fine,
little eminences floating on the surface of the water; some fishermen of the North, seeing them at a great distance, took this
resemblance for an immense animal and gave it the name of sea-
of
serpent."
Again in the
letter
"All
these
facts
from Mr.
we
S.
Perkins
to
Mr. E. Everett,
read:
however,
[The
lst.J
reports
and supposed
foundation,
their
381
was only
number
each
following
it
porpuses
of
cession."
XIX,
Froriep's Notizen,Vo\.
"Christiania
September
in
193:
p.
1827.
5,
and
of porpoises,
shoals
uttered
the
presence
alleged
therefore
supposition
the
that
of the sea-serpent
we have
which
of 1828,
inserted in toto in
our Chapter on
have given
of porpoises"
the
all
tales
Schlegel
in
Essai
his
p.
105,
in
his
sur
la
La Haye,
rise
of the sea-serpent.
chapter
on
"We
are
and size",
and he
true
surprised to hear of a
monstrous
sea-serpent,
sea-snakes,
There
p.
shape
in
the
on
Hydrophidae.
517 he ends
his chapter
treated
which
have
ranks,
many
and known
tales
people
to every
but which
is
still
ignored by naturalists. I mean the
monstrous sea-serpent of the North, which in reality has nothing
to do either with the sea-snakes, of which we have treated in the
it,
foregoing
pages, or with
my
382
[The
1st.]
shark,
when
took for
others
The
illusion caused
I distinguished
each other.
following
closely
contributed to
make doubtful
black
appearing
objects,
moment
the
out
together
of
the
number
of
water, disappearing
movements
kept
monstrous creature
looking
at
this
published in
it
spectacle
be composed of a
to
of
little
till
knew
this
troop of porpoises."
Norway, says:
"If we submit the above mentioned evidences
him on
his journey in
shall
to
an inquiry, we
statements
we may
itself
accuracy. Yet
believe that
whom
the sea, and have too often observed porpoises together, to be deceived
may grow
to a considerable length."
[The
Again,
n.
606,
Posten
the
383
1st.]
we
as
after
Christiansand
of
fjord
Neue Notizen,
learn in Froriep's
XXVIII,
Vol.
p.
inserted
their
in
columns
add the
following remarks:
whole description
"This
the
and
Sea,
withheld
by
boats
their
their
nothing
row
swim
after
Ibbestad,
if
not
to twelve often
each other in
coast
coils were
but water. This great sea-serpent in reality consists of
else
that
of porpoises,
the
animal,
the
the
of
the
of
fear
near
to
observed
soon
inhabitants
the
if
tallies
of these
writer
line.
they
such
"I
my
mention
believed
that
friend
shoal
of porpoises
many have
Andrew Wilson's
In
figure of
And
believe
ming
of the
serpent's
Magnus
so
many
porpoises swim-
an
384
1st.]
upraised
was
[The
either
snake;
it
for
certainly
its
it
vertical
undulations."
here what
repeat
have
said
above
10):
(n.
Mr. Lee
If
wishes to
tell
many
great
well-authenticated
incidents",
he
"In
says:
other
such as
cases,
of
snake
of the
so
many
seen
porpoises
vertical
swimming
in line
the connecting
After
Head
(n.
in this journal
"I
five
that
the
respects
regularly.
They
are
line,
do so very
up
bodies half above the surface of the water, and so their backfin
clearly visible,
coil
backfin.
is
is
once,
visible
while
above
the
the
undulations
surface,
of
the
moment
only visible, a
sea-serpent
is
swan-like
how
seen
regularity.
not satisfactory;
is
are constantly
is
ir-
their
it
does
to explain the
To
avoid
[The
1st.]
Fig. 53.
repetitions,
Cummings
bring
row
of porpoises.
(n.
the
light
to
385
difference
row
And where
(n.
sea-
of porpoises.
a naturalist, like
effect
who
persons
of an
declare
occasion I
to
optical
illusion.
!"
body after having published, 1817, exceedingly interesting reports, was of course morally bound to explain the phenomenon. What kind of beast could it be!? and before they began
This
learned
to feel puzzled
and lame
a deus ex
snake
little
presented
itself
suddenly in a
illformed
field
near
Loblolly
lied
to
Cove.
the
was
It
killed
common
species
25
[The 2nd.]
386
atlanticus reduced to
of its head,
>
54.
Fig.
killed.
its
full-size.
Fig. 55.
Its
head;
full-size.
cester
fill
three pages
"On
uous
the whole
as these
between them
ence
has yet
them individuals of
name, until a more
have disclosed some
the
same
close
and
species,
entitled
to the
same
difference
of structure,
important enough to
astonishing
quite
is
conclusion
that
the
large
that
men
scientific
animal,
gave
that
could
rise
to
come
the
to the
51
ac-
full
atlanticus
that
it
If
Also from
another
point of view
little
Scoliophis.
Three persons
it
to
is
was not
bifid,
accurate
testimonies
agree
that
the
scales
[The 2nd.]
387
be
ended
"If
snake and
real
and
his extract:
we
will
Sea-Serpent,
of the Great
deny the
to
true
Scoliophis,
that
it
which
swimming with
snake,
is
is
is
an assertion
of the
become
doubtful;
same
null,
still
it
is
one
is
to
believe
number
this
For Mr.
to
collect
is
is
of probabilities
that such an
For
it
of the
that
members
of the
immense
its
eggs!"
Committee!
many
Pontoppidan, Egede,
Magnus,
it
388
[The 2nd.]
"As long
as
Linnaean Society
the
cannot
we may be
Of
this
we
Coluber
little
find
also
the
following
passage in
p.
"In the same country a snake has been found, probably of the
in
Boston
p.
297."
Dr.
be found in
will
Hamilton,
believes
that
the
in his
Scoliophis atlanticus
little
Great Sea-Serpent, at
the
least
We
see
that
he
is
it,
as
he puts a note of
specimen of Coluber
the
this supposition.
The third
the
January, 1819.
We
mentioned Chapter,
from
Prof.
T.
1.
[The 3d.]
Bigelow's
Prof.
indignation
against
rose
389
explanation;
this
in
II,
in
where),
"is
announced
to
(of
Gloucester and
else-
(See
Thomson's Annals,
for
January 1819)".
"In
is
a note
the
since
the
evidence
partly
the
during the
of observations
result
present
year,
which, having been mislaid, has not before been published. The
reader
will
judge whether
it
is
observation"
"defective
which
"an
extravagant
an American fregate
in
each
to
other;
or
whether
man
was
of
his
unknown animal.
pursuit of this
it
commander
It
may be
now perhaps be
considered
the
may
How
to
seal
make
walrus
sea-lion), its
tail,
agree
like that of a
is
long neck
its
snake,
four flappers
its
390
The
fourth
Smaltz,
explanation.
Dissertation
his
in
Samuel Rafinesque
Sea- Snakes, and
Constant
Mr.
[The 4th.]
Water- Snakes
on
convinced
the
of
pelamidoides
under
which
of
head,
this
proposing
{Megophias
megophias
give
figure
evidently
is
fact
classes
for
monstrosus)
them
and
two
(Family Hy-
size.
representing
Hydrophis
the
different sea-serpents
names
the
Pelamis
Pelamis
of
monstrosus
s.
chloronotis.
Mr. Gosse, in
the
his
question
may
after discussing
be an optical illusion
by
caused
stem
a
or
large
shark
a
eel
seal,
a ribbon
a basking
cetacean,
or
huge
sea-weed
of
fish,
kind of
large
continues
his
considerations in the
following terms:
"To the
however
opinion
popular
has
uniformly
Fig. 56.
Hydrophis
this
pelamidoides.
sea
title
in
"sea-serpent"
of
estimation
the
of
indicates
majority
sufficiently
the
of
his
those
pretty
assigned
denizen
and
of the
his accepted
zoological
who
Reptiles,
believe
affinities
in him.
be a serpent."
which
op hidae),
reported
to
are
remain
soundly there,
that
exclusively
much
the
at
the surface,
and even
to
They
sleep
are
so
awaken them."
known to exceed a few feet in length, and,
so far as we know, none of them have been found in the Atlantic."
Mr. Andrew Wilson on the contrary in September, 1878, declares in Nature (Vol. XVIII, Sept. 12) that:
"As a firm believer from the standpoint of Zoology the large
times
fails
"None
to
of these are
[The 4th.]
391
warm
But a few
am
"I
"cuttle
problem.
intereresting
on he
also
us
tells
giant
of a
ratio
lines further
far
only
the
presents
fish",
in the
solution of this
long
of
fa-
vourite idea:
specially
problem
the
quadrupeds
we
are
the
fishes
as
at
its
including no form
as
to
Vertebrata
that of the
animals,
birds,
is
of animals
may be
lowest,
all allied
to
class of
left
ranks
of
stage, namely, that too frequently the attempt to reconcile the sea-
serpent
foiled
Starting
serpent,
"serpentine"
reptilia,
ject,
their
to
and the
at once
given up. Then, also, as far as I have been able to ascertain, zoo-
logists
for the
ciliation
of such
shown
to
animal
life,
evince.
or
discrepancies
If
we
thus
amongst the
as
fail
the
various
narrations
may be
reptiles
392
reasonable
"sea-serpent" ,
nevertheless build
up a most
case
true nature,
their
we may
[The 4th.]
as
facts,
and
that
The
habits
the
of
animals
in
attacking
the
whales,
evidently
such
size,
animal
being
as
the
described
the
various
narratives
as
swimming
with the head out of water, would seem to indicate that, like
reptiles, they
frequently
to
The
all
less
diffi-
which appear to stand in the way of reconciling the seaserpent with a marine snake, in this or in other cases, are two in
number. The great majority of intelligent persons are unaware of
culties
the
serpent
because
it
order,
naturalists
have
dismissed
their
idea, simply
of an
[The 4th.
"It
how
be asked
will
account for
may
fin.
ments of the
laterally
the
would
surface,
393
compressed
serve
to
tail, altogether
propel
concealed beneath
the
causing the front portion of the body to exihit any great or appar-
motion;
ent
appearence
the
whilst
of a
ed
animal,
the
to
compressed
that
or,
extended
tail
far
the
forward and
appeared
vertically
as a fin-like
structure."
may be
strong
the
tutes
siology
to
This point
serpents.
will
of
points
development
the
feature in
my
explanation,
really consti-
the probability of
is
huge or gigantic
is
strong
offer
this
am
size
of ordinary
marine
may be
occasionally
developed.
sider
the
thus
we have proof
appeared
which plays
as
so
if
in
At
an
realisation
important
fishes
of the
giant
of literally
part
of
which have
Hugo's
"devil-fish",
Victor
in that strange
undoubted
gigantic
direct kind of
as cuttle-fishes,
we
weird
tale, the
proportions,
developed, in fact, to
when
the
latter
is
compared with
its
ordinary representatives of
there
gigantic
ask,
in the idea of a
394
giant of
race
its
or
for that
of monster sea-serpents
species
cuttle-fishes
unknown
which
snake-like
or
we have
I hold
the
few years
past
developments of snakes
reptiles
within
until
matter
[The 4th.]
remained
animals,
be they fishes or
and
rational explanation
at least a feasible
Mr. Lee
development.
colossal
Dr.
has given
much
huge development of ordinary forms we discover the true and natural law
attention
to this subject,
is
for its
supposed appearance".
But by this supposition the smooth skin, the four flappers, the
mane, and the pointed tail of the sea-serpent are not explained.
true snakes cannot possibly throw their bodies into vert-
Further,
undulations.
ical
drophidae
It
is
visit
Great Britain,
the
land
The
explanation.
fifth
seen
sea-serpent
allied to the
by Capt.
Gosse,
shown that
seal,
be
believed the
fish
(n
56), closely
in
his
some
caused by a
the
sea-serpent
huge stem of
may
after
having
have been an
sea- weed,
or a large
"A
species
conger
remind
so
in
illusion
optical
to
Mr.
Brown
of the
is
eel
found ten
me
that there
[The
395
5th.]
"Amongst the
like
animals
gantic
we may
fishes,
which
may
developments,
be
marine
of
serpents.
all
As the common
known to all my
eel
readers,
nearly
the
The four
has, however,
no pectoral or ventral
has
it
enough
it. The
flappers
fins
same external
its
of the
features;
it
destitute of a fin.
tail is
and
sea-serpent
its
vertical flexibility
that
is
Hibbert's
which
"The
for,
faith
in
the
Edda
of
Thor
fished
did not, as Dr. Percy conceives, give rise to the notion of the
am
is
right.
and it is plausible
had met with the sea-serpent before the fable
Thor's great Serpent was inserted in their Eddas.
foundation
in
facts,
or
in
objects
of
nature,
396
[The 6th.]
from the faith in the Edda, is repeated by Messrs. H. E. Strickland and A. G. Melville in a note to their dissertation on the
Dodo, in the Annals a7id Magazine of Natural History, 2nd.
series, Vol. 2, p. 444, Nov. 15? 1848:
"It has always seemed to us that the fable of the Great SeaSerpent, which first spread in modern times from Norway, was
to be traced to the myth, in the fine Old Northern Mythology,
Jormungandr,
the great world
Thor fished up with the bull's-head
bait, and whom, at the great day of Ragnarokr, he shall slay. It
is curious by the way, that we are expressly told how Jormungandr
rearing his head, poured out fountains of venom upon Thor, very
much as old Bishop Egede tells us of the great sea-serpent raising
up its head and spouting out water."
of that
fell
of Loki,
offspring
whom
surrounding serpent,
At
present every
one
is
no
fables.
viz.
end
the
of
Mr
Mitchill's dissertation,
remember
will
Again
basking shark
in
P.
S.
Illustrated
"P. S.
or
and
of the
to the Editor
there
in
the
is
highly improbable
now
the
animals figured in
London News."
Evidently he meant a shark,
it
of
snake
presenting
fishes
him
published
unknown
the
cartilaginous
although
that,
true
forbid
portions
fig.
remark,
to
an ophidian
habits
to
With regard
would beg
that
delineated in our
is
a letter addressed by
to
London News,
number of November 4, 1848:
I
with
to have
made by
this suggestion is
Mantell
the
1828,
in
in the
of
be found at
will
printed
living forms of
general
the last
Number
of the Illus-
trated
maximus
no
of
of Linne).
The
figures
referred
M'Quhae,
(fig.
In
the
we have
explanation
fifth
was
ville
397
[The 7th.]
opinion
of
Mel-
there
that
reality,
Northern
in
published
"with
number
November
of
of both
permission
27th.,
"I
Cogswell, part
of
which
is
1848, he says:
a doubt regarding the existence of
of vast dimensions,
whose angel
have
visits
the
"No one
known facts
inclined,
believe,
to
due importance
give
and the
the
to
any
rela-
extinct Plesiosauri
am
fish
of opinion that
just
is
probable
as
that a shark
may
when
I conceive
periods out of the water, as that the flying fishes should occasion-
ally step
"It
is
wholly
be
part
inexplicable;
day
the
one
that
believe
in
or
question
and hence
will
be
am
may
content
satisfactorily
to
solved.
Might we not
regarding
the
expresses
his
opinion
"As
to
consider
place
its
the
that
among
fishes,
Daedalus
animal
Dr.
may
have
sharks;
cation
is
of
Captain
preposterous."
Mr.
Vol.
Andrew Wilson,
XVIII)
is
however,
in
Nature
(1878,
Sept.
12,
398
[The 7th.]
"A long tape fish, or even a basking shark of huge dimensions, might
do duty in the eyes of non zoological observers for a "sea-serpent"."
Lee,
Mr.
masked,
dorsal
in
Mr.
the
"ridge
Un"the
that
may have
Buckland,
of
Here
fins".
None
Monsters
believes
also
fins
by
Sea
his
1883,
furnished
he
evidently
of fins as seen in
fig.
44.
mention
on
fins
explanation
back,
its
that
so
this
is
Mr.
Serpentism", printed
in
Chapter on Hoaxes),
at the
"which have
the sea-serpent
me
which there
in
of backfins. Moreover,
of
fin-fishes
which
who
backs,
or
bend
in
bunches on
a
of
string
buoys? Fig.
fin-
fish
question
body
their
like
coils
is
says
fins
he cannot show
He
the sea-serpent.
rise to reports of
length
of
106
from
seen
tail,
feet.
An
above,
it
may
is
obtain
outline of the
is
added above
Mr. Gosse in
his
Bomance of Natural
the
sea-weed
hypothesis
and the
seal-
theory says
"It
is
creature
Cetacea or
whale
tribe.
know
may
prove
of no reason
to
why
belong
to
the
a slender and
399
[The 8th.]
who
Steele,
represents his
this direction."
The
sea-serpent
although
cetacean,
back-fin
like
1852, Aug.
28).
it
Vol 40, n.
"With regard to
tizen,
is
we
read:
much
the
in
questioned great
latest
edition of
description,
of the
16, p.
sea-serpent,
as
like
the
trates
of
the
is
sea-serpent continues in
may
perhaps have
an
supposed
to
be a descendant:
its
legend
of
to
thread
as
of the
effigy
presents
made
of the
beast
it
as it
worm
himself round
coil
is
we
accord-
Lambton Worm,
the
"If
mind
popular
tale
as a serpent of
hill
wound round
in
the North of
enormous
size,
who
Wear,
Lambton
Castle, re-
Lambton Worm,
these
adjuncts
at the
400
same time
[The 9th.]
as
the
Ichthyosaurus
extinct
species
far
sooner
itself in
the depth of the ocean from the curiosity and violence of man."
than
have
scales
must
destitute
have
been
microscopic
and
to
of
of
minuteness
so I have ventured
my
sketch
59,
fig.
it
most
which
58 represents
fig.
the skeleton.
Here we have an
mal of really huge
had a length of from
fifty
di-
mensions.
to
ani-
forty
Their skin
feet.
the
delineated.
very short
Now
W\$/
as in whales.
a P omte d
tail
and a very
last
to
character
is
enough
living Ichthyosauri.
Moreover,
was unable
to
move
in vertical undulations.
the
Ichthyo-
The tenth
879,
n.
latest
401
[The 10th.]
explanation.
we read
328,
p.
that,
in
note
Bakewelt/s
Mr.
to
above mentioned,
to Geology,
Plesiosaurus
latter does
Plesiosaurians
known
an Ichthyosaurus,
than
in
of the
readers a sketch in
60.
If this is
done,
is
it
fig.
will not
it
be
to
difficult
as
neck
state.
build
my
short
liassic
to
the
fossil
so
common
as
The
Figuier and
Andrew Wilson
don
't
figures
please
me
delineated too slender, and the head of the animal in Mr. Gosse's
drawing,
present
to
my opinion,
my readers my
in
is
wrongly represented. So
fig.
61
showing how
venture to
Mr. Rathke,
of 1841, after
in the Archiv fur Naturgeschichte
some accounts of the sea-serpent, collected by himself
during a journey in Norway, and after declaring that he himself
,
publishing
is
a firm believer in
Fig. 60.
it,
goes on:
26
402
Fig. 61.
Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus
[The 10th.]
restored.
of
this
being belongs,
cannot of course
however,
very
near,
1816"
(read
which
is
in
that
it
1808)
closely
is
stranded
related
in
to
Stronsa,
that animal
one
of
the
Orkney's," &c.
After
short
description
will
the
if
sea-serpent
viz.
of
is
its
Saurians.
Now
if
such were
the
according to
to the
to believe this, it
observed
organization
case.
,
the sea-
necessarily
We
observe
that
Mr. Rathke,
like Prof.
is
Silliman, inclines to
403
[The 10th.]
the
gestion
that sea-serpents
am
words in which
in
1847, on
number of this Journal made the sugmay belong to one of the Enaliosaurians.
54th.
was
this supposition
written.
is,
of his
one
own
why
We
brain.
or
other
position
were
latter
would perhaps find out that both accounts and supalready six years old\ But, of course, I may be
mistaken
Immediately
wrapper,
after
history's
same Journal
for the
sake
repeat
here
his
his
By Charles Cogs-
well, M. D."
"Every generation of
long as
so
it
man
is
born
to stare at
is
something, which
to the
of the
my
"Zoologist"
animal
into
off the
the
of notice
for
May
last,
that
several
animals of the
New
England.
It is
worthy
have
scanned in limine
copied
oral
conjectured
diate
me by
writer
from
foreign
sea-captain to the
same object
much
of the
404
measurements,
parts,
to
fain
harmony together
in
all
as belonging
one individual.
and
rather
as
precision
national
characteristic
[The 10th.]
who would
for escape
tion. The former adventure took place in 1833, the latter in 1840,
and now they are related almost simultaneously within the last
few months."
"Nor is this delay to be wondered at, when we consider how
much
the
no
of unbiassed
reserve
before
debateable
point
in
the
is
It
modern records
of
the
existence
of
huge
all
more
of observation
North
Ocean.
the
ghost
for
the
of vulgar superstition
conceivable end
sole
men having
less
manifesting
of adorning
been obtained
for deliberate
much
ject
griffin,
other
so
far
while
the
purpose of
years since
ers
discovered
the
details
much
of a
ally
They
his
defer indeed,
as
it
may be
enlightened
description
endowment
the
for
Scandinavian
in
celebrity
we much
of
in
certain
the
with so
recollected
fellow-mortals
his
with
"true
moon by an eminent
much
simplicity
and
and peculiar"
to
have been
candour with
re-
[The 10th.]
some
gard to
many
that
particulars
manner
the
in
its
405
of "Gulliver's Travels",
necessarily
now
before us."
examine
chose
to
oppose
it,
Amphibiousness
incapacity.
is
no obvious impediment
either
commence with
to
water,
is
rated
in
only
two
common
the
species,
if
illust-
{Coluber
natrix)
to it readily,
is
ease, holding
members
and inhabiting
donotus
lakes
and
rivers.
Some belong
first named
Homalopsis,
Of
"Physiognomy of Serpents"
comprised
British species),
and
Water- Serpents,
the Boas, this author says: "several species frequent fresh water,
and there are some of them essentially aquatic," among them the
Boa murina, the largest of known serpents, and his two species
of Acrochordus."
"Further, and what completely sets at rest the part of the case
we
now
are
considering,
there
are
swarms
of marine ophidians
inhabiting the
been partly
with
flat
existed
in
tails
the
appear to have
us that Hydrae
He
also
tells
us that
these reptiles
had
406
[The 10th.]
very
sharp
and
teeth,
appeared
be venomous.
to
According to
Ctesias,
cene remain concealed at the bottom of the water during the day,
and by night they attack persons who go to bath or wash linnen"
,
(Griffith in Cuvier).
Sea-Snake
the
nostrils
tail
flattened
they
directed
the
to
especially
fitted
for
vertically
his family of
aquatic
life
valves,
having
and the
like
going on land,
belong
are
to prey
regions
on
Their limits
fishes.
"The
ourselves
reason
the
to
Atlantic Ocean.
of
so
And
whether there be
inquiry,
to
here
from the
deviation
nect
subordinate
assigning
for
is
it
away
necessary to put
common
North
that idea
to
all
the
sufficient
in the
to
size
excressence
attributed to
produce an unfavou-
known
serpent
twenty-five
to
feet
some
although
feet,
allow
such naturalists as
fall
so far short
perable ground
station in
life
of
objection.
command
Many
respect
of the
positions from
immense
creatures
resembling serpents
Norway
shores.
The
in the
several de-
drawing their
and familiar with the more prevalent
forms of the inhabitants, but of a class commonly presumed to
be well educated, as merchants, clergymen, and a surgeon. Their
observations indeed vary on the subject of length (varying between
forty and one hundred feet), and likewise on some of the details
last
subsistence
from
of
so
outline,
or to deceptive
the
that
sea,
they
may
phenomena producing
[The 10th.]
may be
407
inclined to profer.
The
first
notice
by an English gentleman, holding a responsible appointment under the crown in one of our transatlantic dependentransmitted
cies, is calculated to
hemisphere,
mitted
new
what was subthe eye alone may remain a desideration. But for the
to
so
as
far
faithful
representation of
hearing on
sterling
its
more
of the
little
doubt that
this
of the
mizing
for
"But
the
tioned
it
may be
how
asked,
it
is
to withhold."
fifty-fifth parallel
American water
domain approaches so
Nova Scotia (or New Scotland) and
New England? By a curious and happy coincidence, of like significance to many that are constantly springing up to confirm the
dery,
while
much
nearer
of
results
the
the
in
their
the Equator, as
independent
piscivorous
mammalivorous
research,
gavials
in
crocodiles;
it
line
is
swerving
the boun-
Among
North Atlantic, recently marked out by Professor Edward Forbes as determined by the presence of similar
forms of animal life, occurs what is called the "arctic and boreal"
province which "sweeps across the northernmost part of the North
Atlantic from Europe extending down the coast of North America
as far as Massachusetts, but nothing like so far on the European
side as the American." (Lecture at the Royal Institution, May
the
divisions
of the
14, 1847)."
positive
claim
still
with
to
to
seriously
it
is
the
"great
unknown"
his
of the
entity,
all
past
history,
before
he can hope
so
to
widely associated
be understood as
highest
name
in
science
men
all,
408
But authority
however exalted
where
means
[The 10th.]
in
cases
as
its
position.
of Herodotus
about
little
jaws"
"stretched
the
the
of
raw
the
flesh
there
are
good
faith
made
of a contemporary traveller,
on the back of an
excursion
brief
who
to
doubt the
The
alligator.
conflicts
and opinion engross indeed no small share of the history of human knowledge. There are cases, no doubt, in which
the senses and the judgment of incompetent persons are liable to
be imposed upon by irrelevant facts created or qualified for the
occasion. But here there is no hypothesis concerned requiring naof discovery
ready
objections,
belief,
to
of
an aquatic medium
for
service;
its
start
ting
the
our
views;
is
their consent,
text,
in
we
unimpeachable. Are
imputing
willful
may
dishonesty
justified in rejec-
to
those
who merely
describe to the best of their liability what their eyes have disclosed
We
to
them?
as
altogether imaginary
physical
unicorn
is
attributes
is
with
and the
The
griffin
no other than
the tapir,
somewhat
disfigured
by
style
of
tional fraud
imagination
truths
which
tail.
Even the
ghost-seer
is
travellers,
and an
and
architect-
The
collateral
to
other
[The 10th.]
answer to
cient
under
marine ophidians,
of the
distinctive
409
and respire
water,
them
enabling
to
live
long
air
sure above the surface, because the like provision does not prevent
Pacific denizens
the
into
to observation.
form
insignificant
proof of
some
in
be
jections,
abnormal
it
warmer
the
in
should rather
sopher
corresponding
ants
be required to give a
those
to
reason
why
at least
of the
situations
opposite
region
of the globe."
diversity of detail be accounted too serious an objection
"If the
to
be
our
so
dismissed
lightly
ditions
rather
problem
satisfactorily
than
intimated
loosely
The
is
which more
cognizance
throughout the
prescribed
albeit
their
years
long
before
the dominions of
man made
particulars
answering to those
record
the
huge trunk
ition
fins
sonamed
to the
the protracted tail and sometimes (see the deposArchdeacon Deinbolt, "Zoologist" 1606) an appearance of
or paddles. This coincidence is the more remarkable, because
,
may belong
only
arrive
at
to
it
one
deficient
to have
of
of
link
the final
Enaliosaurian
the
in
proof,
the
that
composed
of
reptile
the
of
upwards of
spectacle
combines in
its
open
this to
thirty bones, a
vertebrae
cervical
types,
seems to supply
in
of
ious
the
ascribed
sea-serpent,
in
structure
to
and
paddles
like
this
tail
we
The
number
far
exceeding
head of a
lizard
with teeth
a trunk
observers.
all
those
of
turtles"
(Mantell's
Wonders
of Geology). If
410
[The 10th.]
extinction
things
mould
their
notion
suggested
to
less,
familiar
all
perception
visual
by
with the
accordance
into
general
its
outline;
Be this as
Darwin of marine saurians, though
long, about some of the south sea islands,
it
but
no
are
acter
likewise
seem
longer
hide-and-seek sort of
the
for
may
to lead, it
Plesiosaurus
To account upon
extant.
life
from
differ
in char-
it
supposition
this
those
of
other
all
existing reptiles,
and
resemble those of whales". They are placed "near the highest part
of
selves
animal
as indicated
by the structure of
habits
of the
ities."
that
question
subject
observers,
open
peruser
of
one
is
equally
assured that
to
fairly
the
with
to
unrestrained
the
to
criticism
to
testimony
the
of
belief
be considered an open
of future
scientific
casual
I feel
these
extrem-
its
entitled
readily to
breathe
remarks:
who
to arrive at,
to
me
perfectly
judgment on the
subject. The question is whether the evidence is such as would
induce any man to believe, whose mind was prepossessed with no
notions at all respecting it. Should we credit the testimony, if the
animal to which it relates were claimed to be a mere variety? 1
satisfactory
think
favour
in
we should."
am
of at least a suspension of
which arrested
this paper.
obliged to
attention,
particulars
communication
his
is
to
in the be-
because
him by
is
that
made by
Capt. d'Abnour
(n.
106
of
oral
a).
[The 10th.]
I
Cogswell had
done
characteristic
above-mentioned passages.
better
Mr.
to
sea-captain
national
411
in
precision
so
much
ac-
of
incorrect,
may
the reader
as
may
the
up
to
the
after
days of Mr.
not be
will
gard to
think that
inclined
to
Newman's
call
suggestion,
i.
e.
up
to
1847,
with
re-
mane
it
sea-serpents
are
allied
to Captain
letter
"There are
the
sea-serpent
to
Hamilton, R.
News
believe,
for
he writes in
several
but almost
all
varieties
the
of the reptile
accounts
known
as
tence
of
the
fossil reptiles
of
the
of
of
species.
412
the
in
existence
of
[The 10th.]
being sup-
its
suggestion.
be found in
will
letter
M'Quhae
statements of Captain
Dr.
(n.
its
118).
feared
the
story
of the
sea-serpent
was on a
once
than
the
first,
being partly
history's sake, I
grows
"It
am
critical,
acknowledge
to
blance
to
a serpent.
The recent
letter of
Captain
M'Quhae
some
to
to the
admit the
evidence,
or
explain
it
invent
still
to
duly
in
tence
semblance of unity
he carries
his
with
body
the
discarded
"no joke"
it
is
for
his
head
is
seen
surface.
for
From
the
standard jest
of
likely to
be
scientific inquiry."
"To show
[The 10th.]
any
of
Ferry",
as
of
these
we
species
avec
certitude
an
the
assertion
que je puis
"we
shall content
since
statement as
the
characterizes
Sclilegel
"American
the
inhabiting
(sea-serpents)
that
see
413
ourselves
rise
Ocean".
Atlantic
the
in
to
of
marvellous
the
of rolling
porpoises
extending
seventy,
the
animal
the
stories
resembling a long
or one
eighty,
single
&c.
Had
"a
multis
in
the
keep in close
fates
aquatic
his
for
of being
stories"
of
up
lot."
the
important,
is
laid
relative,
own hard
corroboration
official
"marvellous
who complained
"The
file
fundamental truth
not
only
of these
because the
author
under the circumstances must at least receive credit for the most
entire sincerety, but from the encouragement thus given to other
credible witnesses to bring forward their evidence. There is no
reason
to
suppose
before
the
public,
even
that
this
laid
in
the
Drummond, and
viz.
the
the
first
extract
rumour
public
doubt be used
tion
official
as
it
which follows
it,
appeared in the
The commuca-
414
modern days
and that of Kraken
of
Norway"
seen above,
its
And
synonymous.
on both subjects,
of authority
Of
priate
As
name
never-
Pontoppidan,
theless,
its
ity of
[The 10th.]
is
them
Kraken he
treats of
separately in appro-
the
says, "I
come now
the
third,
Medusa
illusion;
enormous
of
sailing crafts
have been a
this story to
down
all
for
an optical
probability
starfish kind".
may
it
One cannot
help
beast""
"Commentators have
supposed
idea
the
derives
only lately
plausible
leviathan
been divested of
pretentions:
to,
and
suggest
the
inquiry
be
divided in
the
whether Milton
text;
"scaly
the
The former
more
whether the
of
tradition
its
the
nevertheless,
position,
its
opinion
a crocodile or a whale.
support from
little
alluded
mind
been
to
kraken.
poet
his
the
is
serpent,
vary
may
perplex
us
is
in
the
foundation of
length
perhaps
all
the descriptions.
from forty
to
[The 10th.]
415
The
buoys.
row
of casks or
is
contained,
believe,
land
in
who
of the Navy,
be a Sea-
is
Captain L. de Ferry,
men, within
in a
to
near Cape
seen
(Boston
large
to
relative
Serpent,
six
miles of Molde, in a
"The tenor
"Zoologist"
of the
&c.
late observations in
Norway recorded
in the
(Zool.
remarkable
so
suggested
recording
in
difficulty
to the sea-serpent.
of
together
There
the
is
the
in
liarity
description
mind
the
of
a pecu-
Egede, a
One
(Zool.
recent
the
of
ment, that
it
1607).
narratives
also
states
of the progressive
move-
Thus
is
offered
occasioned
visible
undulation."
(1,
may
of an Animal stranded
1808" given in the first
Volume of the "Wernerian Transactions" by the late eminent Dr.
Barclay. Evidently disposed to believe that this animal was a seaserpent, Dr. Barclay indignantly repudiates the opinion of Mr.
Home, that it was nothing more than a shark (Squalus maximiis).
Figures of the two are shown in juxtaposition, for the purpose of
constrasting them, and to all appearance their respective peculia-
"Here
on
the
Island
refer to
of
"The Description
Stronsa,
in
the
year
416
quite
are
rities
animal,
in
with six
The Orkney
appellations.
resemblance to a Plesiosaurus,
curious
bears
distinctive
to
sufficient
fact,
[The 10th.]
legs.
was, the anomalies being accounted for by the circumstance of the drawing having been taken from hearsay and under
the supervision of persons who only saw the original in a very
really
it
imperfect
economy
The "Animal
state.
Drs.
of Stronsa"
at-
lanticus"
by
"From what
sea-serpent
the
superstition
it
difficult
with
this
sole
been naturalists.
The
critical
confidence,
determine
what
strictly
objection
to
select
that
eye of a Muller or an
,
the
mer months
of
creature
this
stage
however
great
in
occurrence.
its
est
that
if
a consistent
it
with the
there be any
its
time under
water,
ing
idea
is
all
Owen would
moment. Secondly that if we do
extraneous ideas, and confine ourself to
relates to the
tendency in nearly
truth
the notion of
that
true affinities in a
its
the
First,
has
it
would be
it
evident,
is
since
whom
than
precedes
is
But
difficult to
are there
of organization
conceive of an air-breath-
measure accounts
to
conceal them-
perhaps
very
of Savage),
the
next to man,
is
gorilla
scale
limits of science,
the
chief
of
it
all
mind
quadrumana {Troglodytes
deserves to be borne in
the
African Fauna. At the beginning of this century a cetaceous animal {Physeter bidens of Sowerby), sixteen feet long, was cast ashore
on the coast of Elginshire, the species has been previously undesand not another example is commonly believed to have
cribed,
since
occurred.
From
it
a place,
it
has
[The 10th.]
which only
Were
this
exist, the
animal
known
only by tradition,
it
under an impres-
recognition
been established,
how
consider
far
And
purely the
re-
supposed
"If the
have
is
!"
an accident
sult of
to
of
improbable that
is
it
their sanction
have
yet
naturalists
417
it
to
utmost length
Nevertheless,
(Schlegel).
the
serpent
in
the
mythologies,
old
powers,
daceous,
like those of
slightest
following
idea
passages
"the
last minstrel",
civilization. It is
have
without
that
I venture to
the idea of serpents frequenting and traversing the sea was at least
nerva,
crossing the
serpent.
alta
"Pectora
1)
Look,
telling
it)
two serpents
enormous
(I
shudder in
in
coils,
27
[The 10th.]
418
"The poet,
too,
(whose
facts
Pliny
phthegm
that "truth
is
dracones
the
Red Sea
more luxurious
in quest of the
ratur in maritimis
capitibus
erectis
a former
occasion
(Zool.
sea-serpents
1841)
"Nar-
modo
took
advantage of the
purpose of showing,
for the
family
as
inter se cratium
for
perils of
veliflcantes,
opportunity afforded
rare
the Afric-
diet of Arabia
"On
how
an
implexos
is
perfectly
first,
that
recognized
in
and that therefore the name itself should inspire no sentiment of ridicule; and next, of remarking that strange as are the
science,
properties
museums which
them
all
or nearly
all.
time to be a daring
laws
which
result
what
the
of
all
it
seemed
be a necessary
to
all
question
the
argument par
else is it likely to
correct? Is
after
is
without at
not
least
The
affirmative side
(see
mane,
so often
of the
mane are held above the waves; the remaining part lashes the sea,
and they bent their immense backs in coils. There arises a noise, whilst the ocean
their blood-red
skims.
1)
Vergilius
And
(the
these (dragons)
Aeneis,
II
Asachaeans)
twisted
203
tell
sqq.
together in
the
way
of Arabia."
of a twisted
work, and
sailing
with
[The 10th.]
prised at
its
F. G. S.
ture
Society,
it
is
to
be
419
willing
adopt
to
to
least
is
member
own.
for his
it
It
repeated
the
of
learning
nations
earlier
how
geology, seeing
formity in some
lurked
there
respects,
with
the
realities
some knowledge of
came to such a conof
these preadamite
reptiles."
"The determination
of
even a knowledge of
the
of
itants
advantages
it
deep,
ception
that a
of the
historians
with
most obvious
the
great
sea-serpent
of
no
The
easily over-estimated.
will
practical
excitement about a
recent
the
know
conceive,
appearance
bugbear of naturalists,
appears
as
does "swim the ocean stream", and the value of the result
cannot be too
with
great
not,
are
general
its
habits
to
be admitted
provided
its
discovery
consequence
at first sight
man. I
upon
or of one which, though
to
the
of
highly amused
that
interests
of
likely to seize
indirectly,
human
failing
no
more solemn than that which relates to the seaserpent), is surely no trifling gain of itself. But more than this:
no circumstance has tended so emphatically to stamp the "Yankee"
character with the stain of a bold and unscrupulous love of fiction
and exaggeration as the story of the sea-serpent. Perhaps on the
principle of Mr. Warren's "man about town", who, being called
confidence
evidence
in
can
the
value
of
testimony
reassured
(and
be
splendid
thoughtless
ute
of an
sinner,
made
it
his
pride
to
deserve
the
title,
the
Agassiz
is
sufficient
may have
respect,
the
[The 10th.]
420
they
ridicule
may
sober
down
to
Newman,
Mr.
the
pleasure
to
which
appeared
with
together
dissertation, he filled
to the
My own
been known:
(Zool.
that
1604),
was perhaps
own
their
of
bility
the
with
less
inquirer
the
the
nineteenth
century,
on
posed to be
extinct.
of authors
Enaliosauri
as this,
sea-serpent
its
stated
would,
to
in so enlightened
of course led to
expressing
hypotheses on
loaded,
ventured
was
after
of a
existence
ridicule;
afterwards
then
who had
tion.
evidence
the
naturalist,
as
although
still
affinity to
my
for
bolder
present
living,
being loaded
immediately
opinion,
no
on the wrapper of
if
n.
54 that the
the appearances
of Captain Sullivan
their
estimated
dulation
that
total
length
corresponds,
above
water,
indeed Captain
M'Quhae
expressly states
[The 10th.]
421
it
other,
we may
cumstances
conviction
that
the
that
evidence
solely
my
size
cir-
those
in this
on the
unhesitating
my
neglected
entirely
all
systematic
regret
the
essentially
differs
it
Resting
officers
under these
authority
that
such contempt.
with
country
to
by several British
of
assertions
afford
for
in question:
as it has been:
it
appears to
me
in all respects
official
vertebrate
to
what
class of
of the deep? Is
it
surface
often
their heads
above
the
paddles,
rapid
in
can
move along
direct
me
to
very
the
adding that
projecting
2312),
his reasoning
was,
Drummond
(Zool.
2307)
head was
it
on the point
inconclusive:
with
surface
(Zool.
accordance
the
Owen
"perhaps ten
considerably."
Captain
M'Quhae,
upper jaw
also, subsequently to
flat
"its
great
length
and
its
totally
differing
422
[The 10th.]
doubtful
feel
many
urge
For
of
this
naturalists
the
could
would
all
considerations
to
by
geolo-
the
to
gists,
doubt
paddles,
of the
character
the
mammalian
structure exhibited
mammalian than
and
again
reptil-
ental?
now
Reptiles, I
Mr. Morries
whom
both of
Stirling
2309) and of F. G.
(Zool.
S.
(Zool.
2311),
ed as to the Enaliosaurian
character
of
the
Sea Serpent,
controverted
well
may
2321
(Zool.
not have
we
find
it
note),
may
resembling
fact of the
points
favour
in
that
of
animal holding
of
snake or serpent,
its
head
belonging to
its
the
Ophidia;
many
but, on the
other
mode
directed
his
undulation
times
Owen
attention
did not
that of a boa
to
exist.
this
three
Professor
[The 10th.
the
for
itor
I
which
is
Sauria
is
ophidian
of
vertebrae
of
is
similar
offer
discrepancy:
similar
absence
the
of sea-serpent,
title
heard
have
423
their
is
snakes,
of
that
to
ar
an objection to
as
our
merged limbs
and these
surface
bral
column
tely
these
crocodiles
in
agree
reptiles
is
is
concerned,
living ani-
and
turtles,
vation
snakes
as
of a
among
"Finally,
sharks
pecting
fishes,
offering
as
the
sea-serpent
of
Mantell and
Drs.
Stronsa
animal,
Stronsa
question;
of an
it
it
Melville
entertain
(Zool.
(Zool.
who
is
that
neck,
advocate
shark
with
body
hanging
to
the
res-
2320)
has
great
seem
to
to the
make
one;
it
all
hypothesis,
I
to
its
own
merits, I
and secondly,
this
given
With regard
2310).
willingly
observe, first,
very
very great
ophidian,
turns
of the problem;
mind
the
solution
would beg
of
those
of a
may
shark
gentlemen
perpendicularly
below.
think
and his
most
the
424
could
fancy
brilliant
position
still
[The 10tb.]
for
it
will be
found
fine
one only,
existence
two
large
with
the
the
supposition
the
will
It
press, to
or
now
Norwegian
in
flappers
paddles,
coast
corresponding in
closely
of
situation
anterior
may
be reserved
for
my
expressing
in
unhesitating
belief
that
the
sea-serpent
that
all
place
true
in
the
naturalists
and
will
the
believes
invite
I feel
and
to
the belief
System of Nature
will
various narratives,
result.
convinced
have
taken
establish
truth; and he
who
discussion,
tending to
elicit
and
shall
feel
obliged
any communications
for
or establish truth."
am
Here again
Drummond
are
The statement
is
that of 1833,
inserted
in
of Captain
May
the
foregoing
Sullivan and
Chapter
five
(n.
118).
(n.
97.)
Ever and anon Mr. Newman shows that the statements referred
to by him are those of British officers. Why so? Is a British
officer more trustworthy than an officer of any other nation?
What zoologist or palaeontologist has ever shared Mr. Newman's
doubt of the reptilian nature of the Enaliosaurians ? Who would
like to bring these extinct creatures under a newly founded order
!
[The
425
Oth.]
Did not Mr. Newman's suggestion originThat he himself thought the sea-serpent
and 2. That Prof. Owen asserted that the
to be an Enaliosaurian
sea-serpent of Captain M'Quhae, according to his description and
must be a mammal? I think Mr. Newman reasoned
figures,
of Cetacean Marsupials
ate
in
two
the
facts
1.
why should
"well,
further:
against
militates
this
mammals?"
hypothesis",
viz.
no
is
arms of 50
feet!
It is evident that
Newman
Mr.
a kind of fish
is
its
belong-
resembling an
least
eel in
us that Mr.
Newman
was unwilling to give up his first suggestion. The evidence, referred to by him, where the sea-serpent had apparently two flappers near the head, is the same as that referred to by Dr. Cogswell, (see pp. 409, 411, and n. 115.).
observing
After
M'Quhae
Newman
don't
writer
to
sea-serpents,
his
e.
that of Captain
g.
Ichthyosaurian
suggestion, Mr.
will eventually be
The
other
that
come up
favourite
of
the
found
to constitute several
Plesiosaurian
"Reply
to
Mr.
hypothesis
is
Newmans
probability
all
on Would-be sea-serpents).
He
spoken of by the
my
Chap-
says:
Mem.
I.
p.
442), seems
426
"In British
Reptiles
but I
have
number
ruary
(Zool.
me
of geological science.
favourite
completely overturning
century,
present
does
it
of the
History-fact
ural
Enaliosauri of by-gone
that appears to
ages,
2356),
as
[The 10th.]
he says:
would be
it
animal should
and
extinct
in
exist
fossilized
may
still
exist:
American
the
which
seas
has
long been
gar-pike
since
fact,
erous animals,
even
of Captain
Hope,
is
that
of
of tolerably
large
size,
in
of
The
Mr. Gosse
adopted by
ally
After
rejecting
basking
shark,
tribe,
large
in his
hypotheses
the
huge stem of
deceitful
fossilized state.
Plesiosaurus hypothesis
favourite
large
the
of
sea- weed,
is
also treated of
and
fin-
or
ribbon-fish,
sea-serpent
large
some
seal,
large
being
only
a cetacean, a
kind
of the
eel
yet
"It
Newman, Mr.
sea-serpent
animals
are
World
given
the
its
in
of
,
closest
or
affinities
Marine Lizards
so
figure
cient
find
the Fnaliosauria
found
The
will
Plesiosaurus
as
whose
oolite
fossil
skeletons
and the
lias.
Captain
M'Quhae's
muzzle in the
latter
is
figures;
to
more abbreviate,
it
ed
of
length
terpart
thirty
,
to
slenderness
of
forty
,
The
427
10th.]
insensibly
into
two
carried
if
its
invisible,
by an apparatus
the
entire
the
rying
a
much
altogether
compact
head,
reptilian
a covering of the
of scales,
Add
the eye.
to this
integument, but a yielding, leathery skin, proband smooth, like that of a whale; give the creature
and you would have before
a length of some sixty feet or more
you almost the very counterpart of the apparition that wrought
such amazement on board the Daedalus. The position of the nostrils at the summit of the head indicates that on first coming on
form of
ably
solidified
black
the
from the
surface
the
in
manner
depths
of
of the whales,
that
of
the
in
myself
far
more disposed
to acquiesce
feet
five
am
than
hypothesis
this
exigencies
in
None
of
of
the
length,
case.
is
scarcely
to exceed thirty-
half sufficient to
meet the
present.
it
to
saur
extraordinarily
mensions.
neck,
elongated
What
if
Thus the
the
while
it
known
little
Plio-
without
vastly exceeded
it
its
in di-
magnitude of a PliosaurV
"There seems to be no real structural difficulty in such a supposition except the "mane", or waving appendage, which has so
frequently
been
described
is
We
428
not think
there
is
nearest
mydosaur
neck
furnished
is
[The 10th.]
The
case.
is
with a very
curious plaited
frill
mem-
of thin
noticed
was not
["It
{)
very
the
till
after this
similarity
close
of
Hans
Egede has adorned his figure of the sea-serpent (copied in the Illustrated London News, Oct. 28, 1848), to the frill of the Chlamydosaurus!^
"Two
strong
ceptance
objections,
present
of the
however,
way
stand in the
of Enaliosauria
existence
of our ac-
The hypo-
forcibly
thetical
the
of the
era
secondary
entire absence of
very
when
in
of the
of palaeontology
details
does
The
makes me
feel
pronounced an opinion;
"There
2.
museums.
ignorance
diffident
and
of such animals in
"My
1.
not
seem
any
still I
will
it."
a priori reason
why
early
forms
much
animals
extant.
and
it
The very
is
earliest
being
oi
still
is
that type
still
living in con-
"Among
Reptiles,
the
curious
family
of river
tortoises
named
Trionychidae
No
wealden.
occur
traces
present period,
the
small
the
to
by
distinguished
margin
tilaginous
429
[The 10th.]
of
when we
back-shell,
in
it
find
it
and a broad
appears
first
car-
the
in
till
"What
still
is
which
saurian
closely
allied.
is
an
actual
ancient type.
siosaurus
(I
species)
developed
of the sea-serpent."
"A
correspondent
Agassiz to
Professor
of
thority
Unaliosaurian type.
the
of
represented
saying,
as
that
"it
Europe.""
"On
I
this
"Now,
unless
this
marine reptile
paddles.
It
dimensions
to
form
with
it
it
in
is
is
cites
of
the
officer
report
pity
that
Hope
(n.
119),
have been
large
of Captain
size,
size.
in length."
"I
cannot,
then,
430
for Enaliosauria in
Cetacea
the
the
in
latter
non-existence
is
fishes
former two
the
of
deposits,
in
and Ganoid
of Placoid
absence
tertiary
[The 10th.]
present non-existence."
"It
specimens
that the
we
Mr.
as
insisted
They
series.
wreck.
The Enaliosauria
epoch
abundant
particularly
in the secondary
recent
test this
have
collections,
and
any recognised
evidence
first
by
may be
"It
would
that
true
serpent,
float
with large
liable to
vesicular
lungs,
be seen by navigators in
Now,
whale sinks
float.
blubber
is
removed;
rant for assuming that the Plesiosaur was encased in a thick blanof blubber;
ket
not
when
float,
dead.
Therefore
almost
perhaps
how
extinct,
in
thousand years.
is
habitually viewed
by persons able to discriminate between the vertebrae of an Enaliosaur and those of a Cetacean, we shall not, I think, attach
great importance to this objection."
reputed
to
be in
of
is
unknown monster
[The 10th.]
Now
this
it
and
Norway
is
is
Such a thing as
known; the coast is almost
a jetsam.
the
been recognised
perhaps
confessedly,
have ever
carcases
of
true
is
men
scientific
431
sand
or
exclusively
beach
shingle
what
is
generally from
is
fifty
to three
hundred fathoms'
"But,
secondly,
it
with
oil
to
up here, even
Is
facts.
the
find
it
true,
How
could a
floated?"
of all the larger
that
up on the
their floating,
if it
ensure
invariably
as
we
animals
shore? Is
scarcely
borders
oceanic
is
called iron-bound;
so saturated
little
"In
coast,
fortunate as to
as
has
Dalei).
but
for
accident,
this
whale
inhabiting
Sowerbgi),
Channel
British
the
likewise
British
knowledge rests
shore
on
individual which
single
was
our
entire
on
cast
the
naturalist Sowerby."
"There
is
be frequently seen
sixty
feet
Cetacea
in
by
and
length,
lofty
its
readily
dorsal,
remarkable peculiarities in
other
this
huge creature
has fallen
and
zoologists
are
high-finned Cachelot
"Mr.
Cetacean
Rafinesque
which
is
myth
Schmaltz,
he said
distinguishable
and, according
its
under
from
old
other
all
Sibbald, by
among
or a reality
to
Sicilian
naturalist,
described
pos-
two dorsals. The character was so abnormal that his statement was not received; but the eminent zoologists attached to
one of the French exploring expeditions,
MM. Quoy and
Gaimard,
saw a school of cetacea around their ship in the
sessing
432
[The 10th.]
been recognised!'
"The
During
last
my
from 46
uous
to
hours
undescribed.
example
adduce
shall
is
from
my own
19
N.,
for
and
long,
experience.
is
certainly
remarkable
very
Toothless
can
be
ring
in
Whale
of
character.
is
been the
it
Here, then, is a whale of large size, occurgreat numbers in the North Atlantic, which on no other
confounded.
facts,
then,
sufficiently
weighty
to restrain us
from
rejecting
so
great
exists
has
not yet
and
my
fossil
express
my own
of
confident
strong
opinion,
Enaliosauria of the
Fig.
that
it
persuasion
that
lias."
Chlamydosaurus.
[The 10th.]
We
that
there
are
"two or more
Southern oceans."
him
It is
433
is
Northern and
what circumstance has led
not at
all
plain
to this supposition.
Curious
with the
is
frill
clearly
entangled
in
his
own
considerations of
to
not
existence
mixed up with
ber culat a
dosaurus,
lizard
of a mane. It
belonging
to
the
is
when he comes
well-known Iguana
same family
as the
tu-
Chlamy-
tail!
^UJi&xv
Fig. 63.
Mr. Lee in
his
saurus hypothesis
Iguana tuberculata.
Plesio-
says
Of
with zoological
28
434
seum, a
strict zoologist,
expressed
opinion
his
[The 10th.]
cited
is
that
"Prof.
logist
too,
2395),
(p.
is
as
of the
the
of
It
animal should
obvious
is
that
of
great
sea-serpent.
Plesiosauri ,
reply
American
living
forms
fossil
New."
now
animals,
all
of the
exist in the
as
extinct, the
or
fit
Abandoning the
"Why
to the question
be a Plesiosaurus?'
Plesiosauri
are hitherto
not be
of
of ages
course
had
snout,
its
enormous
tail as
as to
reason
The
difference
to
the two animals cannot claim any weight either (the Ple-
in
siosaurus
of
this
dimensions.
gigantic
trils
such an
with
nostrils
its
as
is
both before
its
may
have changed in process of time. But there are two other differen-
ces
1.
The neck
all
its
as
is
2.
never
events
all
An
it
seals
it
can
have, and at
eleventh
explanation
is
properly
negative
one.
In
the
American Journal of Science and Arts, of 1835, viz: Prof. Benjamin Silliman, the Editor, published a report of one of his acquaintwherein the eye-witness declared "nothing like a fin was
ances
:
seen".
Now
"The absence
this
I
Prof.
Silliman
of paddles or
in
Remark of
the
Editor
says:
that
this
explanation
[The 11th.]
the
that
the
swimming
are not
or seal
sea-lion
what
ian,
be
it
then
The
a
twelfth
explanation,
found
sur
physionomie
la
viz:
which
Schlegel's
Prof.
in
mammal ?
a fish or a
is
Essai
Serpens,
des
sharks,
backfins,
for
sperm whales,
there
a species of
is
viz.
is
The other
has
Physeter tursio
species,
rather
and
large
erected
backfin.
Professor
ing
swimming
porpoises
on saying
mon "to
Schlegel
after describ-
appearance of a row
the
"This habit
of
line, goes
in
is
also
com-
which
(the
coasts of
Dutch)
"coasts.
North-America
The
where the
and
confess
ance
of a
swimming
at the
It
of
sperm whales
offer a spectacle
enough and
once
and
in line
head, must
striking
at
unexpected appear-
family
fit
superstition,
to call forth
imagination
fear."
is
true that a
presence of flappers,
row of sperm-
435
The
flappers of a
436
whales must
of
the
sea-serpent
the
undulations surpassed
parts
of the
"bunches"
the
length
or
visible
of a
backs of spermwhales
[The 12th.]
visible
the
The
enormous.
does
over,
resembling
not
explain
that
of
the
head
snake,
is
more-
supposition,
and
and pointed
the long
&c.
tail,
the
that
living
still
Basilosaurus
marine mammal,
tinct
first
sup-
may be
sea-serpent
9
an ex-
described
terwards the
to
Richard
Owen.
af-
Almost
the
all
characters
remind
us
of
of
Pinnipeds,
D'Arcy
Professor
(Studies
in
I.
from
the
W.
skeletons
The
it
is
still
belongs.
Thompson
The length
9.)
only
it
Museum of Zoology
University College
N.
skeleton
the
Dundee, Vol.
of the largest
teeth
exactly
those
were
situated
nose,
as
in
of seals.
The
the
tip
at
seals,
nostrils
of
the
most probably,
The bones
[The 13th.]
resemble
extremities
those
of
some
known
of the
Most
seals.
seals.
437
probably
skulls the
limbs
these
to
omitted them
hind-flappers
of
existence
the
it is
ities
have
know.
as far as I
The reader will remember that Dr. Koch (see our Chapter on
Hoaxes and Cheats) exhibited a large skeleton in Broadway, NewYork, under the name of Hydrarchos Sillimanni. This skeleton
was made by him out of several bones of the extinct Basilosaurus.
The imposture was soon discovered by Prof. Wyman, and, of
immediately published in
course,
Europe.
reached
also
1846,
is
one of these
we may conclude
Hydrarchos
the
of the
Series,
that
the
Ill,
of
translator
was,
Sillimanni
Now we
Basilosaurus.
Vol.
all
In
n.
54,
the
initials
p.
in
find
fact,
in
of
February,
German. Consequently
this
knew
article
made
Froriep's
up
of
Notizen
that
bones
Third
M.
J.
S.
name
still
living
sea-serpent
the
"Is
a
species,
still
viz.
sauri
and
is
Wood,
Mr. Searles V.
ber,
1880,
still
living Basilo-
Vol.
23,
paper,
entitled:
which he
tries
to this Order.
marine
Illustrated
animal,
of
News
the
of
which
latter
representation
part
appeared
of that year. It
is
in
the
thirty-two
438
years
since I
saw
was
remember
water, which
I
idea
that
the gape
this
in
I recollect that it
was one of a
and
but
this figure,
[The 13th.]
relation
eye,
the
to
in consequence of
shown
as
mammal, and
in
only a leonine seal, whose track through the water gave an illusory
me
but
it
support
above the
occasion
as
actually
out
sixty
to afford the
water
buoyancy necessary
long a
so
neck (estimated
for the
on that
feet
of the
of
un-
News
water),
"To
or
three
years
this,
after
mations of Alabama,
struck
it
Daedalus
Zeuglodon
belonged;
and
a
I
me
for-
descendant
of
the
order
to
which
Wood
and adds:
here specified was about
"The
locality
And
he goes on:
"In
this
account I
thought that
recognized
the
grip of the
uine,
did
not venture
to
ventilate
my
long-cherished idea.
of
[The 13th.]
of the
tracing
inclose
figures in it,
The statement
"As
Maru is
of the Kiuskiu
I have not
of the Zeuglodon
figg.
439
your columns, in the hope that among your many readers in Amerthis
ica
may
letter
whether what
us
the
attract
is
known
notice
of
will tell
The remains
cording
to
length,
(He observes
Sir
in
it
was
p.
208, that he
"Manuel
of Ele-
where
dug
that
up.) while
it
period
the
that
its
and
as
we
of the
members
of
nivorous cetacea,
known
show
removed from
was carnivorous;
as living,
may
still
"The second
necked animal
to
of the
two
and
its
it."
The
it
only
is
presented.
been seized on
its
flank
whale can be at
the
tail
charge),
once recognized
as fairly correct;
while that of
of the
so
far
this
This paper had already been sent to the Editors of Nature when
Mr. Searles V. Wood, Jun., observed that he was mistaken as to the
,
report
and
his paper.
The
440
"P.
Since
S.
not
is
sending to
relative,
observed
instance
of the
that
in the
she
[The 13th.]
which occurred
instance
arate
yet
able
City of
my
another
to
to
mal seen from the City of Washington, but she tells me that it
was pasted up in the saloon and represented only the head and
long neck of the animal, which was raised to a great height out
of the water and near to the ship and had been drawn for the
,
by
Graphic
lady
passenger
immediately
the
after
occurrence.
"1
find
that
more confirmatory
Prof.
Owen
tion
Zeuglodon
cetoides
XVII,
says
of its existence."
is
narrow and the nostril single", that Dr. Harlan obtained the teeth
on which
discovered
teeth
by
name
them
of Squalodon
he foun-
and that
beds of the
Belphinus
as
belong to
of
probable
p.
their
coeval.
143),
Dr.
figures
Carcharodon associates,
down
example".
"It
is
most
likely that
Bishop Pontoppidan
441
[The 13th.]
(1755)
(one
which
of
out
erect
tail
is
the
of
steam from
or
its
mouth
in a single column),
the
in
others
that
in
in
the Kiushiu-maru
descriptions
agree
these
it
which
it
for in
from observers
received
at
of
with the one, and some with the other, though both
Bishop's
of the
whom had
of
represent
figures
own."
his
of
The reader
will
remember
made by
the
officers
(see
n.
118)
that
it
the
Daedalus,
its
is
is
feet
Wood
says
As
the
"description
am
the
of the order to
We
the
of
it
Zeuglodon cetoides" I
struck Mr.
Wood
that
Wood really believes that it was the seawhich attacked "the whale by the long neck, the appearance being confounded into the double coil of a serpent by the
distance and motions of the object" (See n. 144). I will not contest
observe
that Mr.
serpent
his opinion!
of the
442
voyage" of that
appearance
the
of
also
from India
England; notwith-
to
Maru
cites the
Van Diemen's
in the
was
vessel
he
standing this
[The 13th.]
near the
sea-serpent
of
isle
reporting
Straits.
In
the
short,
the
figures
Zeuglodon
his
must be a cetacean!
animal
the
Graphic
figure
Wood
took
error
the
of
It
tail,
is
sees clearly in
Wood
fol-
lowing outlines!
Fig. 67.
Basilosaurus
It is clear that
the
he
as
Wood
Jun.
his idea,
to
tween the extremely short neck of Basilosaurus and the extraordinarily long neck of the Sea-Serpent. This at all events must have
struck him.
At
of
am
last I
Pontoppidan's
it
He
says
It is clear that
"it is
most
he
likely that
the Bishop concocted his two figures from accounts given him by
Norwegian seamen", whilst the Bishop clearly states that the first
and the second a
figure is a copy of a sketch of Mr. Benstrup
copy of the drawing of Mr. Bing. Of the latter figure Mr. Wood
,
says "it
is
show me a passage
clear
refer
that
my
way
work,
"resting on the
5),
where
it
Wood,
Mr.
words
in
a single column
steam from
or
attention
443
[The 13th.]
Now
mouth".
its
the
to
fact
ask
my
or
optical
be
will
illusion
as soon as
dispelled
we
stand in front of
Bing's
horse.
figure
own
description!
Wood
quotes the report of the City of Baltimore, and correcting his second
error, writes in parentheses "not City of Washington, as I had mis-
In
understood."
figure he
is
at a rapid rate with its neck high in the air, and the two splashes
were evidently caused by the animal's fore-flappers and hind-flappers
is
is
him
by the hind
ed
Remarkable
the
foremost
flappers,
to
third
error;
his
is
splash,
According
with a very
drawn
his
in
"cetacean
for
after
of the animal.
tail"
having
first
confounded
"the foam
he now writes
around the neck may be due to the splash of the hu-
meroid"
e.
Mr.
animal
(i
Wood
(fig.
fore)
is
the
30)
and eye-brow".
son
far fetched.
alleged
444
Of
[The 13th.]
"In
account
this
Senior in the dropping of the animal with a great splash into the
water prior to
the
its
which
water around,
snake
from
resulted
(which
water
in
the
also
cetacean
tail,
is
my
treating
the
of the
strokes
motion of a
it;
is
boiling
flappers together. It
is
opinion
of the water
Wood who
represents
much
sets
tail.
Finally
he says:
letter"
(figg.
which accompany
figures
48,
49,
this
and
my
pre-
and 30), "it appears to me that the external form of the animal
must resemble the well-known Plesiosaurus if we imagine the
hinder (femuroid) paddles of that Unaliosaurian to be absent, and
,
cetacean
tail
(which
is
fish,
so it
may
in another direction
skeleton
And
this length."
In the
of the
of the
present
of the
great
Volume
sea-serpent.
treated
Unfortunately he
who
at that time
was
[The 13th.]
as
conclusion
flappers,
Was
Prof.
must be
sea-serpent
the
that
long
445
mammal
tail,
is
with
Plesiosaurus ,
plesiosauroides.
At
enormous
an
he
tail,
called
it
cetoides of
outlines of
Zeuglodon
of the
public
papers
is
that of an
anonymous writer in
November, 1848.
reports of Capt.
M'Quhae
only to
or the
tell
my
Fig. 08.
Eurypharynx pdecanoides
Vaillant.
446
The
Eurypharynx pelecanoides
taken from
[The 14th.]
of Vaillant,
au fond des mers. Gunther, in his
Challenger says on p. 262 of Saccopharynx
La
Eilhol's
Deepsea-fshes of the
(synonym with
vie
Bairdii
is
uncertain
my
readers
the
above
figure
as
representation
of the
general
The
fifteenth
"some land
length
the
coasts
as the boas,
species,
in
feet
may
of Africa,
among which
asks
whether
are individuals of
or
sea,
is
near
sea-serpent
ance of the
forty
explanation
writer
Probably he "adduced"
having been
St.
boa constrictor
the trunk
(Principles of Geology.)"
that
because
Hydrophidae)
feet
far as
we know, none
found in
ver,
and, so
length
in
record
that
of
exists
serpent
fact
And
of
is
having
to extend a few
remarkable, howe-
instead of relating
now
the
(n.
25)
"sixteen
dimensions alone
the
or
eighteen
feet",
ex-
travagant."
"On
the
true serpent
whole I
am
perhaps the
of the largest
known,
[The 15th.]
447
great
like
all
that
it
was not as like that of a lizard as of a serpent, and should entertain doubt whether, if I showed him the form of head, even
of certain fishes, he would not say, "Yes, it was something
like that!'
"There does not seem, then, any sufficient evidence that the
animal seen from the Daedalus, and on other occasions,
colossal
the
sense
in
which
lengthened cylindrical
form
it
for
be a monstrous
or a slender
is
that
serpent,
appears,
cetacean,
in
it
may
well
as
All
anything.
as
analogies
and
eel,
anything
being an ophidian."
its
It is
is
serpent of the General Coole was a boa, because the report speaks
of
that
Daedalus
clearly
tells
was a
that
boa,
he
difference
who
of observers,
that
the
Mr. Lee
enormous
in his
size
to the assertions
of
considerable
more",
How
to
make
this
agree?
may,
really,
have been
seen".
As
think he
448
means
in
the sea
I
Boa murina
As
instance,
this
as the
[The 15th.]
it
and
unable to undulate
is
vertically,
that
viz.:
readers
sea-serpent
his
to
answer
118).
swimming large
my
I refer
what Captain
M'Quhae,
Professor
descriptions,
seal.
nobleman's question,
having enumerated
seen by captain
the
to
Richard Owen,
given by Professor
is
is
all
the
characters
animal
of the
Owen comes
to
the
"All
conclusion:
mammal
few
before,
lines
which seems
only part
is
the
to
be so uncertain as to be inadmissable
at
in
an attempt
to
me
to arrive
italics
are mine).
In
fig.
69
show
or sea-elephant, of
cidea
Peron,
my
are
synonyms.
tubercular proboscis, the young ones and the females, one of which
is
seen
in
the
background
of
my
drawing,
have the
common
features of seals.
to their dissertation
the
briefly,
Owen's
series,
circumstances
that
[The 16th.]
Fig. 69.
M'Quhae, on
Captain
a
His
seal.
Macrorhinus
letter
my
therefore refer
Mr. Froriep,
readers to
enough
to
118).
(n.
it
his Notizen
in
leoninus (Linne).
interesting
is
449
Third Series, X.
p.
97, of July,
ment
Drummond, from
Lieutenant
of
Owen
"We
serpent;
be
snake;
the
about
yet
so
much seems
whether
but
from
existence
sea-animal,
large
family
the
observe
therefore
fixed
still
this
state-
M'Quhae,
that of Captain
these
all
or
that
articles
non-existence
of
nothing
the
is
great sea-
still
monster
is
quite
unlike
amphibians,
of the
Mr. Gosse,
in
his
"Among
But
manner:
of these
which
but Mammalia,
29
[The 16th.]
450
there
Beptilia
Pisces,
to either of these.
it
respect. It is true
all
ticated cases."
Owen
"Prof.
"Head with
gape
muzzle,
not
round,
small,
thus
extending
closely
filling
than
further
the palpebral
scutes
cuticle;
eye;
the
surface
eye
smooth, without
and naked
nostrils
rather
colour, dark
aperture-,
not mentioned,
"but
something
"The
reptile
of these
earlier
warm-blooded
or
mane
the
like
its
characters
mammal; none
fish".
of a horse, or rather a
bunch
of
back."
of
those
are
them
those
head of a
"of the
of a
cold-blooded
ing
of
hair;
and,
guided
by
this
interpretation,
Professor
the
judges that the animal was not a cetacean, but rather a great seal."
and
overlooked that they were made under no such circumOnly one of the published representations was original;
was taken "immediately after the animal was seen". That
been
stances.
this
officers
who could draw went below immediately,
and attempted to reproduce what his eye was still filled with. Now,
what could one expect under such conditions ? Of course the artist
was not a zoologist, or we should have had a zoologist's report.
is
one of the
[The 16th.]
Would
451
the
great value. It
would doubtless be a
of the general
appearance
of
its
details as the
cool
professional
artist,
called
in
to
view an object
it;
of other details."
"Those
a
who
caricature.
not
am
but
are
able
am
to
are
am making
draw animals from the life; and the pubmy power of representing what I see;
judge of
familiar
to
me, which
al
artist,
to flowers; take
452
him
blossom
without a
him looking
keep
hint of
and
your greenhouse,
into
thing in
[The 16th.]
what you
him
into
your
"Make me
When
you have
of that plant
sketch
it
and ask him to give you the characters of the genus and species from the sketch; or compare it
yourself with the original, and note how many and what ludicrous
is
done, take
to a botanist,
it
made
was a
fair
general
correctness."
"Viewed
in
this
light,
made on board
sketch
it
how
be manifest
will
the Daedalus
must be
inefficient the
minute characters;
for
mammalian nature
the
could
not
distance.
possibly
favour
in
"mainly
say
appendage yet
to
of a
the
of
have been
animal.
relied on";
be accounted
Some
of these
characters
for.
mammalian, and
because there
This
is
is
the manelike
it
"The head
in
me
at
to
all
of the
either
is
represented
mean,
in
nor do
I see
a "vaulted
The summit of the head does not rise above the level
the summit of the neck in other words the vertical diameter
cranium".
of
the
head and neck are equal, while there are indications that
of the
occiput
considerably
exceeds
This
is
istic
of
eels,
of
many
serpents, and
it
is
eminently character-
453
[The 16th]
"With regard
the
to
is
the only seal which will bear comparison with the Daedalus animal
in
declare
that
behind thirty
all
Then
it
feet,
The
the
seal.
is
of
the
paws of the
fore
length
total
about
in a seal
is,
ance
was
of fins
seen. Lieutenant
Drummond
which the lower figure, assumthe total length drawn; well agrees);
about
five
water
in
officers to
even then
not
will
do.
seal to sufficient
dimensions;
fear
is
neck, just
the
there
but
it
as
twenty
Drummond;
Lieutenant
in the lion.
"perhaps
it
feet
in
the
"washed about
rear
its
M'Quhae."
"I do not hesitate to say, therefore, that on data
possess, the seal hypothesis appears to
think
cussing
add
that
the
the
reader
mammalian
especially
will
me
we
at present
quite untenable."
Mr. Gosse in
dis-
we may
M'Quhae
was
Mr.
neck
fact
of
are
equal;
that
if this
the
head
vertical
were
fix
by Lieutenant Drummond
at "ten feet"
and that of
454
M'Quhae
don't
agree
at all
Daedalus there
In
question
is
of
the
it
is
the
Drummond
Mr. Gosse
head"
mane
Owen
feet
head was
the
that
stated
Neither
Lieutenant
being "twenty
"serpent"
only
at "sixteen inches"
projected
[The 16th.]
the
at all
relying
sible,
at "sixty-feet at least"; in
come
and
to another conclusion
the
to
question:
could
reply
that
for
not
be
mammal
otherwise
reason
this
"which
known
to
him,
of
"A
write:
got
all
mammal,
it
than:
sibility
It is evident
the sea-mammals
"the animal
conclusion:
could
was a large
unknown
seal"
him
to
The
larger
The Pro-
fessor
written
about
up
it
to
his
time.
It
evident
is
need not
The
elephant
say,
has
latter
why
the
proboscis,
that,
without a
sceptic.
the
has
sea-serpent
none,
the
sea-
tail,
else
of the sea. In
In
the
is
is
1849 we meet
Zoologist
of that
year,
p.
2541
we read
the
following
lying
J.
near
A.
[The 17th.]
"He
left
south-easterly
the
wind
four
for
days.
On
in latitude 26
was becalmed
ship
455
the
morning
South
of the 24th.
longitude 8 East
being about forty miles from the place in which Captain M'Quhae,
R. N.,
calm
said
is
on
o'clock
to
that
the
at
ship
portion
and within about six feet of the tail it forked out into a
fin.
Having read at Colombo the account of the
double
of
sort
the
same
latitude,
who,
it
who
acted
as
steersman
Captain
boat armed
of the
with a harpoon,
evidently detached from a coral reef, and drifting with the current,
which
sets constantly
to
it
"But
fore the
witness"
self
weed
other "eye-
that
mane
he
of
had seen
the
it.
What appeared
immensum volumen
456
[The 17th.]
floated
adhered.
to
rington,
by the
on board
W. Smith
position.
on
26
lat.
port
On December
had seen
strengthened
fact of
is
S.,
long.
6 E.
&
may
be of some service
28th.,
in the water,
we could
plainly discern
of considerable length.
With
the telescope
of
ered
that
with
snaky-looking
we had
be a piece of
barnacles,
of an animal,
457
[The 17th.]
to the best of
my
recollection
the
of the
in
p.
existence,
its
Zoologist
to the
statement of Captain
knowledge of his readers as to the existence of these large weeds. We do the same.
"The plants of this family (Laminariaceae) are almost all of
large size, and many of them gigantic, greatly exceeding in bulk
any other marine vegetables. The Oarweeds and Tangles of our
Smith and
own
to increase the
and fronds
and the Sealength. But these di-
often
to as great a length
measures forty
feet in
The Nereocystis
huge
vesicle,
six or
its
apex
up
this
the
here
sea:
upon the
his
The
be
of
stem
considerable
among
hiding
cord-like
lies
has
sea-otter
or
vesicle,
fishing.
must
the
the
leaves
which anchors
strength;
and,
while he pursues
floating
this
accordingly,
we
tree
find
it
As soon
S.
as this suggestion
Daedalus'
appendages,
feet.
the
diameter
Some buckets
full
of
of
my
its
extraordinary -looking
splendidly-coloured
blue
and crimson
458
crabs
could
with a
furnished
size of
and that
it,
[The 17th.]
this quantity of
refuge
in
the
such animal
life
creatures
will
assist
those
even
that
stated
culty
in
Prom
decay
tached
the
at
and with
roots,
horizontally,
floating
be
self.
the
not disputed
is
may be
specimens
insertion
of
given
their
to
my
crew of
boat's
correspondence
this
that such
ship.
capture
than,
as
will
cause
more attention
to
be
"settle
to
mal
down"
to
taken,
does, that
should
I
have
Had
believed,
as
firmly
as Captain
things
of the
by mocompared with
as
themselves
Harrington
commander
ani-
must be the
mouth
the
possibility
of
these
being
so
well
published
known,
his
now
in the East", to
whom
Capt. Harrington
account
do not prove
saw
rington
459
[The 17th.]
the
because
sea-serpent,
me
"I
am,
to
that
me
in until I took
Sir, your
"queer fish"
him
so very
in."
Mr. Gosse, in
his
quiring
an animal at
is
p.
320,
in-
treats of the
all,
head,
number
of
attached
(in
one
the
barnacles,
case),
and
the other) a
(in
surely
the
floating
of
going rapidly
with
the
it
at
five yards'
distance.
so
distinctly seen
by Captain
We
may
fairly dismiss
the sea-weed
hypothesis."
Again
in
is
admitted.
reappearance
of
the
sea-serpent,
its
mostly
Mr.
Andrew Wilson
in
his
timony
and
to the truth of
460
may
The movements
testify.
and
water
by a
light swell
has before
[The 17th.J
set in
motion
at
low
seen indistinctly,
suggested the idea of the existence at the spot of some large denof the sea, browsing on the sea- weeds, with the fore part of
izen
its
at
Though
the
writer
peared in
the
of
the
following
story
I
may be
13th.
explained in this way, I firmly believe that such was, indeed, his
purpose. I also think that this was the intention of the contributor
who
a
inserted
Dutch
in
it
translation
of
it
of the
man who
the
to
sent
of 26th.
Nov.,
1881,
translation in the
interesting
"sea-serpent "-story
in
About
Table
drifting,
It
is
fifteen years
Bay,
an
recalled to
"A
my
notable
enormous
incident connected
recollection
monster,
as
it
by Dr. Furnell's
my
ship at anchor
or advancing itself
undulating
The
declared
military
its
among
the affrighted
fire
its
feat-
poured into
at
times,
It will
is
not
[The 18th.]
More
writes as follows:
may
it
perhaps be pardonable to
sollicit
some
in
He
sea-serpent
the
in
attempted by Mr. A. G.
is
(see
461
many
at least of the
looked
has
at
the
preserved
ribband or scabbard fishes, or who has ever read the striking accounts of the huge size they sometimes attain, as well as their
extreme
the
may,
rarety,
mysterious
those
unlearned to
we know
too,
like
be no
myself,
sea-monsters
less
When,
swim at the
when the only
movement
of
his
body
(Yarrell,
Vol.
1.
p.
177),
may we
not
reasonably suppose that there exists other and more gigantic forms
of this
easily
simulate,
and
curiosity.
other respects
animal
in
moreover,
All
of
they
question.
is,
these
little
One
excite
in the
wonder
correspond
of
their
with
the
descriptions of the
most striking
characteristics,
1860 a ribbon-fish of large dimensions was captured on BerIsles. Mr. Trimingham, the captor, placed it at the disposal
of Mr. J. Matthew Jones, a naturalist living there. This gentleman described the animal for the Zoologist, in which his paper
appeared in the volume of that year (p. 6986). Now Mr. Jones
ended his article as follows
"The most notable fact however, in connection with the capture
of the present specimen will doubtless be the interest and attraction
it will produce on the scientific world
for most assuredly we have
in the specimen now before us many of the peculiarities, safe
In
mudas
462
size
[The 18th.]
accurately
seen by Capt.
member
an extent of
tail,
an unmerited ridicule at the hands of the many, but, neverthefirmly believed in by the few, who have patiently waited to
less
to
see
the
existence
day when the mystic cloud which has hitherto veiled the
of the maned denizen of the deep should vanish with
of the sceptic,
"I
am
sorry
News
as it
Newman,
Mr.
fish a
it
new
with
the
ment, he,
saurus
(as
species
it
and honoured
name of Begalecus Jonesii but to our great astonishwho firmly believed the sea-serpent to be an Enaliowe have observed above) now seems to be in doubt
for
he ends his
article
[The 18 til.]
do
not
myself competent
consider
to
463
an
express
opinion.
am
in the "Zoologist'
The
'."
unbelievers, no doubt, at
An
saurus-one.
which
it
inhabitant of Cape
Town
August, 1872:
"The South-African Museum, Cape Town, recently received a
specimen of the Ribbon Fish (Gymnoterus) fifteen feet long with1
out the
tail.
It
1st.
fish
is
known
movement
snake-like
minutely described
a
plume
along
is
by navigators.
rose-coloured
back
is
there
to distant inland
and
slender shape
of flexible,
its
its
its
spines,
conspicuous
burnished
From
mane-like
The eye
fin.
and
Its general
and
head comports well with that of the horse. The
specimen could not be preserved, but there are two smaller specimens in the Museum."
colour
the
like
is
silver.
is
large
silvery,
profile of the
Mr.
Andrew Wilson
Nature of Sept.
"A
long
tape-fish" (which
is
for a sea-serpent."
visit
which occasion
them with
before
might account
been
the
certain
for
of
mention,
in
several
accounts
had been
of
sea-serpents,
of a very long-
back
fin
ered
with tolerably
and appearance,
smooth
skin;
whilst
in
with
the
described
by naturalists
as occasionally
having
464
[The 18th.]
surface,
the
forming
this
latter
feature,
we have
as
observed,
tales.
found,
and the
es,
the
/*
inch-
thickness
and
thickness,
in
sions
greatest
relatively
long
and
length
depth,
The
species
of naturalists
13 1 U
being
latter
These
inches.
small,
very
fins
are
and
spine-like.
long,
whilst
feet, the
The
the
rays
first
fin
dorsal
itself
The gentleman
developed.
question
in
wrote to inform
me
that
giant
then residing
at
Elie
operations,
trawling
tape-fish,
which,
therefore
beino*
ured
to
vessel
of
Fifeshire.
forty
Whilst engaged in
smack was a
Lodge,
the
at length
tons
burthen;
exceeded
from
five
to
seven inches in
captured a
on the deck,
fish
meas-
inches,
six
in-
[The 18th.]
the
to be cut in pieces
fish
405
that they
being coloured
of a dirty-brown hue."
He
148) by reference
(n.
"1 thought the opportunity a favourable one for offering a reasonable explanation of the circumstance
for
"About
the
of several journals
were in
seen,
meaning by
such
communicated
my views
that
tape-fishes or ribbon-fishes.
sea-snakes themselves
While not
am,
may
occasionally personate
giant tape-fishes
that
supposition
the
letter
this
"sea-serpent",
many
idea
giant
reality
giant
as
the
and
to the
Pearson,
Captain
of
be
of the existence of
entertained
the
of
which
royal yacht
Osborne, appears,
on
fins
theory.
"ribbon-fish"
the
skin, the
many
each measuring
lastly,
feet in length
all
form so many
details
as
with
observations
founded,
believe
the
present
narrative
to
be,
on
fact,
we
the
in
turtle",
tic
the
lists
of living
somewhat problematical
as
to
its
correctness;
and
in
validate
views
expressed
above
as
to
"In an
in the
article entitled
Gentleman
my
Magazine
views
for
regarding
sea-serpent,
remarks that
speaking
of
offer "as
hardly correct, I
may
Good Words,
my
Mr.
the
as
modern
sea-serpent.
remark
is
Proctor's
simply as
fishes
The use
misleading;
explanatory
and
sea-snakes
giant
of
appearing
in
[The 18th.]
466
word
of the
"only''
at
may be
size
clear
developed to
dimensions,
we can
only term enormous, I think the true and valid explanation of the
question
sea-serpent
objectors
of
we have not
I
is
turn
practical
procured even
yet
by no
The
tors
and
production;
occasional
their
of
case
at present
To
affected
the
sea,
its
its
representative,
production."
find
"Firstly
we
that
as
or that in the
when judged by
being especially
ordinary
the
of conclusion, I respectfully
to his jury,
rules
of evidence;
amply
verified,
this conclusion
for prevarication;"
"Secondly
to
That
sual
attitudes
body
tain
on
the
part
of
familiar
animals,
there
remains a
gigantic
do certainly
to science,
exist;
and"
of
gigantic
members
to the naturalist."
Mr.
Lee,
in
his
Sea
Monsters
[The 18th.]
"the dorsal
fins
.... of ribbon-fishes
as suggested
only
has
ribbon-fish
fins
(compare
red
quite
is
my
direct
to
467
by Dr. Andrew
fins".
fig.
the
mane
one
only
the sea-serpent
of
is
dark brown
is
the
water
of the
the
nearly
white.
The
a long
for
a greyish yellow
fish
has no flappers
may grow
pointed
clearly
as is
to
more than
fifteen
feet.
But
differences
148),
(n.
We
have only to
ask the opinion of one of the most able ichthyologists of our days,
of the
parts
generally
"When
within
gases
of the
body has
their
that
they
can be
out
lifted
of the
water with difficulty only, and nearly always portions of the body
and
fins
live
is
broken and
are
At what depths
lost
ribbon-fishes
but although none have been yet obtained by means of the deepsea
as
dredge,
dead
writers
these
as
they
fishes or
have supposed
fishes
these
that
at the
bottom of
all
oceans,
Some
have had
the
active,
is
either
must be abundant
it
likely
dying or dead,
Serpents"."
that
harmless Ribbon
have been
the
objects
as
fishes,
who
remarkably
which
described
are
as "Sea-
468
[The 19th.]
Zoologist
"An
which
tical
think
am
surgeon,
We
another sea-serpent.
rise to yet
was
little
sea.
was sipping
the
sky,
and
numbers
the
of sea-birds
"wheeling rockwards to
their nests",
making
in
its
silence
was neither a
seal
to
some),
working
undulations
of the
way
its
body.
vigorously
So strong
With
against
was
the tide
by
lateral
or so lead-line, I
made ready
intending to range
up alongside shoot the reptile through the head make him fast
by a clove-hitch, and tow him on board in triumph! By this
time, however, a closer and more critical inspection had taken
place, and the supposed sea-monster turned himself into a long
dark root, gnarled and twisted, of a tree, secured to the moorings
,
giving
it
an apparent
life-like
movement and
it
rapidly,
and thus
serpentine aspect."
for
the following,
it
is
so confirmatory of
it
may
be worth recording."
[The 19th.]
"One morning
group
of
in October,
passengers
One
469
straits
far
of Malacca to Singapore.
as I
remember, of Sumatra.
on the port bow,
and drew from us the simultaneous exAnd there it was, to the naked
eye, a genuine serpent, speeding through the sea, with its head
perhaps half a
clamation
of
mile
"The
off,
sea-serpent!"
now almost
and
surface.
its
grass that
of
the
straits so far
from land,
the
human mind
is
and how
careful
we
in his Leisure
and
which
producing a variegated
effect
470
[The 19th.]
into
another."
The extreme
rapidity
which
is
is:
mass of
"On Monday
banishes
dead organism.
flying birds, of
5th. of
Mr.
September, 1878:
boat
to
at
bow
of the steamer
this
direction
there
On
turning
behind;
and
it
it
was blackish
in front
and paler
mirum
"Of course many suppositions were immediately started to acfor this extraordinary phenomenon, but they quickly changed and settled into the fixed idea that the object before them
count
could be nothing
less
"As
whom
name of monstrous
God of all his works
the fables
"Leviathan, which
size,
[The 20th.]
471
consist
to
strong
and
make
to
whilst
bers,
pelled
to
the
those
had not such power of flight were comnearer and nearer the tail. Doubtless
that
into
settle
places
night from
the
for
the
waters in
distant
ively
has
the
to
variety
bird,
of
stated in
is
may be wrong
as much
to assert posit-
but in
the writer
as
often
it
homes
had been
which they
accasionally
file
and
since
flying
in
thousand or more,
manner
peculiar
this
to
number
the
of a
it
to
is
still
doubt
interpretation
the
large
(scores
who voyage
and
their pockets
in
glasses
may keep
their opera-
on the
first
op-
make
a similar avowal:
"Dr.
Drew's
my mind
letter
a similar
minute or two
it
undulated and rose from the surface,
and we saw that it was a flight of birds."
"The deception was so complete that I can well believe that at
After
least
many
though
Mr.
of the
stories
doubt whether
of
alt
the
sea-serpent
Andrew Wilson, on
the
wrote
contrary
"The communication
have so originated
of Dr. Joseph
the
following
same number):
Drew
in
the
habits
of
these
birds.
472
[The 20th.]
as
of
the
of
only
incident
with
been
sea-weed
of
trains
on
placed
Daedalus, or later
still
cannot be accounted
I
wood
forms
serpentine
of
the
S.
sense.
It
with the
is
of
that
H. M.
of
incidents
in
(as
not
view
numerous
expected
line, pieces of
are also
of the
could
&c.
record
personality?
sea-serpent's
explains
for
relates,
ophidians
pent"
warm
of
mystery,
between
fully
assumed
by
would
cases
ordinary
am
of
ing
far
but
and
animals,
itself
in
the
those
guise
have been
appearances
serpentine
in
of the
ratio
problem
dimensions,
for
also ask
which
in
long
tape-fish
might do duty
"At
"a sea-serpent."
feel
huge
the
same time
zoologists cannot
CM.
and was
it.
He
it
to be of
me
it
was a
flight of petrels.
But
phenomenon
who had
for this I
witnessed
should cer-
seen a similar
enormous length.
told
[The 20th.
473
is
number
of Febr.
1st.
a cor-
Now
another
correspondent
was staying
for
some weeks
Veu-
at
members
several
of three
or
of
huge serpent.
my
four
length was
Its
many
that
passed
ever
be
your correspondent's
in
Not the
slightest
letter
on the 25th.
published
its
ult.
structure could
perceived
muscular
through
the
watched
all
water
that
with
such
prodigious
turned through
velocity.
itself into
"We
carefully
just as
its
it .in-
velocity
of,
it
resolved
a flock of birds."
and,
effected,
culty."
As
W.
to
may
is
unknown. Possibly
Steadman Aldis.
the figure,
it
is
our
fig.
51.
In
diffi-
Na-
"On
reading the
letter
of
W. Steadman
when
in
rants
or
"skarps"
flying
474
[The 20th.]
by
several
Humpy"
"skarps"
in
for
not
unnaturally
under
water.
lines,
The speed
of the
would be superfluous
It
of flying birds.
fairly
and by the
and hiding
The
to
J.
may be
Rae.
descriptions
this hypothesis.
The twenty-first explanation was proposed by Dr. Andrew WilLeisure Time Studies, 1879. He presents a frontispice
his work "embodying the chief representations of the various
son in his
to
theories
ground
says in his
"A
delineated
On
a large turtle. Of
the
left
this supposition
Mr. Lee
giant turtle
with
its
propelling flippers
The
largest
including
the
sea-turtle
does
not
surpass
the
much
as possible.
The twenty-second
p.
(1883), has a superior claim to the supposition that the great seasome or in most instances a giant cuttle-fish
serpent might be in
or calamary.
"It
mentioned
in this narrative
swimming,
of
with the
that
possible
just
is
475
[The 22d.]
absence
colour,
details
the
of the
was a giant
of
narrative.
cuttle-fish
limbs,
etc.,
whose manner
would correspond
The "immense
tail"
might be
swam backwards,
"funnel/"'
Mr. Lee
in his
tries
of
(which
snatched
suckers
thereto
the
sea-serpent
man from
the
belonging
are
(intended to represent a
its whole length
and the double row of transverse septa, one on each
fin)
of it."
(see p.
The
have
"monster
of
he
say
discussed
this
explanation
in
its
right place
106).
of
but as
the
had seen
it was a sea-serpent) even
Kg.
TO.
if
we could
ljy
476
[The 22d.]
one
visible
is
and
position
above
the
down
falls
surface.
When
2.
a calamary
in this
is
it
will fall
to
the
left,
above delineated
position
through
spouting
locomotor tube
its
Lee has
when at
tail
as the calamary of
Of Mr. Maclean's
again
report
they
may beg my
will
observe
is
nostrils or its
31) he
(n.
report of Mr.
"We may
at once accept
C.
Lund
most
fully
no room
is
it
(n.
Maclean's report
indicates a calamary
115) he writes:
shadow of a doubt that they all recounted conwhich they saw. The lastquoted occurrence, espec-
for the
scientiously that
ially,
J.
"His description of
says-.
that nothing in
About the
the sea-
its
is
it
mary".
rest;
and not
it
figured.
indeed,
that
strange
visitant."
it
furnishes
us
intelligently described
with
it
clue
to
the
so clearly,
identity of the
to be distinctly understood
[The 22d.]
serpent
lieving",
present
at
to explain
unknown
is
and
said,
common
it
others
"Seeing
it.
is
science
to
it
in
creatures
great
no inclination
I have
have seen,
that,
other
or
and that
477
is
be-
a person
tell
own eyes". It
may know better what
And yet I am obliged to
that
which
led
is
erroneous
by the association
astray
idea.
venture
to
it
is
is
say
this,
an
as-
to
to, and which has only within the last few years
been placed in our hands. The movements and aspect of their seamonster are those of an animal with which we are now well ac-
quainted,
but
occasional
visitations
existence of
the
of
were unaware;
namely,
the
great
calamary,
the same which gave rise to the stories of the Kraken, and which
has probably
been
denizen
time immemorial.
from
It
must be remembered,
and
fjords
as I have else-
where said, that until the year 1873, notwithstanding the adventure
of the Alecton in 1861, a cuttle measuring in total length fifty or
was generally looked upon as equally mythical with the
Both were popularly scoffed at, and to express
sixty
feet
great
sea-serpent.
belief
in either
was
the
zoologists.
declaration
of
When
Mr.
possessed
of
late
with them
I believe
strangely
aquaria.
of
years
these
in
men-
quoted
watch attentively,
of sea- water
those
movements
tanks
than
of Newfoundland
and portions of
museums, to silence the incredulous and
being able to
of
dimensions
coasts
But
to incur ridicule.
tioned,
modified
If
they
mollusks
living
in
great
478
"When swimming,
[The 22d.]
is
proceeding.
The
tail
part,
therefore,
advance,
in
more
feet
or
the
rate
and
several miles
of
an hour,
it
who
like
the
head.
creature's
accordance
with
the
The elongated
expanse.
neck to which
The appearance
lateral
,
at
tail
first at
of this
such a speed,
"head" varies
in
"head"
the
fins
moving
is
attached;
the
eight arms
trailing
behind (the tentacles are always coiled away and concealed) supply
the supposed mane floating on each side; the undulating motion
in
swimming,
accords
aft
left
easily
as
the water
is
be
mistaken
for
an indefinite prolongation of
varies
through every
tint
its
body. The
creature
is
Not
they
that
it,
it.
persons
tious
479
[The 22d.]
how
smooth
verbially
utterly irreconcileable
is
the pro-
it
and
at the side
which
stret-
would cause
that
tube."
have
hillock
vast
by the
this
which
water,
of
current from
effluent
deeply laden
seen
fell
ship
off
its
"syphon
it
was parted by her bow but that was of man's construction. Nature builds on better lines. No swimming creature has such unnecessary friction to overcome. Even the seemingly unwieldy body
;
of a porpoise enters
my
Again I beg
may
they
that
decide
for
themselves,
of sea-animals
lines". I say:
wrong;
also
is
instance,
for
assertions;
his
If nature built
he
make bold
"Nature
says:
builds
men would
on better lines,
on better
long ago
surface,
ble,
cause
coming
of
to
water,
a splash. Swans,
common
the
when moving
as rapidly as possi-
heavy
which
all
distinctly
when
and a rushing
saw and heard.
The
sea-serpent
Mr.
of
he says
Professor
Owen,
and
Majesty's
ships;
cause
was that
it
Their practised
eyes
their
of
Her
men accustomed
to
the
480
character
as
of
intuitively
the
the
as
Red Indian
if
trail;
[The 22cL]
sailors
likely
are
be deceived by
to
They would
familiar.
be deluded by seals, porpoises, trunks of trees, or Brobdingnagian stems of Algae; but there was one animal with which they
not
to
lamary
the
elongated
itself
swimming
in
would
portray,
manner
the
fulfil
in
by Captain
reported
the
squid.
and
"Head
of these seen
and endeavoured to
the description given by Lieutenant Druma great measure account for the appearances
M'Quhae. "The head long pointed and flat
,
kept
rather
in
One
have described,
on
ca-
and caudal
raised position
fin
of
of the water,
ling
through
it
The mode
tions."
interval,
of propulsion of a squid
would be unseen and unsuspected, because submerged. Its effect, the swirl in its wake, would
suggest a prolongation of the creature's body. The numerous arms
trailing astern at the surface of the water would give the appearof
water from
ance of a
its
mane.
locomotor tube
think
it
if
the officers of
the Daedalus had been acquainted with this great sea-creature the
impression on their mind's eye would not have taken the form of
a serpent. I offer this, with
much
and by no means insist on its acceptance; for Captain M'Quhae, who had a very close view of the
animal, distinctly says that "the head was, without any doubt,
that of a serpent", and one of his officers subsequently declared
that the eye, the mouth, the nostril, the colour, and the form
ing from
were
all
And
"The
recent
most
discoveries;
distinctly
visible."
features
Davidson
(n.
93) he asserts:
The
sea-serpent,
seen
by Lieutenant Sanford
(n.
74)
is
also
[The 22d.]
by him
explained
be
to
cumstances similar
481
cir-
by Hans Egede".
to those described
Mr.
unknown
elongated cylindrical
many
problem,
calamaries by their
of
swimming, have
well-authenticated
incident."
recognized
again
of
classes
Mr.
Gosse's
beings
created
question
can
this
The reader
remember
will
that,
on one occasion,
explained a
swum
for
are
brownish black
is
with
agrees
this
colour
rest
or
and
especially in emotion
partly
that of a calamary,
generally,
,
when
tail,
the four
is
true that
quite at
in motion,
long
the animal
is
when
flappers,
are
calamary.
Wood,
482
[The 23d.
and figured
in the
Graphic
So
Now
this
animal
length of ten feet, the length from the crown or top to just below
the shoulders
of a
neck,
is
our figure
as
Fig. 71.
mistake,
instead
like
so
of first
many
will
show.
and there
Mr.
Wood
is no question
committed the
others,
comparing
all
the
reports
of
it
before giving an
opinion.
all
to different authorities,
the sea-serpent
1.
2.
Scoliophis atlanticus
row
back.
its
may
side.
According
of porpoises. (Rev.
(Hon.
John Davis,
Prof.
Jacob Bigelow,
Gray, 1817).
3.
by
be:
large tunny.
(Prof.
Thomas Say,
1818).
Mr.
C. F.
4.
483
size.
(Mr. Constant
chill, 1828).
8.
Samuel
L.
Mitchill, 1828).
An
9.
Ichthyosaurus
saurian
or
allied
to
it.
(Mr. R. Bake-
well, 1830?).
10.
Plesiosaurus
or a saurian allied to
it.
(Professor
Benjamin
Silliman, 1830?).
11.
12.
13.
14.
Not a
A row
A
A
saurian.
(Prof.
of spermwhales. (Professor
Hermann Schlegel,
1837).
Basilosaurus. (Professor
Saecopharyncc
or
large boa.
(Anonymous
17.
Richard
9).
(Commander
large sea-weed.
J.
1849).
ilian,
18.
More,
19.
large
ribbon-fish
Gymnetrus
or
1856).
floating
dead
or
tree,
bamboo,
or a weed-laden log of
22.
A
A
A
mass of flying
gigantic
Henry Lee,
23.
(Mr. Joseph
calamary.
discover,
name
is
or Mr.
1883).
could
their
Drew, 1878).
Andrew Wilson, 1879).
(Mr. Andrew Wilson, 1879?
birds.
were the
names
first
of
the
Wood
authors
Jun.
who,
1880).
as far as I
which
their supposition.
484
Of
result
the
result
of a
study
of several accounts
of these
and
n.
in its outlines
reports.
10
is
most
the
re-
malian characters,
habits
I will
VI.
Conclusions.
The
Libraries
which
from
The
The
The
The
The
The
The
gistra" at
The
The
The
The
Amsterdam,
Library
me
in
part
of Sciences at
Amsterdam
to
the
headed
the
my
readers a
works
list
which
names
Academy
Museum
of
present
the Royal
In the
idea
of
Library of the
articles
it.
here
by
far as possible,
of the observers.
written about
those in the
4th. Chapter.
1522. Near
Moos, Norway.
1640. Most probably the Sound between Sweden and
Malmo.
Denmark. Burgomaster
1687. Damsfjord Norway.
persons, and
1.
the Isle of
in
2.
of
3.
in
Several
at
48 b
CONCLUSIONS.
1720. A
Norway.
near Kobbervueg,
1734, July Before harbour Gothaab
64 N. Rev. Hans Egede Rev. Bing.
Greenland
west
1743?
Nordfjord
Norway.
near Amund
1744?
Norway.
Karmen
1745? Near Sundsland, two miles from Bergen, Norway. A fisherman.
1746, August. Jule-Naess,
miles from Molde,
Norway. The Hon. Lorenz von Ferry, Niels Petersen Kopper, and Niels Nielsen Anglewigen.
1747? Coast Norway. Commander Benstrup.
748 Coast Norway. Mr. Reutz.
1749? Coast Norway. Mr. Tuchsen.
1750? Coast Norway. A
1751? Near Sundsmoer. Some fishermen.
1751. Near Muscongus-Island and Round Pond Broad
Bay, Maine, U.
A. Mr. Joseph Kent.
U.
1770? East
A. Captain Paul Reed.
1777 1778. Penobscot Bay, Maine, U. A.
Captain Eleazar Crabtree.
1779? Penobscot Bay, Maine, U. A. Mr. Stephan
TUCKEY.
1780 May. Near Muscongus Island and Round Pond,
Broad Bay, U.
A. Captain George Little
the Boston
U.
1781? Off Meduncook,
A.
1782? East
U.
A? The
on
expedition
Bagadusa.
Mount Desert,
Penobs 1783? Near
Bay, Maine, U.
A. Inhabitants
1784? Near Ash Point on Fox and Long Island, Maine,
U.
A. Mr. Crocket.
1785 Penobscot Bay, Maine, U. A. Mr. Miller.
1786, August 1. Lai 42
23
W.,
Azores. On board the General
1787 East
U.
A. Captain
1794? Near Fox and Long
Maine, U.S.A.
Two inhabitants
1799? Near Fox and Long
Maine, U.S.A.
Two inhabitants
1802,
Between Cape Rosoi and Long Island,
4.
in
inlet
little
Thorlack Thorlacksen.
the
6.
5.
Straits
of
in Davis'
of
at
in
6.
Cliffs
7.
Isle of
in
in
in
8.
of
10.
11.
in
six
9.
of
12.
of
13.
of
north-sailor.
14.
15.
in
S.
16.
coast of
S.
or
17.
S.
18.
S.
19.
in
S.
20.
of
east coast of
21.
coast
of
frigate.
S.
British
S.
their
to
22.
the Isle of
cot
east of
of this
S.
isle.
23.
S.
24.
S.
44'
25.
N.,
north-east of the
26.
Coole.
coast of
27.
Lillis.
S.
Islands,
of these islands.
28.
Islands,
of these islands.
29.
long.
July.
10'
487
CONCLUSIONS.
Maine
U.
S.
A.
The
Mrs. Cummings,
of Coll,
31.
of
of
32.
of Scot-
land.
33.
34.
20.
in
S.
his
carpenters.
21.
35.
in
S.
36.
Island.
37.
of
6.
10.
38.
in
of
S.
12.
of
of
13.
40.
S.
3d.
14.
41.
3d.,
Mr. Augustin
Lonson Nash.
Harbour of Gloucester, Mass., U.S.
,
M. Webber, and
the Hon.
1817, August
Mr. James Mansfield.
Harbour Gloucester, Mass., U.S.
43. 1817, August
CapA. Mr. William H. Foster, Mr. John Johnston,
John Corliss, Mr. George Marble.
Off Cape Ann Harbour, Mass., U. A.
44. 1817, August
Webber's Cove the Harand
crew
a
The Captain
Gloucester, Mass., U.
A. Mr. William B. Pearson,
bour
Mr. James P. Collins, Colonel T. H. Perkins, Mr. Lee.
Gloucester, Mass., U.S.
45. 1817, August 22? Harbour
A. A woman Mr. Mansfield and Mrs. Mansfield.
46. 1817, August
Harbour Gloucester, Mass., U.S.
A. Mr. Amos Story.
Gloucester, Mass., U.S.
47. 1817, August 24? Harbour
coasting
A. Several of the crews
the eastern point
Two miles
48. 1817, August
15.
42.
A.
17.
of
jun.,
tain
18.
S.
of
in
vessel.
of
S.
of
23.
of
of
of
28,
vessels.
east of
488
CONCLUSIONS.
of
schooner
cutters.
of
50.
3.
51.
5.
S.
Virg.,
52.
53.
S.
Wilson.
of the
Y.,
19.
S.
54.
coast
21.
of
of
S.
S.
Delia.
55.
2.
Webber and
56.
1818,
R. Hamilton.
60 N. latitude and 8
July.
Captain
fjord
W.
longitude, be-
Bliown.
Norway.
Some
fishermen of
Norway.
Fishermen
fjord.
- 1818
Near
August?
Mssrs.
Fielclvigen,
of Field vigen.
1818, August
Captain Richard
60.
1819,
June
Harbour
About 15
19.
59.
A.
of Gloucester, Mass.,
U.S.
Rich.
6.
Norway. Captain
miles
north-west
of
Race
U.S.A.
Captain Hawkins Wheeler, of the sloop
Concord and Gersham Bennett.
Sound between the Island of Ottersum and
61.
1819, July.
Point, Mass.,
,
the
continent,
thirty
other persons.
62.
Mass., U. S. A.
Mr.
James Prince, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Prince, Mr. James Magee, Mr.
Samuel Cabot, Mrs. Cabot, Mr. James Boott, Colonel T. H.
Perkins Mrs. Perkins and family.
63.
Mass., U. S. A.
64.
Vieg Veg
Norway. John
1819, August At the North Cape. Some fishermen.
1819, August? Bay Shuresund Sorsund
1819,
August.
or
fjord,
Gregar.
65.
66.
of
or
in the
489
CONCLUSIONS.
fjord,
Norway.
Norcl-
of
of
per-
68.
sons.
August 26.
Harbour of Gloucester, Mass., U. S.
Cheever Pelch, Captain William T. Malbone,
of the schooner Science, Midshipman Blake, four boatsmen.
An
70.
Near Boston, Mass., U. S. A.
1819, September?
Officer of the American Navy.
71.
Bay of Massachusetts, U. S. A.
1819, September 13?
72.
Near Hundsholm, Norway.
A young
1820, July?
69.
A.
1819,
The
Rev.
73.
74
man, master
1820,
members
August.
Near
Nahant, Mass., U.
1820 About
?
A.
S.
H. Perkins.
Bay
Several
of Biscay.
of
of
nel T.
76.
of
east
77.
Isle.
Isles of
78.
Islands).
79.
of Soroe.
long.
80.
sixty
east of
in
81.
S.
coast
82.
83.
of
84.
85.
persons.
of
16.
land.
tain
of
18.
of
vessel.
fjord,
490
CONCLUSIONS.
1827, August
Norway.
1827, September Off Nusodden, Norway
1827, September Off Lepager
Norway.
1827, September Off Drobak,
Norway.
1828 Christiansund
Norway. Nils Roe.
1828 Christiansund
Norway. Nils Roe.
1829?
Christiansund
Norway. Lars
Johnoen.
1829, the end
A considerable
southwest
the Cape
Good Hope. Captain Petrie
the
Saxon, and Mr. R. Davidson.
Norway. John John 1830? Christiansund
1831? In a narrow
near Christiansund, Norway.
Mr. William Knudtzon, Mr. Bookltjne.
1832, Summer. Rodo and Sodelow
Norway.
Christiania fjord,
26.
86.
Several
persons.
87.
(Christiania
3.
fjord?).
88.
(Christiania fjord?),
5.
89.
Christiania
9.
fjord,
Several persons.
90.
fjord
91.
fjord
July.
92.
fjord,
distance
of July.
93.
of
of
of
94.
lloyal
fjord,
son.
95.
fjord
96.
fjords,
Many
persons.
97.
1833,
Scotia.
Malcolm,
P.
98.
99.
U.
S.
100.
One
15.
Some
W. Sullivan
B. O'
1833, July,
1833, July,
A. Forty
Several
A.
May,
Captain
101.
1835,
Off Nahant,
Sunday. Lynn Harbour,
next
the
Mass., U. S.
Summer.
March
Mass.,
and gentlemen.
or fifty ladies
Bay
Light,
Ince.
on a Saturday.
persons.
1834,
Nova
Maclachlan G
Lieutenants A.
of Gloucester Mass., U. S. A.
or April.
S.
Captain
Shibbles, and
1836? In
Mr. Gaeschke.
103.
man
1837,
end of July.
(Drontheim) Norway.
Isles
,
Near
Storfosen
Mangelian,
Atlantic.
Boston.
Captain
Bubier.
491
CONCLUSIONS.
1839,
106.
S.
A.
Cap-
tain Smith.
89
1840, April 21.-24
W.
N.
Captain d'Abnour.
1840 June Near Boston
106
107. 1840, July? Molde fjord, Norway. Mr. Hammer,
Mr. Kraft, and some other
1840 August? "Along the whole
the Amer107
the
the U.
108. 1841. Christiansund fjord, Norway. Several
109. 1842? Romsdal
Norway. A parish
110. 1842 Romsdal
Norway. A gentleman.
111. 1843, Summer. Christiansund fjord, Norway.
111a. 1843, October? Near Ibbestad, not
from
tiansand Norway. Some fishermen.
112. 1845 Near Bergen
Norway. Some fishermen.
113. 1845. Between Bergen and Sogn, Norway. Mr.
D. Morries Stirling, and two other gentlemen.
114. 1845
1846, Summer. Camp's Bay, near Cape
Town. Mr. G. D. Brunette, Mr. Charles A. Eairbridge.
Romsdale fjord, Norway. Mr.
115. 1845, July
Kroch Christian Flang and John Elgenses.
C. Lund Mr. G.
Between the
117. 1846, August
Sartor Leer
Bjornfjord near Bergen Norway. Several
and Tos and
106a.
13'
52'
latitude,
a.
persons.
ican coast",
i.
e.
line of
east coast of
of
S.
per-
sons.
fjord,
fjord
priest.
far
Chris-
J.
or
28.
J.
S.
islands of
8.
in
per-
about twelve
Island,
Captain
Adams,
and passengers of
122.
1849,
of
miles
the
from the
schooner
St.
it.
May
30.
South
of Australia, between 40
and
492
CONCLUSIONS.
45
S.
lat.,
S.
Cleopatra.
1850? Between
125. 1853 Fjords
124.
Captain
Cristmas.
of
Alb eon a.
Brig
1855
1856,
Norway.
4.
Lat.
38
S.,
long.
13 E.
The
128.
129. 1856,
Captain
gan
July
8.
Lat.
W. Tremearne
A. K.
34
56'
S.,
long.
18 41' E.
130.
1857,
February
16.
In
Cape Town.
Table Bay,
Mor-
Murray and
Mr. Hall.
131.
distant
1857,
10
Captain
12.
North
east
end of
St.
Helena
ship Castilian,
second
December
miles.
officer.
1858,
January 26.
Lat. 19 10' S., long. 16 6' W.,
between the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena.
Captain Suckling of the Carnatic, Captain Shuttleworth.
132.
133.
1861? August, on a Sunday.
Binney, and above a hundred persons.
piazza of
hotel.
16.
Isles of
Isles.
coast of Australia.
20.
of
the
of Sleat
officer.
Isle
Skye and the west coast of Scotland, and between Eigg and
mainland.
Rev.
Lady
at Duisdale, in Skye.
493
CONCLUSIONS.
of
Macrae, and
other people.
139.
August 23.
of
his brother
24.
locality.
witnesses.
castle,
east coast of
east coast of
locality.
Lat.
8.
13'
S.,
long.
of
Horatio Thompson
Lewarn, Owen Baker.
Pauline
William
Lat.
long 34
W., eighty
The same
146. 1876, September
Fifteen miles north west North
John K. Webster,
the Malacca
Sand Lighthouse,
Nestor, and Mr. James Anderson.
Captain
the
90
Lat.
147. 1877, May
Indian
the barque Georgina.
Ocean. The master
Off Cape Vito,
Commander
148. 1877, June
145.
July
1875,
5 S.,
13.
10'
witnesses.
11.
of
Straits.
in
British
of
s. s.
2 N., long.
21.
53' E.,
of
Sicily.
2.
Pearson of H. M. Yacht
Forsyth, and Mr. Moore.
1879,
149.
Gulf of Aden.
January
1879,
March
his
151.
W.
s. s.
30.
J.
Mr.
1879,
April
5.
City of Baltimore.
In
Cape
Rev. H.
and Busselton.
wife, Mr. M'Mullan.
Lockville
and
Lat.
28.
Major H.
Osborne,
494
CONCLUSIONS.
Cape Town.
Mr.
M. Hansen,
C.
wife
his
Some
fishermen.
Mr. Weisz
The same
Andrew Schultz.
Near Orme's Heads, northern
September
Mr. W. Barfoot Mr.
Marlow,
1882,
155. 1882,
May
154.
31.
of
locality.
Wales
coast of
3.
Irish Sea.
Marlow, and
Mrs.
1883, October
1885, August
156.
157.
Nordland, Norway,
lads.
at
F. J.
and gentlemen.
Bristol Channel.
16.
lat.
Isles,
Some
New
1886,
Yersey, U.
August.
S.
A.
Two
east coast of
the
S.
coast
east
of
S.
track
161.
to
captain.
coast
far
of
of
Harper.
In
these
point
of
nearly
reports
view,
and there
all
is
is
but
probable
very
little
that
from a zoological
as fabulous.
Some statements
we unhesitatingly
the
of all
peated
reports
which
seem
at first
accept as truths,
to
us to be exaggerations,
a review
What now
above.
the
list
follows
is
The numbers
given
Chapter. Let us
in
above,
first
consequently
also
with
those
in
my
4th.
495
CONCLUSIONS.
Bishops;
away
event
terrible
foretold
also
it
snatching
the
man from
of
Kingdom, without
in the
The
(1).
would die
war
would soon break out (p. 105). The Norwegian fishermen looked
upon its coming as a bad sign for the fish would leave the coast
the
that
either
princes
or be banished, or that a
(61).
Curious
lives
in
are
rocks
also
The
105).
(p.
may
105)
The
fables,
fine
often
Norway foam,
the seamen
111).
to
109)
(p.
to
p.
it
improbable.
of
the
coil,
kinds of sea-crabs
sea-serpents:
of
said
all
related
its
though
of
on the surface
also
caverns only in
told
also
is
its
sleeping
It
comes out of
it
also be a story,
are
anchor in
characters
summernights and
(p.
the
to
if
them
in
for that
its
the
sinks, while on the contrary the invisible part rises (p. 134,
227).
Arend Berndsen
us
tells
that
sea-serpents,
know
all
as well as
aboard
(p.
134),
sailors
that
it
It is
dangerous to seamen
(p.
108,
p.
is
called
much
496
CONCLUSIONS.
of
afraid
134, 61
(7, 14, p.
it
134,
259)
p.
and
sea-serpent approaches,
the
attracts
common
as
animal
Some
259).
(p.
snakes do
and mountains
130,
it
p.
when
believe that
and that
132),
(p.
rowing
to avoid
(p.
to be very quiet
it
is
it can no longer hide its enorsome river and floats down to the
sea (p. 133). When swimming, sea-serpents don't show their tail
above the surface. Fishermen in their fear would say if one was
near the head, the other end of the animal could not be seen
forests
in
lives
mous body
in it;
then
till
seeks
it
am
(103). I
mal
sometimes said
is
behind
leaves
itself
is
considerable
The animal
reason
that
three
is
The
thickness too
the head
boat,
is
about twenty
e.
i.
is
feet
105);
p.
to
writers
tance was too large for a closer examination, so that the observers
thought
it
see
one (39), or
it
(5),
or a
was the
fear
(157) which in reality did not exist. Scales are also oc-
scales
(fig. 26) though the eye-witness does not menthem and even believed it belonged to the eel- tribe (63). No
wonder that such a terrible animal is often called Leviathan (p.
casionally delineated
tion
Ill),
an
animal which
raises
its
ermen
Magnus
(p.
coils
them
(p.
109).
Norwegian
fish-
(p.
133)
tell us,
and
as
is
stated
497
CONCLUSIONS.
when even
afterwards,
found in the
my
In
fields
opinion
(p.
And
all
takes
ever
boat
the
follow
one
boat for
This
133).
(p.
when
that
may
it
animal
and even
49
neated in
fig.
in n. 63.
The
is
dark green
as
(30),
left
side
water,
and
are
fins
six
why
the
(146),
blue
as possible (29),
made
or of a blue
these
(129,
(29),
36)
fig.
of
colour-blind.
which
drawn on the
six are
129.
In
the same
way
deception,
I
as I
have explained
neck
and that
substance
26
have explained in
indication
fig.
The twelve
of
re-
deli-
tail
tail
is
am
wrongly
The cetacean
31).
(fig.
in great fright. I
a positive error,
is
don't hesitate
135)
(p.
in the Mediterranean.
presented in
grows
it
to
Norway
monster
this
known
is
Britain, France,
(29),
to
colour
it
the
animal
is
is
it
of
is
furious
it
is
it
cies of sea-serpents
it
distinct traces of
(96).
(146),
it
so
that
seemed
to
it
be
it
is
flabby,
screw-like (155).
In no case
the
antenna
its
appearance.
inferred from
;*2
CONCLUSIONS.
498
B. Pacts.
These are so numerous that
under several heads.
Dimensions.
a.
The
length
the
water
several
(25),
EXTERNAL CHARACTERS.
1.
of
am
about thirty-six
about forty
between
(137),
(43,
46,
feet
(63),
and,
(154),
feet
must, according
least in n.
at
partly
is
154
as
may
animal which
us of an
As a
see, a length of
lay
it
feet.
but of the
visible,
we
instance
this
in
my
to
feet
fifty
attain a
swims
and neck above the water-surface, commonly the back
head
n.
to sixty
fifty
too
from
(94),
with
feet (92),
(115,
feet
fifty-five feet
83,
(57,
eighty
fifty
about
60),
feet
sixty
(152
five feet
and
forty
51,
50,
nearly
only
tail
150
perfectly
small
portion.
animal was
feet of the
still;
and head were under water, and the back and a great length
of
tail
The whole
large
(119),
tonishing
or
In
visible;
length
very
to
(17,
28,
larger
at
56),
least
seventy
feet
feet
(41),
one hundred
(63),
than
feet (19),
fifty-five
ship
from
sixty
feet
not
(107),
a yacht of
fifty
feet (74),
hundred
(82),
more than
feet (14),
feet
(]
(109),
feet (31),
(1,
from
sixty feet
to eighty feet
above seventy
(36), as-
from sixty
feet (17,
immense
fifty
eighteen
(5),
from eighty
as
the
feet (24),
(29),
is
considerable
(2),
enormous (132),
(1),
times
four
fifty
of the animal
large
39, 142),
at
least
from seventy
m,
69, 135),
499
CONCLUSIONS.
at
hundred
least
feet
greater
more
(34),
Captain
of
one hundred
than
M'Quhae,
feet (95),
consequently pro-
more than one hundred feet (93), one hundred and twenty
from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty
feet (105), one hundred and thirty feet (69), about one hundred
and fifty feet (65), from one hundred and fifty to two hundred
feet (114), from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy
feet (34, 144), one hundred and eighty feet (126), one hundred
and ninety feet (52), about 200 feet (p. 107, p. 138, 130, 155,
157), more than two hundred feet (p. 107, 30, 131), and though
estimated by the eye witnesses (see n. 148) as to be at least one
hundred and fifty feet, the individual seen by them must have
more than two hundred feet
according to my reckoning
been
long.
Such a length needs no explanation it is a fact established
by the declarations of highly respectable men, and of men who
bably
feet (34),
accustomed
are
length
the
estimate
to
water
twenty
The
nearly
hat
(94),
keg
afar
feet.
that
as
than
larger
(42),
man
about as that of a
is
that
of
any dog
crown of
pail
(42),
long (56,
as
large
its
(34,
two
feet
thickness
(95),
size of
the
of a
size
of
81),
about
120),
six
as
feet
large
in
as
little
(97),
about
long
H. M.
S.
Daedalus cannot
500
CONCLUSIONS.
long (118);
estimated sixteen
is
is
portion
evidently
neck
feet, as the
it
of
calculation.
royal
as its breadth
The
length
enormous
eighteen
(p.
feet
is
about twenty
(124),
feet (118), at
body
least
twenty
feet
or forty-five feet,
fifty
i.
e.
the neck alone must have been about twenty-five feet (146), about
twenty
feet
hind
about sixty
about thirty
crown or top
fifty
feet",
it
to just
me
as to
its
shoulder where
but as
"from
feet (145);
the
below
about
twenty
(151),
am
about sixty
feet
about twenty
feet
at about
twenty
flappers
was
as
that
the
Consequently
occasionally
also
about twenty
visible at
clude
feet distant
seen.
And
head, we
may
was
con-
we may decide
ming
fore-
as this fore-flapper
who saw
The
Once
long (162),
opinion
longer
its
neck
estimated.
feet
with
the
it
is
and
animal's
than about
contracted,
called
thirty
five
feet
in
eighty feet
this
,
i.
e.
last
long
fifty
(8),
then forty
feet (146).
In
my
head
CONCLUSIONS.
501
officers
eighty
feet.
head,
been
about forty
ated
almost
feet long.
middle
the
in
of the
whole length.
And
situ-
therefore
Egede and Bing did not observe them, because the middle part
of the whole length remained hidden from them (fig. 19). Captain
Hope
states
not
the
that
(119)
an
resembles
its
back
alligator
an
When
Captain
me
seems to
animal's
Twice
individuals
by the
seen
officers of
the
of
doubtedly had a
mous (106
The
(129).
Osborne (148),
and twenty
have
to
trunk
tail of
feet in length.
tail
enor-
a).
119)
(14,
it
seen together; the two fore flappers were seen four times (5, 121,
fig. 19, 36, and 45;
two hind flappers were twice seen (151, 158),
49. Four times one of the fore-flappers was
is
and delineated
visible
the
in
hindflappers
large
fig.
above the surface (106 A, 118, 137, 154) and twice one of
posterior
(118,
frightful,
(5),
The
154).
several
feet
length
dimensions
(154);
judging from
should estimate
instance
(fig.
Captain
50), I
the
drawing
its
and
and of immense
feet.
from the water and inclining itself at a considerupon the body (106 A). The hindflappers are said to
be smaller than the anterior (119), and about ten feet long (154).
As to the breadth of the head some observers mention its diameter, and some its circumference, or they compare its thickness
angle
able
either
with
that
some well-known
following
statements:
the
the
neck,
it
is
is
with
that
of the
trunk, or with
we meet with
the
connected with
the
of
object; this
502
CONCLUSIONS.
narrow in proportion
tracted
in
feet
neck
its
about three
circumference
in
feet
is
about two
(29),
(148).
(69),
circumference (69), at
feet in
The neck
diameter (150),
three
least
as is also
(31),
much
and may
thinner
be two
than the head (91), comparatively narrow (148),
and a half feet in circumference (48), just behind the head sixteen
inches
thick
about two
(118),
in
swims
the
such
way
that
part of
little
back
its
rises
in
of
so that
it
barrel
(39,
about
as thick as a
man
two
41, 80)
wine barrel (2, 85),
a barrel of two hogsheads
(94)
as thick as
boom
feet in
diameter (92)
horse (109), he
ells
firkin (63)
(46), as thick as a
common
63), as thick as a
man's body
as thick as a stout
(147),
(115),
as
is
inconsiderable (95)
as thick as a large
thick
as our
main mast
its
it
back (121), at the shoulder about fifteen to twenty feet (148), the
shoulder was the thickest part of the body, about twenty feet (122).
The tail-root had, on one occasion, a diameter of four feet
(146),
but as
it
The
tail
is
it
it
is
only in a
ends in a point
(fig.
of
19,
a
fig.
20),
serpent
and consequently
or
snake.
It
is
is
also
503
CONCLUSIONS.
said
be
to
pointed
as
as
boat-hook
(8),
individuals
in
of
of comparative
\\
From
feet.
estimations
the
horizontal
that
diameter
vertical
its
same
the
is
We know
feet.
is
as its horizontal or
one.
transversal
about 4
horizontal
feet,
officers of the
dimensions
of
was 1V 3 or
of the
Daedalus animal
sea-serpents,
same way
the
feet.
to
allied
individual
at
have
may put
about
nearly
these
The
feet.
Osborne
distance
feet.
to the
We may
consequently
whether
tion
dimensions. In
relative
Osborne.
As
to the ques-
this portion is to
portion
my
the
of
trunk,
animal's
where the
to the point
limb
fore
viz.
is
arm
that,
if
the free
part
of the foreflapper
shoulder
so to
is
about
is
is,
not free, as in
is
may
of the
its
free.
conclude
fifteen feet,
the
portion of the trunk from the place where the fore limb in seated
the
individual
53
As
the
feet.
about
17^2
dalus
one
feet
third
long.
individual
foreflapper
about 20
to
size
of
of
that
is
about seven
the
of
feet
and a
Osborne
had
individual
of
the
the
of
the
Osborne,
its
neck
half.
Daedalus
neck
Con-
of about
was
was
about
For the same reason the foreflappers of the Daewere five feet in length. The distance from the
the
measured 22
1
/
feet, so that
504
CONCLUSIONS.
67
feet.
Summing up
swam with
individual
were
least
for
its
trunk
the
Daedalus animal 43
body
its
feet
the
in
This
feet.
visible
substantiated
by
obvious
this
that
the
was about
the
animal's
nose
to
its
hindflappers.
But
from
and only give it a length of about forty feet. If this is within the
bounds of truth, of which I don't doubt in the least, the length
of the tail of the individual, seen by the officers of the Osborne
measured about 120 feet. Captain Hope who had the opportunity
to observe the four flappers together in a very favourable position,
states
venture
estimate
to
we may
the foreflappers. So
two individuals
the
of
the
at 3
was from
safely
fifteen
to
T
/3
and 10
twenty
feet respectively.
officers
been a
of that of
in
feet
little
As
to the
their
individual.
/3
its
We
may
greatest breadth,
The body gradually diminishes towards the tail, and this in its
turn towards its end, which, as we have observed, is pointed.
The reason why I have deduced my different relative proportions
only from the reports of the officers of the Daedalus and of the
Osborne, is that they had a very favourable opportunity to estimate
them. The former saw the animal swimming with its body in a
straight line, and with its neck quite stretched, not contracted,
showing the greater part of its length, and swimming in such a
way that it was seen just from aside, so that the different lengths
of the
latter
portions
saw
breadths
the
of
the
body could
animal just
from
be estimated.
easily
behind
so
that
the
And
the
different
505
CONCLUSIONS.
Length of head.
47.2
Vk
8*/,
17Vi
23V2
29V2
35V3
15
22V2
29V3
37' A
442/3
131/3
26V3
40
53V3
66V3
18
272/3
55 'A
83
4V 3
6/8
13 V3
20
26/a
1V3
Length of neck.
Length of trunk.
Length of
tail.
Total length.
From
/3
occiput to
foreflappers.
47
53
58 /e
59V2
67
80
931/3
IO673
120
166
1932/3
22P/3
249
33i/3
40
462/3
53V3
60
2/a
31/3
42/3
5y3
IV.
1%
2 2/3
3'/9
372
14
161/3
I82/3
21
41i/
6
Breadth of head.
Breadth of neck.
V9
Breadth of trunk.
IV.
Va
*Vi
9i/3
l/a
3Vi
6V3
8V3
10
1173
13 '/,
15
'/
IVe
2'/ 3
3 V.
4'/a
51/2
673
7Vb
10
Length
of
fore-
flapper.
Length
am
correct
am
/3
of hind-
flapper.
/l2
/3
far
if
'A
an
ever
individual
falls
men
but I
of
feet!
Well,
leave
it
to
you
to fix your-
self
b.
The name we
give to an
on the impression
was
like a log of
it
be spoken of below.
a
be
eel-shaped
persons
that
It is called
most remarkable
or
it
say
it
Form.
(33),
or
fish (118),
to
an animal of the
fish
kind
resemble a large
appeared to be of a uniform
eel (118,
size
(34),
(60),
and
152).
to
Some
and others
506
CONCLUSIONS.
round
One
(43).
my
impression on
it
118,
17,
(5,
serpent
or
152)
135,
eel
and myself
is
80,
say he
(26,
60, 80,
(63). Generally
is
that
it
of a serpentine character, as
movement was
by
propelled
if
with a crocodile
observe
its
fins, not
Captain
(14).
the
animal with
the
described
Haynes,
Lieutenant
the
animal from
Osborne
of the
behind,
resembled
animal
as
large
to
marine
it
deserves
huge
seal,
who saw
all
the
my
resemblance being
strongest
There
here
it
is
was
statement that
the
it
is
of a form
somewhat oval
it
round
as
bullet-shaped
from
seen
behind,
31
to
conceive
how
gallon
what
cask
oval".
(31)
also that
and
The head is also
a nun buoy (131),
(148,
fig.
45).
our
(102),
which
is
Major Senior
to look at
to
not unlike
pictures
of
explanation
of
his
report.
and:
this
The head,
the
end of a log
(150),
the
thick
bluff head
507
CONCLUSIONS.
137, 29, 60, 97, 101, 118, 121), or serpent (29, 48, 61, 63, 74),
something that of a
or
somewhat oblique
rattle
direction,
it
I can only explain these different comparby supposing that to some extent the head really resembles
these various head shapes, being flattened above and somewhat
blunt at its end. Though the officers of the Daedalus, too, com-
pared it with that of a snake, their drawing (fig. 30) shows the
head of a mammal. The proportions of the length and height, the
outlines of the jaws
of the nostril
the situation
and nose, the bluntness of the snout and the presence of the two
cushions on the crown of the head (the external visible masticatory
muscles) are true mammalian characters. It therefore is not wonderful
a),
that
of
right
that
a
of
walrus
sea-lion
with
angles
opened
to find
also
(152
(36).
its
nostrils as
its
When
neck,
wide
29, 148),
head
its
and
at nearly
ingly
large),
and with
are
we
such a head,
its
serpent's
was compared
case.
He
Which
And why ?
at the time
sea-lions
lion's
species
of the
and
it
late years to
be seen
and
on
if
so,
their
memory
of another animal.
of
Zalophus
508
CONCLUSIONS.
common
pent's (74), or of a
from
head
the
used the
neck and
(121). It
"tapering"
expression
snake's (97,
body
to the
sense
in
101),
is
fair
he goes on
with
and
words:
the
appeared
it
and
measure about
to
before
erably
towards the
the
head
(31),
91,
39,
(31,
tail
its
as
may
it
tapered
150),
behind,
turtle
the
said
is
(148,
45),
fig.
developed in form
be
to
we
are
now
if
visible.
result ot
Remarkable
is
the
mal was possessed of fore-limbs. Equally remarkable is the statement "there is a distinct difference in thickness between the body
and the tail; the trunk is not gradually growing smaller, where
the tail begins, but at once and very distinctly" (8, 12, 146);
for such an animal has rumps, and consequently also thighs and
:
hind-limbs.
The
tapering
to
end
its
mal's
head
and
162),
the
trunk
water;
tioned;
it
was
as
tail
12,
146,
were plainly
being
wholly
like that of a
150,
fig.
visible
hidden
19).
Twice the
ani-
evidently
described
(8,
the
tail
was pointed,
resembling that of a
else it
fish or of a
whale; evidently
it
was
end,
else it
509
CONCLUSIONS.
and the
large,
however, that the indented edge of the foreflappers did not escape
the eyes of Mr. Bing. Mr.
Bakewell
foreflappers
was occasionally
somewhat
visible
about twenty
at
the
in
are
(p.
Hope
and 50 on the
the
right,
foreflappers
were
is
90
to
feet in length,
one of
(fig.
at
(118).
to
the
as
head, consequently
of the
length
19).
The fore-head
is
144) and
(p.
flat
44, 60, 69, 118, 157, fig. 30), or depressed (56) and
once Mr. Senior thought to observe in it, together with the eye(29,
41,
The snout
or muzzle
is
and sharp
called long
(5,
fig.
19), sharp
tion (148), not pointed but bluntly round (92), not pointed but
seemed rather blunt (94), a blunt and quadrangular beak as cows
and horses have (p. 144), evidently with the nostrils opened as
wide as possible, rather blunt (48), apparently blunt (102), bluff
(150),
obtuse (56),
consequently at five
horse's
(34),
or
feet
broad,
somewhat
tapered to the
size
of a
a seal (148).
The upperjaw
projects
considerably
(118);
we may
safely read
projects.
Tinder the
(126).
This
sible as it
jaw
it
there
seems
is
was a quantity of
loose skin
and
it
like a
is
pouch
not impos-
510
CONCLUSIONS.
The
is
seldom mentioned.
nostrils are
animal
(fig.
19,
fig.
24, fig. 36), or indicated with a crescentic mark (fig. 30), and
mentioned to have been distinctly visible (118), and described as
130). It
large (p.
is
as
wide
of
overarching the
valves
or
flaps
them
mouth
the
(p.
semicircular
when
as possible, the
said to be "nearly
nostrils,
which were
in front" (143).
Of
the
tells
stiff
mals have, with a good nose (p. 130). These whiskers are mentiononly once: "on the nose there are thick hairs, as
ed afterwards
on a
seal's,
of
seal
The mouth
is
transverse (56)
and large
(9, 56);
it is
rarely
men-
tioned, but once stated to have been distinctly visible (118); once
inches
it
was estimated
or
open
it
The
137
(56) (I
may
146).
fifteen
when
large,
too
at
that
They
may be
it
them
mentioned
to
are
as
130,
31, 80, 101, 118, 126, 152, 158; but sometimes we get a short
fig. 30), about the size of an ox's
description. They are round (92
,
about 3V 3
(48),
meter
(92),
inches
large
(p.
disproportionately large (36), broad (p. 225), very large (92), relatlarge
ively
We
(112).
opened as wide
observe that
possible,
as
the
size
of the
eyes,
when
are
estimated at
observers
and about
read
(122),
that:
l
l2
and
inches.
On
they
same
are
brilliant (p.
thickness.
not glossy
105), flaming
As
(103),
(p.
we
511
CONCLUSIONS.
and
(48),
in
glittering (63,
their
when
seen
the
reflecting
those
of
and
(143),
reddish
We
by
daylight
have
or
peculiar
cat
(91),
burning
fire
glimmer
and
The eye
One
is
is
deli-
of the eye-
is
in their cavity
or crimson (92).
(5),
fig.
head
when
their
this
like
neated in
It
131).
(p.
92).
(44,
in
tin-coloured,
plates
225,
p.
dark
are
axis
there appeared
that
the
respect
of a toad (60). It
eyes
that
similar
eyes
easy to understand
is
and that
heavy eye-brow
This
of the
eyes
is
animal than
is
delineated too
(fig.
to the
are
however,
fig.
The situation
mouth of the
30).
mentioned. If external
present,
very probable; at
is
19, 26).
all
events earholes
must be present,
but they are evidently very small, and capable of being closed, as
in seals. Curious
is
(143).
There
is
fig.
30).
made on
c.
Skin.
Except
scales
in
two cases
(39,
43, 48, 56, 59, 60, 92, 103, 114, 115, 118, 146,
30, 31, 45),
fig.
(59).
its
an
eel's
upperlips, must
512
CONCLUSIONS.
seal (148), and
Such a hairy skin
more: that
still
is
as
a mirror
becomes smooth
may be
as
characters, as
strongly,
when
it
is
wet,
animal opens
mouth,
portunity
to
know much
of
its
anatomical
Yet
see
(126), as
opening
it
Generally
etc.
stated
is
it
is
is
it
keeps
its
mouth shut,
if
its
mouth
its
109
accounts
81,
there
tongue,
teeth,
its
don't
scalpel of an anatomist.
its
we
it
65,
and shines
It is
seal's (8).
2.
about
woolly as a
as
it
144,
118,
149),
teeth
are
(39,
41, 48,
because
distance
Of
tongue
animal's
the
we have
head
his
the
following
thought
head,
the
six inches in
it
but
spyglass);
at
observations:
the
or
it
"I
(43,
fisherman's
harpoon"
(48)
out
his
his jaws,
tongue
the end of
backwards
again" (48)
To
it fall
the
feet
from
known
513
CONCLUSIONS.
3.
Just
to
as
in
indeed
exist
Just
as
dark
the
in
the sea-serpent
the
is
when wet,
but,
light,
colour
real
grey
the
of
i.e.
we should
say
it
their colour is
evident that
sea-serpent,
(9,
It is
Just
much
it
as
some
at
Pinnipeds, the
in
when
lighter
it
colour
very
is
made
us,
to
distance.
p.
of a
close
is
is
than
when we
see
it
may
out,
light
seemed
at
about thirty
to
it
is
farther a greyish
brown
(79).
the
call
still
it
more minutely,
agree that the backpart of the head, the neck, the trunk and the
dark, and that the under part of the head and the neck
are
tail
is
light coloured.
With regard
The dark
as
may be
the
of
colour
upper
animal
and a
seems to
part
is
evidently
vary
little,
63, 67, 80, 85, 103, 115, 131, 152 a, 154), very dark (42, 48),
somewhat dark (95), dark dull (130), evidently a chocolate brown,
for it was compared with
or chestnut brown
or mahogany brown
,
(151), old
brown
92,
(121),
(p.
131,
brown
39,
(152).
120,
The
44,
81,
46,
(48),
126,
tints
69,
56,
approaching
(91),
almost black
114,
(43,
mahogany brown
144), deep brown
(63),
of
the
152,
155),
figures
also
evidently
blackish
150,
149,
brown
dark brown
to black
138,
(92), dirty
(34),
By some
as
black
as coal-tar
represent a dark
514
CONCLUSIONS.
head
the
of
may
shoulders
observed
is
to
read
for
dark
upperpart
safely
is
(122).
On
this
spots,
of a lighter
hue are observed more than once: the colour was that of a conger
eel, consequently brown with lighter streaks (144), spotted, and
with light flames, or maculated, with distinctly visible light spots
turtle or a lackered table (p.
like
colours
light
131),
white
streaked with
(41),
in
irregular
streaks (97),
white spots
several
(131),
spots
37 and 38.
ble
131,
9).
The
117,
138,
(p.
29,
28,
be
to
figg.
figg.
seem
underjaw
the
of
sides
is
yellow
30)
very
light
coloured:
muddy
(25),
white (56),
(41),
feet
"which were
visible
of his
case,
into
two
black.
we read
in
106a
sections, white
was
animal
as
belly
for
in
divided
into
is
longitudinally divided
in n.
two
sections,
am
dark stripe
and
unable to decide in
of course
,
curved downwards
as long as the
head
be found to come up to
The
animal's
is
drawn
how
n.
far
144.
the problematic
reality.
back
seems to be the
really
this
longitudinally
Of course
(41),
fig.
31
is
and
I believe
that such alternating broad bands of a light and dark colour don't
exist in reality,
515
CONCLUSIONS.
4.
It
that
to begin
unquestionable
is
common
been
to the tail
where
hair-coating.
it
The mane
is
said to have
on
visible
24, n. 10:2),
its
103,
fig.
31),
backwards
the
neck
close
(91),
mane
the
(92),
head was provided with a mane hanging down (152 a); evidently
the mane extends from the head over the whole length of the neck
and the trunk (18? fig. 28, fig. 29). The mane near the head is
long (9, 152 a), tolerably long (92), two feet long (p. 105), and
not very long (91), that it is of
all along the neck and back:
we must suppose for it is said to wash about to
some length
and fro in the water (91, 118, 120), and to spread to left and to
,
on
floating
right
sunshine,
138,
but
brown
(102),
p.
225,
water
the
mane seems
of the
colour
else it
(92),
when
the
to be white (9)
dried
(92,
152
91,
92,
a).
103,
The
up by the
of the body
animal swims.
when
(p.
132, 118,
135).
Probably a mane was present in n. 51, and 74; the back from
was irregular, uneven, and deeply indented; irregular and
afar,
tion
(26,
and 27), but we have so many reports which don't menthe mane, and which surely would have mentioned it, if it
19
had been present, that we are obliged to believe that those indihad no mane. In other instances the distance was too great
even if the animal had been provided with one.
to observe a mane
I am sure that here we have one of the differences between
viduals
prised
that,
if
516
CONCLUSIONS.
males would
al,
prove
the
females
in gener-
surpass
to
twice
in
and four or
size
times
my
six
In
weight.
in
opinion
large
in-
mane,
or
The
one
at
had
have
time
one.
probability exists
mane
part of their
er
at
ting
seen
or
were moul-
they
that
age,
certain
which would
ac-
some
in
large
indivi-
mane was
no
duals
observed.
I
draw
the
have ventured to
the
outlines
of
descriptions.
represents
it
72
seen
as
and
fig.
73
seen
as
and the
of
the
in the males.
ex-
mane
CONCLUSIONS.
5.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERS.
Nutritory functions.
a.
Eating,
1.
sea-crabs (p.
Food.
Its
With
true.
We
fish.
"He
this:
may be
105),
be said to feed on
decide
517
kind of
all
it
may
often
nutes under water; evidently he was diving or fishing for his food.
serpent soon
also
When
on sea-mammals.
fish
but
on Behring's
Isle
by way of change,
Mr. Kriukof
tells
some rushed into the water, and others hid themselves on the
The sea often throws up pieces of the flesh, which, accord-
shore.
ing
the
to
Aleutians
is
of
pieces
regions;
sea-birds
have
flesh
is
it
they
been
question
terrified,
of
now,
if
of
fishes
but
in
exist
those
were of
flesh
would not
sea-mammals these
they
don't
are not
called flesh
what kind
Sea-reptiles
sea-serpents.
to
highly
am
did not
sure
pieces
of flesh were,
know
the
sea-serpent
is
would not be
to
Of
not the
so
be a terrible
enemy.
There
is
moreover no doubt,
that
"There
"It was surrounded by porpoises and grampuses" (56)
was an immense shoal of grampuses which appeared in an unusual
state of excitement", no doubt because they were pursued by a
;
518
CONCLUSIONS.
sea-serpent
"an immense
(97);
shoal
rushed by the
of porpoises
if
are
Captain
of
fin)
The manner
part of their
as
gills
surface.
fish
with
reports,
it
on the
floating
tail
Breathing.
2.
sea-serpents
by
numerous
respire
stated in
is
the
it
time
that
It is
they remain
is
When
under water
is
about eight
it
minutes (63).
an hour or
for half
When having remained so long under water, and apon the surface, the animal suddenly exhales with such a
force that "we at first imagined it to be a whale spouting" (83),
longer.
still
pearing
to that of
The same
(101).
his
he made a noise
usually
is
when
heard
a whale "spouts"
(See
But
36.
surface
with
when
haling
from
it
when
also
head on the
its
its
the animal
is
swimming
level of the
still
on the
above water
or lying
it
"spouts water
ity
spouting water"
also
blew
like
a whale", said
mouth a stream
plank"
pine
(158).
head some
its
of
feet
Egede
foamy
In
(5,
stuff,
general,
above the
iig.
little
19),
"it squirted
from
its
it
is
ing" (148).
3.
we read
left
a greasy
behind him (156). It is very probable that such a large seaanimal, provided as it is with rather a thick layer of bacon under
trail
519
CONCLUSIONS.
skin,
its
trail";
quantity
secretes
greasy
will
this
wounded.
Without any doubt
odour" (61).
b.
it
true that
is
enough
when
happen
certainly
may "emit
it
it
is
to leave
severely
a very strong
1.
animal's
feeling.
whiskers are
developed
rarely
telides,
and numerous
go through holes,
can
large
ling.
enough
to
admit
animals,
It
crevices,
is
and
known
in animals
that
all
mus-
which
live
these animals
which are
Whiskers are organs of fee-
their whiskers.
sea-ser-
pents
for
allied
as
holes,
in
way, such
will
it
observed in fine
(114, 137).
2.
Taste.
by the food
3.
prey
Smell.
on
The
it
There
is
but
it
fish,
particulars
taste of the
animal
is,
of course, only to be
known
takes.
about
it.
clear that
Only
it
is
we
shall never
stated,
and
it
seems to be true,
that they cannot bear the smell of castoreum and asa foetida, and
that
to the days of
Rathke
(1840) would never forget to bring one of these drugs with them,
to drive
As
520
CONCLUSIONS.
afar,
or
pose
sea-serpents
to
difficult to
4.
emit
odour,
strong
this
surely
all
their enemies,
decide, but in
it
very
themselves.
Hearing.
may be
as
and
flatter
away
to drive
viz.
or
when
only be asserted
it
are,
expected,
it
has heard,
for
(69);
to
my
"on
it
Sight.
5.
with
its
head some
mentioned
it
raised
to
take
that
it
survey
it.
followed
and
a boat,
its
feet
1.
several times
that
c.
it
objects,
swims
that a sea-serpent
feet
63, 74,
p.
225,
a).
We
or
opened
24).
it
like that of a
so-ventrally
of the
neck,
observers
circle
93).
curved in
naturally
(115).
It
say
such
that
can also
The swimming
dorso-ventral
fig.
in
flexibility.
is
it
turn
its
vertical
It
way,
has
fig.
in
moving
is
When
visible
undulations
the
power
to
is
surely
hold
its
a proof of
body
in a
521
CONCLUSIONS.
straight line, quite
bend
to
stiff,
and
trunk
neck,
its
it
dorso-ventrally into
tail
numerous
unless
it
is
according
to
body-length,
its
may be
high (154,
feet
50).
fig.
its
On some
occasions
to four
it
doing
in
so,
its
tail
rose
In turning
lateral
Its
(5)
so that the
U or horse-shoe (fig.
19).
bends
it
its
the
skin,
its
animal,
when
it
bends
body
its
in the
form of a
head
its
the chin
encircle the
may happen
neck, which when held so
to the sun
show
will
like
contracted,
little
about
a
When
its
is
skin.
held nearly at right angles with the neck, the skin under
is
six
"three
feet
yellow
collars"
small watercask"
(126),
or
its
neck
for
(71).
When
it
is
It
may
also
be that "at
a protuberance on
its
back
two
feet
522
CONCLUSIONS.
The
the animal
ed
may
flappers
visible
is
when
50);
fig.
may be
rapidity, they
rais-
still
(129, 148, fig. 36, fig. 45), but then they are not directed hindwards, but forwards, "they were turned to the contrary way"
fig. 36, fig. 50). The flappers move alternately: "the movements of the flappers were those of a turtle", "the monster paddled
(129,
along after the fashion of a turtle" (148), and have "a semi-
itself
motion"
revolving
uudulations,
Motions.
2.
us
let
now
The
it
how
sign
with vertical
as if the flappers
body, so
were wanting
the
swimming on
already
(82).
itself,
it
of
is
we have
Hitherto
see
first
animal swims
the
from above,
seen
that
When
(148).
may
it
the
surface;
sometimes
it
it was
and it
lay still,
appeared
to
gradually
rarely,
it
proof that
it
comes
it
be
may remain
1.
will
gradually
it
has
swum
raise its
surface
may happen
upwards.
will
in
two ways
head above
it,
dicularly
It is a
vessels.
After
viz.
for
Instances
and
2.
surface,
of the first
When
it
manner
it
has
will rise
of
coming
first
it
swum
perpento the
sign of
sea-serpent
the
ship;
at
first
stood
quite
feet"
(145);
of about
perpendicular
out
twenty or
thirty
feet
(149,
151,
fig.
19,
523
CONCLUSIONS.
46,
fig.
48,
fig.
surface
Once
49).
fig.
so that
(122)
it
may be supposed
it
its
eyes shut.
Generally
p.
48,
51,
undulations
vertical
10, 11,
9,
2,
(1,
138, 18, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44,
p.
65, 66, 67, 70, 81, 82, 83, 85, 91, 92, 94, 95,
63,
60,
102,
101,
swims with
it
130,
12,
113,
103,
115,
114,
117,
137, 138,
128,
126,
119,
139, 150, 155, 157, see also the following figures 24, 26, 27, 32,
33,
34,
number
course
it
greatly vary.
mentioned
is
not
157),
(137,
of
to
more
seven
number
is
number
This
coils.
number may
is
large or small,
differs,
Of
35,
so that their
(139),
not more than eight (41), at least ten (85), ten or twelve (44, 60),
twenty
several (83),
40,
47,
fig.
91,
103,
we
24
fig.
and
(117),
(fig.
find four
(fig.
33).
is
that
like
157),
eel
In our illustrations
fig.
of the animal
119,
an
of
27,
(fig.
The motion
five (2).
fig.
35), eleven
that
twenty three
thirteen
snake
of a
rightly
The
kegs
are
coils
said
to
half-barrels
(41),
(60),
flour
barrels
kegs (117),
large
(60),
(p.
130),
(9),
of
of
vertical undulations
afar,
string
is
fish
empty
barrels
tied
together
(p.
rings
long
(106
seals in a
a),
of rocks
number
row (137), a
The height
end of
about
of
(106
a),
it
(29), a
up and down
flock of wild
lower or higher
mal's
bulk
chain
and seen
130), a large
position
in
the
water,
or according to its
CONCLUSIONS.
524
water" (93),
As
tail
body
"ap-
above
Avas
to
is
parently
we
feet (114),
(94).
towards the
size
(69,
It
trunk
of the
end of the
from
feet
peared the
first coil"
will
may
animal
crook
to
dition
"the
bunches appeared
It
whilst
to
its
some appeared
though
the
surface,
(63)
the
"the
(60)
could
not
perceive
in
also
is
as
bunches
he moved
motion in them"
any
same whether
"his
and
size,
it
such a con-
in
is
to
I
back
be fixed"
feet
(81).
back,
able
his
The reader
the
animal:
tail,
slow
or in rapid
movement"
as they
were
137.
n.
I
am
lations,
usually
flappers to
its
its
body. Once
it
was seen
swam with
But
vertical undulations.
there
are
reasons
to
believe
at a
that
the
moderate rate
animal,
swimming
the
side"
(91),
foreflapper
and the hind one of the right side were used, the
left, if, on the contrary, it used its
525
CONCLUSIONS.
two
left
the
right
flappers,
consideration)
of
would tarn
it
(leaving
foreflapper
moment
is
to the left,
little
and
it
strong
will
move
line
propelling
comparison with
only
itself
swimming with
its
with
146,
action
body
in a
are few in
The
147, 150, 160, see also figg. 28, 29, 31, 36, 45).
mast of a
a
(18),
long
of
log
(150),
sea-weed (143), a
drift of
(83),
spar
the
to the right,
its
flappers
its
145,
when
for
un wrought spar
immense tree
(104), an
wood
(150), an
floating (157).
change in
may be
it
with
its
body
whole
114,
The
sometimes
also witnessed,
34,
80,
tail
four times
the
having been
rally
the
128,
figg.
be
146,
137,
148).
33,
32,
figg.
129,
(118,
surface
37,
but
little
water (31,
44,
some
(94),
sometimes
may
29, 51).
feet
invisible
113, 114), or
above
held
case,
it
and
that
so
38),
visible (41,
102,
93,
is
138,
122,
85,
and then
38,
148, 150)
121,
is
vertical undulations,
(31,
to
tail
115,
swimming
of
swam with
first
it
in a straight line,
swimming
In
the
mode
its
that
just at
recorded
is
63,
83,
as
is
91,
above
well
water
not
gene-
is
97,
said
(150),
several feet (155), high (32), considerable (102), quite erect in the
air
(95),
42,
92,
six
inches
four
feet
(17,
19,
(60,
74,
97),
seven
29,
feet
60,
(9,
118),
(60,
feet
of
course,
is
sometimes be gradually
laid
when
it
is
down
an acute
above the surface, and the angle becomes the less acute the more
the head is elevated; but sometimes the neck is curved (97) in
CONCLUSIONS.
526
the
above water as
protruded
to the horizon"
degree
of sixty
feet
and some
end,
water one
out of the
sticking
the
its
angle
an
at
mast of some
out
water,
the
of
(152),
this
reared
neck
"at
first
illusion
(160).
When swimming
the
dip
with a distinctly audible splash (31, 39, 41, 44, 60, 63, 69, 74,
114, 117, 126, 132, 137, 139, 149, 151, 152, 157).
The speed is said to be: faster than we could row (9), rapid
132, 31, 97, 114, 117, 134, 137), an incredible velocity, like an
arrow (p. 134), moderate (29), the greatest rapidity (29), a great
(p.
rapidity
(34,
138),
slow
(39,
115,
120,
131,
137),
much more
rapid than whales or any other fish (48), very rapid (63, 69, 132),
nearly still (69), very slow (S3), very swiftly (94), a great swiftness
(101),
that
of
a light boat
rowed by
foor active
men
(117), very
miles an
(60),
ten
fourteen
hour
miles
(83,
three
120),
(146),
ten
to
miles
twelve
an hour
miles
118,
(42,
(39),
138),
four
miles
twelve to
149), fifteen or
twenty
miles (35), twenty miles (44, 156), twenty four miles (38), twenty
to thirty miles (41), thirty miles (122, 155), thirty-six to forty-two
miles (51), sixty miles (43, 50).
The animal may swim for a considerable time with the same
speed, steadily and uniformly (48, 118, 134, 138, 1 46), or decreasing, or increasing
it
(29,
CONCLUSIONS.
527
it
motion of
152,
flappers
its
must
flappers
also
neck
its
149,
46, of course in n.
fig.
like a log of
when
it
drops
draw
you could
the
some
on
"taking
move
from
degree
slightest
turn"
"in
directions"
several
(41),
it
held on apparently
seldom
(118),
when
128), but
122,
(114,
114,
course, which
purpose"
determined
a
its
as
it
is
"playing"
if
recorded
harbour
in a
(39,
as
may
it
63,
69,
resembled
the
with his
tail
part
first
of a
link
curve
chain, but
head and
his
of the
tail
that
when
he
his
made
in turning
parallel
with
his
tail,
and
his
head and
then
tail
of
visible;
water"
raising
(41),
but
and
tail
(41),
but
is
in
part
first
when
body,
his
his
head
in opposite directions,
appeared
short;
moving
tail
little;
moving
in turning
head
his
head and
makes
not
the
more than
yard apart"
(41),
"he
turned very
his
his
head and
tail
for
some
feet,
then
CONCLUSIONS.
528
and when his head and tail were on parallel lines they appeared
"he turned
not more than two or three yards apart" (44),
slowly,
doing
in
it"
(69),
"it
When
at
in
water-level,
so
that
its
breathe
either
being
tail
its
swim very
the
nostrils
actually null,
But
motion.
weight of
the
not
therefore
as
soon
whole length
In
water carries
as
if
its
the
head
an
is
total
lifted
carried
observer
a condition
it
must
weight, so that
swimming has
the water made
must immediately be
it
astonishing
such
it
only to surmount
in
undulations, or
vertical
its
under water.
for the
easily,
with
it
end of
is
animal swims,
the
body
with
against an object
by the body.
states:
"its
It is
progressive
motion under water was rapid when the head was above water,
motion was not near so quick" (31), "when immersed in the
;
its
water
speed
his
was greater"
(41).
It
is
very
when
the
head
is
held
above
water,
tolerably
are
ming with
well
vertical
delineated.
and 49,
undulations,
slight to attract
its
holding
its
whole length
head on the
visible
level of
on the surface.
In fig. 34 the head is held a little above the surface, and the
end of the tail is already below it. Fig. 35 shows the head still
more elevated while of the tail nothing more is visible. Figg. 37
and 38 represent the animal floating on the surface, showing the
ridge of its whole back. In figg. 46, 48 and 49 the animal's neck
is elevated as high as possible, but its body is of course too deep
to
be seen.
ves:
"I
saw
529
CONCLUSIONS.
on
swim deep" (41), "we could trace his course under water" (69),
"swimming below the surface so that merely a stripe indicated the
rapid course" (117), "in swimming under the surface the animal
swims not deeply, for on the surface one can trace its course"
(1:36), "and moved away just under the surface of the water, for
we could trace its course by the waves it raised on the still sea"
(137).
This, however,
deep that
its
below
passed
swimming
is,
still
boat
the
at
depth
the
of
it
(41),
eight
or
and once
ten
feet,
vertical undulations.
may
it
also occasionally
swim with
at
in
There
swum
is
under a boat"
directly
"it
is
course
body
its
in a straight line;
So we have gradually approached to the way in which the animal disappears from the surface of the vaste ocean. In some instances
it
is
"it
(74),
143,
(132,
of
the
"it
withdrawing
evidently
155),
itself
way how
stances the
once vanished"
all at
all at
sank" (49,
it
disappeared
117,
69,
60,
is
it.
In other in-
"it
137),
water" (63), "it sank quietly beneath the surface" (134), "it sank
rather abruptly" (137), "it sunk apparently down" (39), "he did
not
turn
rock"
down
(41),
like
"sinking like
this
fish
but appeared
to
upward movement
rock"
of all
of
is
the
course
flappers
settle
like a
effectuated
together.
down
like a
rock" (41);
by a sudden
151),
and
finally,
when
with
of
trunk
its
throws
itself
so
much
with
formidable
,
and
its
backwards
it
depths
to
the
in doing so
(5),
become visible, it
enormous tail
raises its
530
CONCLUSIONS.
the
waves,
tail
(fig.
the
20).
which
last part
is
however,
Generally,
end of the
it
and
Voice.
In
be seen no more.
in this
is
volume there
however,
am
Generation, Growth.
nobody
sure that
any longer,
will believe
Monotrymata
that
are viviparous
as
viviparous.
Though Pontoppidan
believes
sex
and
feet (14).
seen
also
together
'
are July
during the
first
month
or during the
first
new-born young.
It
much
(23, 66).
We
the
individual
top
(60,
yet
full-grown,
fig.
is
30).
am
showing
satisfied
the
two
that
its
cushions
of
their
enormously
masticatory
muscles,
531
CONCLUSIONS.
PSYCHICAL CHARACTERS.
6.
a.
men,
At other
is
reported
Taking notice
b.
of objects.
taking no
as
of objects.
instances,
objects (43), or
is
slowly
high
itself
lifted
take
survey
121,
The many
145, 149,
152
a).
31,
133,
(p.
survey
131,
Curiosity, probably
c.
boat
128,
towards
110,
103,
36,
vessels,
sufficiently
117,
prove
that
they
are
curious
and that their curiosity as in so many animals, is genermixed with some suspicion, which of course is again a proof
beings,
ally
the
fathoms
to repeat the
d.
That
some
sometimes
of
really
the
Suspicion.
eye-witnesses
suspicious
may be
got
the
impression
that
it
is
"he appeared to avoid the boat wherein I was" (39), "he seemed
of the boat" (69), "they chased the animal fruitless for
suspicious
kept
seemed
we were
it,
of
inclined
to
think
it
CONCLUSIONS.
532
Harmlessness.
e.
The animal
Though very close
"After
the
is
to several boats,
shot"
Matthew Gaffney
of
"it
playing
as
animal"
lessness
boat
before'
"it
(63),
may be found
within
to
six
in n. 92:
feet
and
it
us
to
made
be a harmless
approached a fisherman
it
him no
offered
(32).
107).
them no molestation
offered
it
in his
94 and 112.
n.
Timidity.
f.
for
when
instance
plunges into
the
that
a scoop, at it,
deep"
these
animals
are
really
it
(p.
g.
It
Fearlessness.
if I
which
in
however,
avoid anything"
there
it
(41),
appeared
Matthew Gaffney
"it
far
to be
from
it"
and men",
amusing
itself,
though
it
lay
extended on the surface, the night was falling, and a boat rowed
yet
all
its
(43),
h.
to boats
sinking
vessel (49).
and swim
it
may swim
parallel with
Fear.
animal's
is
533
CONCLUSIONS.
Fright.
i.
think
fired
we
and
at it, the
(9);
some strangers
fired at it
raised
its
in
its
when
suddenly disappeared,
it
but here
j.
it
its
made
appearance again
its
Fury.
The animal does not always plunge down after a shot, and is
then seen no more: Matthew Gaffney fired at it, when it was
thirty feet from him. The animal turned towards him immediately
sank down went directly under his boat and made
after the shot
its appearance at about one hundred yards from where it sunk. It
continued playing as before, and did not appear more shy (41);
once when it was fired at, it turned and pursued the boat to the
shore and then disappeared (110); a boatmen struck it with a
boathook upon which it immediately gave him chase (112); when
,
Lund
like
stretched
fired at it, it
snake
preparing to
its
dart
on
its
prey,
air,
It
kill
is
it.
is
a tough one;
only manner to
kill it
of its brain
is
1.
the
by explosive
which will
and skull, or body.
with nitro-glycerine
Like
Toughness.
so.
seals
balls or
it
,
is
and
not easy to
I
think the
by harpoons loaden
Play someness.
sea-ser-
534
CONCLUSIONS.
pents have
a
harbour,
gracefully
the
surface,
comfortably;
itself
for
when
hours
in
body
the
at
slightly
137).
(114,
itself
amusing themselves
they
is
no
disappear
soon
as
as
feel
Repeatedly
wind.
the
wind begins
it
slight degree
is
it
moment above
the
the reason
of the
surface
why
in
many
as they
now and
is,
though in a
statements.
But
to blow.
clearly
is
enough and
When
calm
(2,
3,
calm
quite
152,
(35),
good
the weather
103,
79,
is
114, 128,
132,
154, 162), very clear (60), fine (44, 79, 128, 129, 144, 146,
152),
brisk
(114),
The
sunshiny
149, 157),
(137,
quite
smooth
148),
extremely
very
(80),
smooth
is
smooth
(63),
(29), perfectly
smooth
as
mirror
(92,
95),
as
(29), a light
wind
(34, 126,
wind
129),
(118,
variable
wind
(60),
afresh
(132), a moderate
wind
(144),
wind
535
CONCLUSIONS.
wind
a gale of
7.
ENEMIES.
8.
believe
and that
eyes
for
deduce
115, 129,
110,
(9,
repose
that
like
seal,
only
few
it
seconds.
it
130).
Once
motionless,
believe
say,
reports.
its
it
spouting
whale;
like
consequently
for
said
that
cannot
it
lay
that the
so,
is
it
the surface, or just at water level, so that the water was sprayed
by every exhalation; it had a rugged appearance, consequently it
was most probably a male with a mane (74). The other instances
in which the animal was evidently resting are the following: it
lay
almost
motionless
was in the
on the
surface of the water, it appeared straight, exhibiting no protuberances, "we were within two oars' length of him, when we first
discovered him and were rowing directly for him. We immediately
rowed from him, and at first concluded to pass by his tail, but
undulations
evening
or
we might
strike
which
It
(17).
it
lay extended
fearing
with
my
oar"
probably with
are
mentioned;
(43).
its
It
body
neither
lay
in
its
perfectly
still
straight
head nor
line,
its
for
tail
half
an
hour
(46).
Very seldom
it
seems
no protuberances
were
and
visible; yet I
so
it
remained
to avail itself of
an
536
CONCLUSIONS.
opportunity to
support
it
water upon
rocks,
partly
wood.
"It
is
"It lay
it.
water,"
the
in
stretched
lay
on a sand bank.
itself
five
out,
feet
upon
water
it,
now
it
of
balls
rifle
probable that
casionally
it
wound
Generally,
Yet
escaped.
may
oc-
sea-serpents to death.
however,
believe
that
these
death.
Dead
sea-serpents
are
and
the
thick
more
tail
layer
are
of bacon,
and are,
for
casionally
occur
that
Amond
caused
cliffs
dreadful
near
smell
(6),
537
CONCLUSIONS.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.
9.
animal
renders
"this
ment"
moves on land
is
to
(29).
wish
that he never
probable
highly
it
after
undulations,
vertical
to
my
here
express
firm
animals,
even
swam
large
to
they
can
is
water,
fresh
once recorded
in the
viz.
easily.
swim down
to
till
the
fable of
to the sea,
where
Hudson-mouth
New
Yersey, U. S. A.
(158).
condition,
to their air-breath-
live
may sometimes
have already
shown
and hot
The
place
sea-serpents,
it
is
true,
all
that
may remain
for a long
time in a
i.
e.
may be
that
the
fish
is
538
CONCLUSIONS.
proceeds,
swim
And so
We may at
not
warmer part
we come to
single
latitude,
S.
sea-serpents look
the
to a
for
of the ocean
e.
i.
they migrate.
their
met with
been
have not
they
e.
i.
in the Antarctic
Ocean.
Up
to
2.
along
All
a.
have
this
Ocean, and
the
coasts of
6,
107,
Of
8,
7,
68, 72,
9,
79, 85,
108,
109,
whole
the
the
of
In the Arctic
10,
11,
12,
14, 57,
13,
to the
86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 102, 103,
110,
coast
southern
Norway
of
1.
appeared
130).
(p.
of the
that
seems
Ocean)
It
northern
provinces
to
it
is
sea, but I
Magnus
no more.
d.
Isles
/.
On
and near
Isles (78).
Isles (124),
coasts
of Scotland,
j.
k.
/.
W.,
m.
From
the Canaries to
In
line
Cape Verde
to the
(135).
539
CONCLUSIONS.
a
little
130, 152
o.
p.
Bay
a),
(114,
a).
Along the
30,
34,
49,
50,
51,
of
coast
17,
(5).
28,
35,
37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48,
52,
133,
east
16,
(15,
29,
121,
(93,
Florida
to
south
further
along
not
134,
158,
b,
75,
107
a,
159,
the
Soc. JSdinb.
notices
am
to America". I
Our
received
the Atlantic
a sea-serpent
of
n.
seen
is
also
one of these
mariner in crossing
from America".
q.
r.
La
a.)
mouth
s.
East of
t.
3.
161
by a
Plata river
(80).
a.
In the Gulf of
b.
Probably
and 70
Aden
(149).
between 40
lat.
and 20
lat.
S.,
and between 50
E. (]23).
2 N., long. 90 E. (147).
long.
c.
In
d.
e.
lat..
/. In
4.
a.
b.
Isle of
Kiu
Near Behring
Isle (36).
The Aleutians
That
Along the
coasts of
540
(2)
CONCLUSIONS.
i.
evidently
e.
the
"in
dog days"
reports
they really
that
92, 115) and August (9, 64, 68, 117, 157), but that after the
dog days they swim further south: from the 24th. of August to
the 9th. of September one or more individuals appeared in Christiania
an individual
Christiansand
of
(111
a).
November
May
Isles
(153, 154)
middle
land,
to Florida in
161),
55,
43,
June
75?,
44,
(34,
81?,
98,
99,
100?),
August
(37,
45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 59, 62, 63, 69, 73, 105?, 133, 134,
158, 159, 160), September (70, 71, 77, 106?), and October (50, 51).
It
541
CONCLUSIONS.
Straits
In
May
few
it
lines
above
my
firm conviction
that they are migratory and don't like cold water. If this be true
bound
when summer
visits
those
To
they must be able to migrate from north to south, and vice versa.
Consequently the Atlantic and the Pacific are the only two oceans
in
which we
in the Indian
We
which occurred
appearances
tioned,
we
in
the
observed in
are
Indian
the
And
Ocean.
Pacific, of
as
we have
only two
Let us now see where the animals were met with in the different
months.
January.
South of
St.
19 S.
Helena.
34
East of Uruguay.
/,
(132).
S.
(80).
February.
31 N.
34 S.
Table Bay.
(121).
(130).
March.
Eeast coast of North America.
42 N.
(101).
29 N.
(128).
42 N.
24 N.
(106
April.
Gulf of Mexico.
(101).
a).
May.
Near Butt of Lewis.
East coast of North America.
East coast of. North America.
East coast of North America.
Between Canaries and Cape Verde.
587 9
N. (153, 154).
44 N.
43 N.
(97).
40 N.
22 N.
(135).
64 N.
(103).
(19).
(161).
June.
Coast of Norway.
CONCLUSIONS.
542
West
57 N.
45 N.
42 N.
coast of Scotland.
(31, 32).
(83).
35,
(34,
106
East coast of North America.
41 N.
(53,
Mediterranean.
38 N.
(148).
37 N.
(52).
60,
84,
b).
54, 162)
July.
Coast of Norway.
65 N.
(61).
Coast of Norway.
64 N.
(103).
Davis' Straits.
64 N.
63 N.
(92,
60 N.
(56).
44 N.
(29, 55).
42 N.
(98, 99).
5 S.
(144,
35 S.
(129.)
38 S.
(93).
Coast of Norway.
(5).
115).
145).
August.
Coast of Norway.
70 N.
Coast of Norway.
66
N.
(68).
(157).
Coast of Norway.
66 N.
(64).
Coast of Norway.
63 N.
(9).
Coast of Norway.
60 N.
(117).
Coast of Norway.
59 N.
(85, 86).
West
57 N.
(137,
coast of Scotland.
138,
139,
140).
48 N.
42 N.
42 N.
(152).
(25).
38,
(37,
39,
40,
Between
St.
41
(158,
S.
(118).
159,
160).
September.
Coast of Norway.
59 N.
(87,
North of Wales.
East coast of North America.
East coast of North America.
537/ N.
(155).
42 N.
(71).
41 N.
(77).
88, 89).
543
CONCLUSIONS.
38 S.
(126).
58 N.
51 N.
(156).
41 N.
(50,
East of Scotland.
58 N.
(141,
Near Monillepoint.
34 S.
(152
October.
(Ill
a).
51).
November.
142,
143).
a).
December.
West
of Portugal.
North-east of
What
Helena.
St.
may now
conclusions
41 N.
(120).
15
(131).
S.
Great
France,
Britain,
142, 143); that they don't frequent the Baltic Ocean since
two centuries; that they seldom appear in the so-called Skagerrak
(85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 111a); rarely show themselves in the Gulf
(141,
much
as
possible
as
number
the foregoing
swim
is
warm
so-called
true,
ocean-currents.
The
is
months
am
inclined
against
migration from
it
list
really
the
in
appearances,
of
current
the
while
to north they
south
current.
Only
very few times they were met with in the so-called cold ocean-
currents.
We
3.
observe
that
in
the
month
series
appearances
that in
the
yond 59 N.
in
the
took
month
latitude;
of
and
of
i.
e.
so that
to appear be-
we may conclude
that
as in
December we read
still
CONCLUSIONS.
544
We
4.
month not
place in the
same
all
When
5.
the
course
autumn,
seems that not only the individuals which have proceeded to the
most northern coasts of Norway, but also some other individuals
it
begin their migration towards the south. I think that we must find
in this fact the explanation that even in July appearances took place
at
from
individual
38
to
southern
was seen
at
latitude,
24 S.
lat.
swimming towards
is
number
North
in the Pacific
and of which
South of Japan
31 N.
(151)
43
(122)
May.
South of Australia
And
S.
Ocean
January.
Gulf of Aden
12 N.
(149)
March.
33
Geographe Bay
S.
(150)
May.
2 N.
Indian Ocean
(147)
September.
Straits of
Malacca
N.
(146)
15 S.P
Indian Ocean
in
much
in
Ocean.
find
(123)
I think that
themselves
when
will
swim
any direction, and that perhaps most of them will find back
in
Good Hope
or south of Australia, so
545
CONCLUSIONS.
lantic, or in the
to find any.
NOMENCLATURE.
10.
Gesner
and Pontoppidan
107)
(p.
(p.
two
least
doubted of
ver,
species of the
same genus.
this,
199).
(p.
In
Of
Dissertation
his
pents
(Nov.
on
1819)
is
Pelamis
and
propose
to
call
it
Pelamis megophias.
might,
It
Of Captain Brown's
eight
(his
fish
be Octipos bicolor"
(see n.
W.
sea-serpent
Mr.
4 of
(n.
Lee's
The author
It
name
cies
it
or
logists
200).
shall
And
its
it
is
not
new genus
scientific name will
call this
according to
Rafinesque
Schmaltz
it
of the present
n. 30).
to give
is
species
wrote
p.
the
2)
56).
"Additions")
his
it
n.
gills
snake
sea-serpent
right
genus
or
,
would do
at present.
name must be
is
mego-
Rafinesque placed
his species in the genus Pelamis. This genus, however, was established by Daudin, in 1802, for some real sea-snakes, and with
some other genera it forms the family of Hydrophidae Sws. Tt
must, therefore, be rejected.
phias
and
this
specific
kept.
546
CONCLUSIONS.
common
to
some
please
name must
it
is
clature,
and
and
zoologists;
its
Zeuglodon plesiosauroides
n.
4),
n.
4),
name
it
is
older
be Sea-Serpents.)
IN or
chos
Sillimanni
serpent,
proposed by
synonym
as
of
Dr Koch
C.
1.
will
It
of animals
it
superfluous to
tell
my
that
Conclusions.
through
my
firmly believe
More than once I have already shown the relation to this Order,
but probably not often enough to convince some headstrong scepticals,
or
even
those
who
Animal Kingdom.
547
CONCLUSIONS.
I
my
show
will first
and of a
lions
readers
of sea-
sea-bear.
*"^miim
Fig. 74.
74 represents a
Fig.
it
has
Allen ?
From
We
that there
ison
News
of Jan. 6, 1877.
sea-lion of the
eyes
by W. P. from a living
observe that
it
little
Drawn
is
narrower than
common
the
head
seals,
its
neck
bunch a
is
is
long in compar-
little
are visible
is
that the
and slender
line
clearly
in
the
see
the
heavy eye-brow
the
head
is
surface
we
on the throat
548
CONCLUSIONS.
Compare
for
gills
moment
the
left
-\
Fig. 75.
Zalopkus
From
sea-serpent
drawn in figg. 36 45 and 50. The skin is smooth
and shining, though when dry it is hairy and dull.
Fig. 76 is a drawing of Eumetopias Stelleri (Lesson) Peters,
also a sea-lion.
This genus is characterized by its considerably
vaulted
fore
skin shows
head
(eu
numerous
= well
those of a
of seals
much
sible,
is
it
Fig.
developed
folds or wrinkles,
longer
and
= forehead).
The
"gill".
turtle.
metopion
as
not extended as
is
it
The
species.
skin
is
much
as pos-
tracted
so
that
scrolls,
or
no neck
Fig.
at
several
species
with
its
and
it
seems as
if
all.
CONCLUSIONS.
the water,
neck,
front
or
with
a
its
much
neck
round
549
larger
than
the
looks as having no
it
head;
The individual
would take a view of us.
Fig. 80 is the same individual in the same position but seen
from aside. The head is now much longer, the snout neither too
as
is
looks at us, as
pointed,
if it
the
head
is
held
'"<?
-..,,
-A;.'
Fig. 76.
Etcmetopias
Stetteri
(Lesson) Peters.
Drawn
with
the
neck,
gillsplit)
by wrinkling the
held
81
at
The snout
is
drawing of
Otaria jubata
quite dry.
The head
The
end of the snout and wide open, "nearly semicircular valves overarching" them. The eyes are wide open and
disproportionately large. The neck in comparison with that of seals
nostrils
are at the
This
that
of a turtle's.
is
long.
of figg. 36,
Fig.
82
longer.
is
like
that
represents
sea-bear,
Callorhinus
ursinus
quite
dry.
CONCLUSIONS.
550
The
is
little
the
longer
bunch which
MiiTZEL,
Eumetopias
from a
Stelleri
living
is
side.
The
Sketched
(Lesson) Peters.
back.
The reader
will
over the
all
by the animal-painter
neck and
Fig. 77.
G.
hairy
From
the
27, 1877.
see that I
have represented
this
animal with only four toes on both the foreflappers and hindflappers;
this
is
Brehm's "Thierleben".
Fig. 78.
Eumetopias
Stelleri
(Lesson) Peters.
in the Zoological
Sketched
Gardens of Berlin.
From
the Illustrirte
to
compare the
different
known
monograph
of Pinnipeds, but
and therefore
am
obliged to take
551
CONCLUSIONS.
Dimensions. At
animal can be
first
sight
pinniped?
will be
it
It is so
Suppose
order!
this
moment
for a
whale-bone
that
known
were
not
yet
discovered,
Fig#
first
are
SteUeri (Lesson)
Petbks.
^.Eumetopias
From
handy fellow, but you will not cheat me with your story!"
add here some other striking comparisons.
I will
The
largest
known now
36 (Selache max-
are of
charodon Rondeletii)
a
species
fossil
genus
latter
length
but
the
of
reached
81 feet (Car-
of
charodon megalodon)
and
Northern truthful
earlier
occasional
Fig. 80.
Eumetopias
Sketched by the
of
animal-painter
From
We, who
salmon of
first
The
or of
feet
20
fossil
of
its
liver.
length,
fish of
of 15
for the
(Arapaima
living Amphibium is 4 feet long (Cryptoand caused great astonishment, when it was discovered,
Amphibia have been found larger than 15 feet (Mas-
largest
bronchus)
oil
time an osseous
gig as)
but
in
todonsaurus).
known
552
CONCLUSIONS.
The
largest actually
(Crocodilus)
feet
(Hadrosaurus
(Rhamphosuchus)
and of 115
now
tiles
70
feet (Brontosaurus)
feet (Allantosaurus)
Otaria jubata
Fig. 81.
but some
feet
(Forster) Desm.
are
longer,
still
58
From
feet
Rep-
of
the
skeletons
of
only partially!
Whale-bone-whales of 88
whales
120
of
feet,
Well,
still
us
let
stop
here,
will be always a
chance
than
nipeds
the
the
largest
sea-elephants
known
living
and
specimen
ever
If
of all
measured.
by sea-serpents.
still
Pin-
this is
If of all
known,
this is
Of
all
553
CONCLUSIONS.
the
longest
In
necks.
particular
this
they
are
surpassed by sea-
serpents.
None of the hitherto known living Pinnipeds has such an enormous tail as the sea-serpent, but the fossil Basilosaurus an animal
more or less allied to the earless seals, has an enormous tail. Of
the singular appearance of a family of which some members have
,
Tig. 82.
Callorhinus ursinus
immensely long
(Linne) Gkay.
From
Brehm's "Thierleben".
tails,
long
tails.
Amongst
Macaque Monkey)
tails, whilst
tail
is
Form.
The shape
,
Monkeys the
as the
and others
maurus (Moor Macaque). This difference
Zalophus californianus
the
the tailed
tails,
cus
Of
in the length
of the
Quadrupedia.
of Megophias megophias
is
exactly that of
and with a
tail as long-
as
trunk,
in
my
neck,
that
554
CONCLUSIONS.
culata
especially
"The body
Zalophus
in
californianus ,
viz:
are slender:
all
slender,
rather
The
forehead being
The snout
nianus.
much
very
flat,
or muzzle too,
most resem-
of all Pinnipeds
is
Pinnipeds
All
have
Callorhinus
in
as
small,
Monachus
in
as
whiskers.
ur sinus
the
sea-bear,
tropicalis
Gray, and
are large,
comparatively
other
in
The
than
those
But
being red.
is
ferocity of expression
and
Shin.
As
in
Colours
of
the skin
Variations.
the
animals
streaks
more
{Cystophora
colour,
in a
in
some
there
or
species
Only
so
bears,
but that
as to its colour,
differ-
to observe that
is
colours
spots
much
under part
is
is
and sea-bears,
part
its
like fur.
We
seals, sea-lions,
much
of
258).
p.
stiff
Individual
descriptions
Elliot too
golden-rufous
bull-dog-like muzzle
Pinnipeds
all
ent
W.
it
of
asserts
the
and
cristata
question
are
many
occurs in
in seals, but
is
arises
is
And
sea-
Seal
If
we
closely
examine
this
dary appearances?
and
Hooded
(Erxl) Nilss.).
two
think
that
this
circles secon-
555
CONCLUSIONS.
wered in the
Remarkable
affirmative.
is
sea-serpents.
Of Eumetopias
Pinnipeds.
"the
Stelleri
(Allen
black"
blue
dull
N.
Hist.
Am.
p.
the
"black"
are
Ringed Seal
(Ibid.,
...
p.
foetida Fabr.)
(P/ioca
mane,
rest of the
The males
some
of
species of Pin-
the
e.
i.
Of Eumetopias
body.
has
602).
p.
on the
is
Am. Finn.
277).
p.
eyes"
is
Finn.
on the anterior upper portion of the body, where on the neck and
shoulders
it
attains
length
posteriorly,
we
40
of
p.
mm.
has
tail
decreases in length
it
length
Of the
234).
of only 15
mm."
hairs of Callorhinus
ursinus
read: "It
in the males,
The
difference
character
of
in
some
size
species
of
and females
males
of Pinnipeds, as
may
is
also a peculiar
following tables:
NAME
Zalophus californianus
Eumetopias
Stelleri
VERY OLD
MALE.
8Vi
13
VERY OLD
FEMALE
RATIO.
ft.
6%
ft.
100:81
100 09
15
100:60
Macrorhinus leoninus
25
Macrorhinus angustirostris
22
13
100 59
100:50.
Callorhinus ursinus
CONCLUSIONS.
556
In
The
not
are
of
especially,
Brown
adrift,
was
its
when
and
seals
like a
on the surface
they appeared
time.
been
have also
sea-lions it
whale";
may be
myself saw
274).
p.
occasionally
it
more than
when
It
three
after
known
sufficiently
is
than
may
long
very
is
obesus.
killed near
Even in
observed that they "blow
old,
135).
for
very
it
flesh
Breathing.
once,
animals grow
add
where a whale's carcass had been
stomach was unvariably found crammed full of the
of that Cetacean' (Allen, Hist. N. Am. Finn.
that whenever
krang or
all
however,
to cetacean flesh,
averse
Mr.
fact:
the
The food
Food.
mollusks,
when
hair
of
losing
striking in both
p.
we
as
The weight
less
let
female,
the
ursinus
Callorhinus
is
hours.
that
on the bottom
still
(p.
more
for
in
Pinnipeds.
topias Stelleri
p.
is
qu'ils
portable.
Kumlien
repandent
est insup-
le
asserts:
its specific
they say
it
is
name.
It is so strong that
of
become
of the
and that
these
one can
If
one
it
will
it.
Respecting
the
foetid
observes as follows:
its
odour emitted by
this
species, Dr.
Rink
CONCLUSIONS.
"It
derives
which are
ice-fjords,
those
as
to certain older
ior
name from
scientific
its
557
also
occurring
generally
When
off
brought
into
top of their nose above water, that they shut their eyes, and like
to bask in the sun.
is
is
very
good and
quite
limited.
It is also
Yet
air.
known
hearing
their
seals
distinguish
their keeper
mobility
graceful
Zalophus californianus
serpents,
are
"as
of organs.
movements
of
and
seals
admit
will
that
animals,
these
There
like
is
sea-
not one
movement made by the sea-serpent, which cannot be made in perthe same way by sea-lions, especially by Zalophus californianus save the movement of the tail.
Motion. The same may be observed in comparing the motions
of sea-serpents with those of Zalophus californianus. They too may
fectly
appear on
forepart
like all
the
of the
trunk,
zontal
holding
however,
their
undulations
propel
they
of the
When
may
swim-
vertical undulations,
a straight line;
distinctly
both
and
in
swim with
much
nay, they
their flappers;
occasionally
body
are
show
to
jump
kinds of whales,
they usually,
pers,
as
their
vertically
visible;
at
in darting
intervals.
Of
course generally
CONCLUSIONS.
558
know
don't
fixed bunches,
When
folds.
is
shown
holds
usually
the sea-lion
may enormously
In swimming
swimming with
have
sea-lions
if
or
its
in our
fig.
78.
Owing
to the
form and
of
size
Though
in
seals.
degree,
less
its
much
before
its
sionally observed,
severe
As
species
serpents, comparison
Generation.
different
in
like a rock".
is
The
species
sea-
may be
April
as those in
the
ones
young
like the
as
may be
VERY OLD
NAME.
MALE.
ft.
Vr-V
Vi-V.
13
%-'/7
10 in.
v-v.
Macrorhinus angustirostris
22
Eumetopias
Stelleri
Callorhinus ur sinus
of
objects.
It
RATIO.
87,
notice
NEW BORN
YOUNG ONE.
2i,3
Zalophus californianus
Taking
is
ft.
well enough
known
that seals
559
CONCLUSIONS.
will
or will play
round the
on the other,
as
vessel
playing
if
of the
suspicious
lions
on
objects
it.
may
it
and
don't
know whether
I know that
wal-
in the
be
it;
reappearing
sea-
ruses do.
Pinnipeds,
common
and sea-elephants.
hand scores of them,
especially of the former, will sometimes follow a boat, roaring and
crying and uttering the most horrible sounds, which may be expressions of their curiosity, suspicion, and fury, but it may also
be a way they have of driving away their enemy.
Fear on the contrary, though less noticeable in walruses, is a
prominent trait in seals sea-lions and sea-bears. When men approach
them they fly away as fast as possible, and in their hurry to
reach the water crawl over each other, and roar, and cry, and
lament in a most horrible way.
Fright. It is superfluous to touch upon this subject in Pinnipeds;
every one knows the effects and consequences of a shot at these
Fearlessness
is
trait
On
in
walruses
the other
timid animals.
Fury. As in sea-serpents
sea-bears
know
they are
tough;
not
of
sea-bears,
sea-lions,
one
enough;
these
animals
not
are
an
Playsomeness
is
a well
known
character of
all
known
may be
is
Pinnipeds
balls in
it
may
Remark.
fore I
to
It is
have made
advise
those
my
who wish
to
have only
the agreement of
560
CONCLUSIONS.
Pinnipeds,
with
sea-serpents
read
to
1.),
There
one
is
on one side
and
all
Megophias megophias
whilst
is
know
don't
of sea-serpents
are
closely
my
way,
if
have convinced
and
if
so
if
my
system of Nature.
ITS
2.
RANK
IN
We
animals.
The
animals.
Viverrine
forms,
of
the
have
been the
e.
long as
as
is
Herpestes
g.
typical
no impossibility,
is
which
of
tail
animal,
the
tail
perhaps 1
as a
1.
(The
Cynoidea
c 1
its
dentition
dentition
animals are
dog-like
or
The
half
living
still
half of
Widdringtonii.
carnivorous one
we have
as
is
must
or there
Otocyon
c 1
also considered as
Some
of
the
descendants
long -tailed
ancestors
of
vulgaris L.)
weasels
and
stoats
living descendants of
them
holes.
organ for
become
Some
that zoologists
They may be
animals.
,
for
our
common
long -tailed
weasel (Putorius
though the
tail
still
to
to
live
be an inconvenient
shorter.
of these
long-tailed
ancestors
of weasels and
stoats took
561
CONCLUSIONS.
manner of living compelled thereto by certain circumThey viz. took to eating fresh water fish. Gradually this
grew to be a habit; they learned to swim, w hich happened by
vertical undulations, they paddled with the feet, and used the
to
another
stances.
tail
as a rudder. This
polecats
may
be
called
long-tailed
the
tail
length
has
of the
become
ancestors
still
shorter,
of otters,
for
all
living descendants of
shorter
than
one
the
them
known
though
in holes.
The
36
562
CONCLUSIONS.
that from
feet.
cestors
of Jin-tailed
Gray)
is
is
still
arose,
may be
than that of
shorter
This group
its
The
tail
of this animal
the otters {Lutra), surpassing one third of the animal's total length.
Moreover
it
is
somewhat
flattened
and shows on
its
hindmost half
The change was great enough for zooloanimal into a new genus: Pteronura Gray. Its
gists
place
to
ancestors,
the
dilatations on the
Some
however,
with
these
lateral fin-like
tail.
which
had reached the sea-shore probably by following
the course of rivers began to accustom themselves to eat sea-fish
and ended by feeding on them exclusively. The sea- water became
their home, and their resting places and nests were found on the
strand, and among sea-weed; they seldom came ashore to sleep or
to sun themselves. Besides on sea-fish, they fed on crabs, lobsters,
mussels, and some sea-weed. They left off eating poultry, frogs,
and rats. The long tail was of great profit, as they used it as a
of these
in their migration
to this
vertical
undu-
slight
resemblance to
seals.
This group
may
be called long-tailed
still
563
CONCLUSIONS.
among
ancestors,
direct
long
tail
and
To make up
tail
our sea-otter.
Some
of
the
more aquatic,
long -tailed
or
ancestors
pelagic
better
accustomed themselves
north,
of sea- otters
took
to a
still
life,
swim
greater
distances
this
new
and
to
became extinct, and that all which were better privithem so that at last a group of animals arose of which
we may safely admit that they had the following characters The head
and fore-feet resembled still more those of seals, the hind-legs were still
more able swimming organs and less fit for terrestrial locomotion they
this
life
leged survived
were smaller than the fore-legs, because they were not always used
which are so
distinctly visible
which
mals,
will
common
surpassing-
Propinnipedia
call
tail,
they came from time to time aland or on the ice to rest with the
body on it leaving however, most certainly the longThese Propinnipedia gave origin to two groups of
animals, which are marked below with A and B.
A.
This group, by their having lived almost constantly far
from land, and having come only very seldom near the shore to
fore-part of the
tail
in the water.
rest,
the
such
supporting
nails
themselves
of the
way,
that
fore-legs
zoologists
Whales.
on
to the
can
Professor
them
between
D'Arcy W. Thompson
{Studies
generally consider
564
CONCLUSIONS.
from
I
Museum
the
Vol.
N.
I,
go
should like to
much
and
sea-lions,
group to Whales.
has just as
it
sea-serpents.
gum;
dentition
Dundee,
College,
affinity of this
The
skull
thened in front;
heterodont
typical
University
in
farther
still
to the title of
claim
bears,
of Zoology
9,
one
carnivorous
1,
(i
|,
as in seals,
the nostrils
-});
wards;
with
fore-limbs
the
but the
nails;
peared,
not quite,
if
rest of the
at
for
least
the
greater part.
The animals
tered;
though the hairs were most probably thinly scatthe whiskers remained on the lips. The head was relatively
large,
not
were
hairy,
still
with regard to
the
animal's
total
trunk, and therefore the neck was very short. Externally the neck
the
great
of
plainly
seals
visible.
and
sea-lions do,
and therefore
now
extinct
Basilosaurus by
name
B.
Harlan
of Zeuglodon
This
but their
in
was
Such
animals
1839).
second group
fossil
it
nostrils
it
is
called Pinnipedia
by Illiger
in 1811,
or modified into swimming organs, and enbeyond the elbows and knees within the common
Digits of the man us decreasing in length and size
"Limbs pinniform,
closed
to
or
integument.
first to the fifth; of those of the pes, the first and fifth
and longest, the three middle ones shorter and subequal.
Pelvis with the iliac portion very short, and the anterior border
much everted; ischia barely meeting by a short symphysis (never
anchylosed) and in the female usually widely separated. Skull gen-
from the
largest
erally greatly
rather
broad,
compressed interorbitally
Lachrymal
565
CONCLUSIONS.
bone
imperforate
within
the
of considerable
also
and joined
orbit.
Palatines
from the
size,
unspecialized
the molars
enclosed
maxillary,
the
to
usually
wholly
by a vacuity, often
Tympanic bones separated
separated
frontals.
all
Already
very
early
different branches,
much
gradually
grew incapable
"Hind-legs
by Allen
as follows:
Anterior limbs
if
smaller
than the
the
posterior,
all
first
digit
armed with
claws,
tition
This
branch
all
is
life."
true seals
called
and
sea-elephants.
Gressigrada
by
Elliot Coues in
566
CONCLUSIONS.
who was
1880,
by Allen, though
invited
thereto
this
skilled
zoologist
synonyms. The
must have had hind-legs which
were smaller than the fore-legs, and a tail, which was as long as
the head, neck and trunk together. They had also small external
ears, and a somewhat lengthened neck. Further characters are:
"Hind-legs capable of being turned forward and used in terrestrial
locomotion. Neck lengthened (especially in section b). Skull with
the mastoid processes large and salient (especially in the males),
and with distinct alisphenoid canals. Anterior feet either nearly
name
the
as
large
Gressigrada
of
forms
early
as
the
and with
posterior, or
in length
creasing
Gressigrada
the
of
from the
much
first
in
hind-feet
may
cartilaginous
safely
also
and
flaps,
branch
Gressigrada
the
of
Already
divided
and
the
itself
basally." (The
"Femur with
be called flappers.)
all
united
trochanter
the
narrow,
long,
digits."
beyond the
two
into
sections,
b.
a.
The members of this section changed their manner of living.
They very often crawled on ice, land, and rocks; the long tail
was a very inconvenient organ in their new manner of living,
consequently all the individuals with a somewhat shorter tail than
their congeners'
very
short,
scarcely,
if
at
visible,
all,
become
tegument of the body, and to make up for this loss, the hindflappers grew much larger than the fore-flappers. The further characters for this
ears.
Form
thick
and
giving support
to the
tusks.
Incisors
dentition i
processes
No
of
deciduous
(foetal)
postorbital processes
continuous
with
the
Gray
dentition
auditory
bullae."
of
permanent
of the mastoid
This
section
is
called
Trichecidae
by
in
567
CONCLUSIONS.
walruses.
The
characters are
fore-flappers,
and the canines not highly specialized." They came very seldom
aland, and when doing so, they must have only supported themselves on their breast and on their fore-flappers, leaving the long
tail always in the water. They swam with vertical undulations,
using also sometimes the flappers.
For this section I choose the
Very early the
name of Tenuia or Animals which are slender.
section of the Tenuia divided itself into two smaller divisions which
are marked below with 1 and 2.
The members of this division changed their manner of
1.
living. They very often crawled on ice, land and rocks; the tail
was a very inconvenient organ in their new manner of living, consequently all the individuals with a somewhat shorter tail than
their congeners', were better equipped and survived the others, so
that at last a group of animals arose of which the tail has become
very short almost disappearing between the hind-legs which on the
contrary to make up for this loss of tail, gradually became larger,
so as to become even larger than the anterior feet. The further
characters of this group are: "With small external ears. Incisors
only the outer on either side cutting the
of deciduous dentition 1
gum of permanent dentition | the two central pairs of the upper
with
Surface
transverse
of
This
bullae/'
(afterwards
also
division
called
was
called
Otariina
to
live
in
the
the
long
tail,
568
CONCLUSIONS.
consequently
individuals
those
survived
others
their
privileged
less
congeners, so
that at last a
group arose with a very long neck and a comparatively small head.
It
seems that the external ears disappeared. They never came aland
or on ice-floes.
division
little
one
only
including
which
for
Animals,
Long-tailed
name
I propose the
of Longicaudata
or
consists only of
species
sea-serpent.
Pinnipedia.
in
my
To many
of
my
the
readers
They
bold.
that,
the
(to
specimen
fell
affinity
the
reality
relation
is
is
is
only
more remote.
to be too
existence
its
Auriculatd)
scientifically
best
seem
and sea-bears
close
practical
System of Nature.
in the
at
more
is
much
whiskers.
sembles
those
of
resulting
Its
that
of a
sea-lion.
sea-lion,
its
trunk and
its
its
foreflappers resemble
from convergency.
be more careful
to
consider
of
Pinnipedia
the
origin
as
to
following manner.
The
ancestors
and Basilosaurus
which
have
560
CONCLUSIONS.
Putorius vulgaris.
Putorius ermineus.
Putorius putorius.
Putorius lutreolus.
Lutra.
Pteronura Sanbachii.
Enhydra
lutris.
Inauriculata.
Trichecidae.
Auriculata.
Longicaudata.
Basilosaurus.
Long-tailed early
forms of Pinnipedia.
Propinnipedia, longtailed
ancestors
of
Long-tailed ancestors
of sea-otters.
Long-tailed ancestors
of
fin-tailed
otters.
minks.
Long-tailed ancestors of weasels
stoats.
Long-tailed
Yiverrine
ancestors.
and
570
CONCLUSIONS.
Propinnipedia
called
than
smaller
nearly
small
as
the
long as
external
had
fore-legs,
Their most
only
from time
head,
the
ears.
manner
successful
vertical undulations.
time aland,
to
on
or
swimming
of
It is difficult to
most probably the long tail in the water. These Propintwo branches.
however,
the
shorter;
widely apart;
stand
head the
in
placed
nostrils,
teeth
began
proportion
as
seat a little
its
hairs,
it
bacon.
closed
to
mobility of the
the hairs
in
the
little
the
at
consequently
consequence of the
temperature
than
is
been-
a worse conductor of
As soon
as the
could no longer
air
lost
their reason of
existence,
Probably
this is a better
way
bacon and
the absence of hair, than to say that the hair disappeared because
the animals obtained a layer of bacon
with
of hairs.
treat
in
all
at
In
short
layer
we may admit
we
This branch
has
The
fossil
remains were
called Basilosaurus.
All the
to
members
bulkiness,
show a tendency
move on the
more on land,
ice,
first
sections.
must
571
CONCLUSIONS.
this
new manner
of living
all
the
individuals
now
propose the
All
the
name of Brevicaudata.
members however, of the second
themselves more to the sea, and therefore all
were best adopted for this manner of living
and
ed;
animals which
are
only
explained
so
their
members which
successively survived
remain-
excellently
that
accustomed
section
the
an aquatic
adapted to
life
colossal ani-
mals bring forth very few young ones, only two, or only one, at
a time, and only after very long intervals. For these animals I
already proposed above the
name
of Longicaudata.
view
this
tainty
is
better, (and
who
any
cer-
?)
Auriculata.
Trichecidae.
Gressigrada.
Inauriculata.
B*
CfQ
Longicaudata.
Brevicaudata.
Basilosaurus.
of Pinnipedia.
j
Propiunipedia, long-tailed
ancestors of Pinnipedia
and Basilosaurus.
In the
Firstly
still
first table I
:
With
the former are placed above, the latter beneath the dotted
And
Secondly:
dotted
lines
With
the
different
lengths
of
the
line.
vertical
this table
is
placed
CONCLUSIONS, APPENDIX.
572
rapid
Carnivora
nipedia
even
or
geologically
Lutrina and
first
time during
Pliocene period.
APPENDIX.
Since the book was written, I have corresponded with Prof. Dr.
M. Forster Heddle,
The
Coles (Buntingford).
five first-named
appearances
the
after
courteously presented
me
me
they
corresponded with
had witnessed;
Prof.
me
as
immedCollett
Soe-Ormen eller Soe- Slang en Mr. Greg who since many years has
been collecting with great zeal accounts and reports concerning the
matter, had the rare liberality to send me his whole collection to
;
make
use
upon
to tender
of.
To
all
my
me
I feel
here called
would-be sea-serpents,
reports,
second
under the
edition.
Reports
Literature.
Besides
first
chapter
isles desertes
APPENDIX.
573
* 18
Het Nederlandsch Magazijn.
* 1874, February.
The Cape Monthly Magazine.
* 1875.
The Shipping Gazette, London.
* 1875.
The Daily Telegraph.
*189...
Bassett, Sea-phantoms
the sea and sailors in
or legends
lands and
all
(R. P. G.).
and superstitions of
times. Chicago.
all
Hoaxes.
lat.
misprint instead
should
travel
14 51'
W.
W.
of
long.
over
such a
long, to 37 55'
distance
S. lat.
if
E. long, were
a barque
from 27 27' N. lat. and
and 42 9' E. long, in nine days!
is
it
impossible
that
as
tale in the
found
Me.
(R. P. G.).
(R. P.
G.).
times
It
(R. P. G.).
sea-serpent
caught
off
Newfoundland,
October
11,
1886,
stuffed.
ing
F.
of St.
fraud",
to tail
or
of
of
Prof.
St.
(R.
P.
to
P.
stranded
Cape May, N.
(R.
The
the
bers
sea-serpent.
Jers.
Boston
Hoax?
Courier, 1887,
November.
P. G.)
is distinctly
seen in Georgetown Harbour, on
August, 1888, sleeping on the surface, &c.
Cham-
sea-serpent
20th.
of
(R. P. G.)
574
APPENDIX.
"Exciting chases
boats'
after
crews."
splendid hoax.
Johns'
The Bishop
has found
Adelaide
of
or
sea-serpent
St.
(R. P. G.)
The
town
Times of
(R. P. G.)
Nov. 11, 1891.
Mr. G. Bogle wrote to the Bishop,
who promptly answered it was entirely untrue.
(G. B.)
"Narrow escape of a
Mail of September 1892.
The
boats' crew."
(Forwarded
to
48.87.
Hall
180.
long.
Captain
Macclesfield
40
like fish,
Cheshire
feet long,
Mr.
from
Letter
of this
1883, October
on board the
Nieuwe
In
8.
Madura.
ss.
Groninger
the
Red
Sea,
Witness
month mentions
Rydrophis.
lat.
1886 or 1887.
,
Courant of August
The sea-snake-like
German
the
African explorer
1892.
16,
levaillantii
1888?
Duke of
Temm.
In
Mrs.
near
large
1889,
Caddy's book
Yacht
August.
like
Standard
The
neck
per99).
by Count Joachim
To
P lotus
(R. P. G.)
in the
rose
slowly
out
of the water in
of 1889,
August
15.
monstrous
Rocks,
is
Bangkok "which
(R.
fired at
little
luminous curves,
(R. P. G.)
fish
Sutherland's
witnessed
two
when
bird, reported
is
the
(R.P.G.)
(R. P. G.)
Most
probably therefore
it
was a calamary.
575
APPENDIX.
Without date.
A sea-monster at Maringonish in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, judged to be a hundred feet in length, seen by two
Description
intelligent observers within 200 yards of the shore.
fish
(Fine),
in
at
of
as
as
ship.
in
truth.
in
several
14.
of
this
appearance
will
officers
see p.
be found in
year.
Here
it
also
is
This
is
of on p. 173 of the present volume. Here I may note that Pontoppidan also speaks of a picture in the collection of Jacob Severin,
it
appeared to Egede.
very
the Lynn Mir
Monthly
June,
1884. See
might have been the same
236;
84,
1818,
August 13 and
14.
partly
of spectators.
near Gloucester.
of
G.)
(R.
19.
of
to
it
of
(R. P.
pscott.
10.
(R. P.
of
12.
into
(in
7,
still
of
alive).
off
it
briefly
also
individual.
Atlantic
or \
in
n.
(R. P. G.)
p.
it
(R. P. G.)
as is
of
576
APPENDIX.
1838?
104,
(N.
see
253).
p.
Beechy made
Captain
his
1841, July
feet
14.
Doubtful.
1849.
than 1828.
later
water,
of the
out
the
Gulf of Mexico.
p.
Seen
1854, spring.
the
Stephen's Cen-
(R. P. G.).
by Mr.
(where?)
man
464.
Marston,
(R. P. G.).
gigantic serpent,
biggest
log
of Swampsott.
first
called
by the look-out
its snake
head as high as the funnel of the steamer out of the water,
Eye witnesses: Captain Peat, of the Wm.
and plunging down.
Before the mouth
Scalrook, and Captain Rollins, of the Isabel.
as
like
and
States,
p.
S.
Car.
Miss
Murray, United
1872.
New
York,
(R. P. G.).
235.
Prof.
Zoologisch Genootschap
p.
45, points out that as early as 1837 he proved {not a bene) the imsuch a more than gigantic animal.
1872, August 20 and 21. (N. 137 and 138, see p. 322).
The following is the account which the Rev. J. Macrae sent
August 1872, prefaced by the Editors
the Inverness Courier
,
to
of
this paper:
A gentleman on whose
intelligent observation
the
following
and accuracy we
account
of
strange
which,
if
must be the
On Tuesday
Hourn
in
last,
20th.
August,
577
APPENDIX.
our
afterwards
we counted
till
yards,
or
less,
moved away
just
we could
for
trace
its
of
tion
till
rose again,
it
body
its
of another at
that
to
6ft.
(it
could not be
less)
the length of the portion visible above the water, would be about
50
feet,
more
30ft.
of its length
see".
"Its
and the bumps were rather larger than the head. When in rapid
motion the bumps disappeared, and only the head and neck
could
be
seen,
partly
to
rush
tinued
ed
within
sight
of
come
It
con-
so near us
that day".
"On
the
afternoon
the
of
August 21,
day,
next
returning
as
we were
acquaintance
strange
again
within the entrance of Loch Hourn, and saw him careering swiftly
along
the
water,
of the
surface
with a light
air of
wind.
It
of about
distinctly
heard the
the
progress
rapidly.
abeam
its
slightly rippled
of us
at a distance
whizzing noise
made
it
as
rushed through
it
water.
its
passed once
Neither
its
appearance
nor
known
that
like
mode
of a
log towed
of progression
cetacean
shark
had any
or fish of any
kind.
my
am
as
the
give
so;
subject
my name
or so
little
of
to
report
this
a mere
communication
know
a whale,
37
'
578
APPENDIX.
when
see them.
am
Mame".
"Glenelg
"J.
written
Macrae".
follows
August 1872.
We
the
stern,
when
ed,
and
called
the
attention
others to
the
of
it;
immediately a
second, third, fourth, fifth, thing appeared like this". (Here Miss
Macrae
has
drawn
six
people
disappeared
quietly
was
ani-
the
ceased
it
than
we were,
creature
it
oars
and disappeared
it,
like
Our
to gaze
from the
a wake
what a small steam launch would.
first
yacht
thought at
it
323).
astonished
evidently
"We
it
turned
and
left
our
the
breadth
water in a clear
of
dome
as
579
APPENDIX.
sweep across the mouth of the Loch came towards us, and passed
the boat. I distinctly heard its rush through the
first
waves
it
but some way from the head the water was broken, and
broken,
foaming".
"Later, at 9 P.
M,
just as
of
we neared Glenelg
ripple
on
the
sailing
and rowing
it coming
we saw
sea,
straight astern
sight through
Kyle Rhea".
it
"Kate Macrae".
Miss Forbes
J.
Macrae
wrote to
me under date
of July 22,
1892:
"I
About an hour
people.
before
along
the
wind.
Looking
coast,
water,
the
head nor
or
tail
at
rather
nor
fin
part
of a
visible,
it
seemed about
six feet in
length
and the highest part of it was about a foot out of the water. None
of the others were looking that way, so I was the only one who
saw it. I asked my father if porpoises were in the habit of basking
on the top of the water.
He
said he
their being
to
the
sea-serpent,
1872
attested
will
be of some interest.
by credible witnesses
Zoologist in 1873:
An
account
appeared in the
"On
me and
others
of this creature,
May number
of the
Rev.
580
APPENDIX.
While
dine.
to
the
ladies
out
that
and on looking
astern,
number
of dark
there
in
which
objects,
at
first
sight
the only
peculiarity
being that
they
all
me
porpoises,
sea,
about a mile
still
called
surface of the
in
line.
black
stern
it
dived below,
the
spot
before
it
where
it
had disappeared
went down,
as
it
going at a rapid rate along the calm surface of the sea, and leaving a large wake behind. It was only
the
creature's
length.
It
now
that I
not far off, in tow of a noisy steam launch, which about this time
"As evening
fell
breeze
it
sprang up,
APPENDIX.
Hourn Head
581
we
home
rasdale
oyster
beds,
breeze
nice
loch the
sail for
set
Just about the place where the animal was last seen
was
by someone
called
and
off,
such
at
off
beam
nearer
speed
that
be seen
very
When
rapid rate.
a short
and
could
great
yacht at
the
to
it
starboard
the
my attention
swimming up
distance
At
this
distinctly
hear
rushing
the
bumps
cascade
afterwards
"It
head
the
schooners
but
how much
means
bumps,
eighteen
not
bump
as the length of
be at
one of
of
of estimating.
with
to the eighth
the
or
dark
the
of four
distance
a
say
portions,
raised
above
inches
or
appeared to
me
to
be about
water,
six
am
inclined
to
think the
latter,
as the
the
same
distance
apart,
when swimming
its
distinctly trace
miles."
"We
Hourn, but
just
as
night
fell
mouth
of
Loch
582
APPENDIX.
Kyle Rhea
same
by
evening
narrows
and
fishermen
struck
it
them
and others
all at
it
passing
these
"The above
me
by
the
To
was
familiar
the
down
recollection of
vivid.
Having
West Highland
lochs, I
fresh
the
my
and
creature
have
gentleman
received
the
these,
with
porpoises,
while
perfectly
for
perfectly
seals,
appearance
creature's
cruised
am
is
immediately
described
no
bore
resemblance
whatever."
From
this
representing
splendid pen-drawings,
three
the
1872, August 22 and 23. (N. 139 and 140, see p. 322).
one of these days it seems also to have been seen by Lord
On
Macdonald,
,
(R. P. G.)
1873,
March.
lesham House,
West Indies
Mr.
from
letter
Gentleman
appearances.
1875,
Garton
Roman.
Geo.
1876,
February
(R.
of the
Drevar
Capt.
July
17.
ss.
(?),
to
the
Rev.
from the
contains
eye-
(R.
see p.
Editor of The
Calcutta
P. G.)
Captain
Off Plymouth, Cape Cod Bay.
Norman, and several people on board the ss.
1884. (R.
On board the yacht Princess between Nahant
Mr. Francis W. Lawrence, Mrs. Lawrence,
P. G).
and Egg-Rock.
Letter from
P. G.)
329). The
Arthur Lawrence
Mary
Church
Stockbridge
W. Reed, Robert
O. Reed,
Kelsoe and Mr. J. P. Thomas, both of Swampscott.
Atlantic Monthly of June, 1884.
(R. P. G.)
1876, September 11. (N. 146, see p. 341).
An account in
Mass., Miss
Mr.
Fosdick, Albion
J.
583
APPENDIX.
the
drawing
G.)
Some Pitcairn
Letter from one the
Liverpool. Liverpool Mercury,
newt
or a frog.
(R. P.
1876.
of
islanders
Island.
Palmer
of
"Mr. John
Norfolk-Islands". Letter
24 February, 1877.
Mr.
1877, March.
have been
public". If
admitted
it
the
species, called
July
1877,
amongst other
About
least zoologists
of the existence of a
possibility
"sea-serpent".
15.
assertions
"natur-
even
S. E.,
still
have not
unknown
(R. P. G.)
two miles
off the
mouth
of Gloucester
S.
P.
n. 2.
to
Prof.
several
friends.
this
1.
of
icates
G.).
(Naturen,
serpent
1884,
be a believer in
against
its
the
existence
are
1.
2).
existence
of a
The
sea-serpent.
sea-serpent
The arguments
of considerable dimen-
sions
observed
well-known forms.
count
these
of
its
3.
No known
structure,
arguments
may
move
say:
in
1.
Against
kens were fables, and yet they existed! Mr. Rafinesque Schmaltz
584
&c.
2.
APPENDIX.
431
see p.
Do
from below to
line 6
p.
432
from above.
line 5
well-known forms?
3.
Among
Plesiosaurians had a
the
Reptiles
among
Birds the swans are able to bend the long neck vertically, and all
Mammals
Lutrina
of
is
and
the
moved
move
can
in
undulations.
vertical
the
that
Pinnipedia
observed
sea-serpents
the
in
of
fjords
Norway, were
that
the
that
such
none of
fins,
1884, June.
notes
zoological
gated
is
question of a backfin
visible parts of a
first
The
in the Atlantic
ical
Monthly.
or of back-
basking shark!
,
by Mr.
J.
G.
Wood,
whale, a
He
Basilosaurus or
an
animal
allied to it,
may be an
an elon-
and that
(R. P. G.).
Bay, South
summer.
1886
(R. P. G.).
Africa.
(?),
Prof.
Heddle informs me
that a few
sum-
mers ago, (and from one sentence of his letter I deduce that it
was before 1887) a sea-serpent was seen in Loch Duich. "The
description was very much what we are familiar with".
1886, August. (N 158, see p. 376).
as having a greenish hue struck
eyes
not attach
I
know
the
belief
that this
tapetum
to
is
The
me
so, that I at
description of the
first
did
now
may
585
appenjhx.
say
estimate
would
"I
order
to
down
speed, I set
low
very
Heddle wrote
(of
of
hummocks, next
then three hummocks
the
mocks
"The thing
,
a worthless observation
6th.
1892
length,
feet
and the
There was a
feet.
a gap not
much
space,
the
4T
roughly)
course
"hummocks"
ten
me on May
to
head
flat
great,
so
Prof.
just
first
On
was
The whole disappeared at the
same moment and reappeared also at the same moment about
two seconds thereafter more than its own length in advance; so
that there must have been either an exceedingly rapid rush under
water
or a second animal. The disappearance and reappearance
rushing
any forward
hardly
motion
at
all.
were both
pearance
the
but at the
moment
of disap-
"During one of the appearances I got the focus of the binocuso sharp that 1 distinctly saw water falling over towards me,
between some of the hummocks and myself. There was no consecutive filling up of the interspaces whatever, or appearance of vacuities where the hummocks had but now been".
and I could
"There was certainly no vertical serpentine motion
lars
see
no lateral one".
"My
I
did not
see
solid substance
at
all ,
except
when
the
tail
the
fish
because
same both
"hummocks" down
I
number and
in
in place-,
to surge
waves of a rushing
tail".
"The above is
The following
all
is
from memory".
the
586
APPENDIX.
of the (described
tions
appeared
of
to
the
first,
length.
to
me
When
to count
positions
ripples
slight
(1
relative
their
to
eleven or twelve
all
and
vision,
mo-
counted with
me
to
move, though
of
its
length.
it
at
either Dr.
"But John Campbell on being examined by us deposes on crossWhile we were at breakfast in the Saloon,
examination that:
that
first
or
foremost
undulation.
That except
587
APPENDIX.
saw
he
this,
swellings),
as
but
nothing
were
it
or
perpendicular
the
"skins
wake
of
swellings
(vertical
of
long
distance
passed
the
behind.
It
of the
stern
vessel.
It
the
at
time nearly E. The Ship's head was lying about E. half N."
first
about
half a
minute
of
my
with
it
before seeing
two questions
asked one or
sight
(as
glasses).
it
after getting
down
at
on deck
After
my
first
Heddle.
was
It
counting
after calling
up Dr. Heddle,
of the
the
Campbell and Cowell, till its final disapmust have been inclusive of disappearances and reap-
appearance to
first
pearance
pearances,
it
about
15
When
they
saw
so
of
it,
it
mile."
J. Campbell saw it he heard a heavy splash, and saw
marks of the same, near the vessel
about half an hour
but no importance is attached
before he saw what he describes
to this, as a heavy fish some time after the disappearance, was
seen shortly after to splash near the vessel; and Pellocks were also
seen in the vicinity. The Pellocks however did not splash but rolled
in their usual way. Not for one moment can their motion be compared by any of us, with the other appearances observed." (Here
Mr. Brown has drawn a bunch then a gap, larger than the bunch,
and then eleven smaller bunches, separated one from the other by
"Before
the
gap as large
whole
drawing
vertical undulations
"Without
the
as
representing
and seen
actually
fixing
exactly
the
animal
swimming with
at a considerable distance.)
the
we
consulted
588
APPENDIX.
and as nearly
we could
by bearings.
the
chart
will
much
was seen
arrived at
it
It
to follow
its
appearance was
last
17
to
as
fathoms.
think
"I
right to
it
of our
add
to the
ship,
being in
from
15 to 17
for
and phenomenon personally I came to the conclustill, that it was simply a Tide-rip or
Tidal wave coming from the direction of Corrievreachan between
Scarba and Jura running Easterly and then N. Easterly along the
smooth water where soundings showed the meeting of the shallow
whole
the
and
sion,
tale
very certain
feel
the
and
seas,
rare
or unusual
ities".
such a phenomenon
have
Sailors
me
less
within
who have
often,
is
calm
not at
all
states of tides."
Notwithstanding
this conclusion of
Heddle and
Mr. Brown,
I feel
persuaded that
he, Prof.
of that date.
(R. P. G.)
1891,
July
24.
on the east coast of the North Island, wrote to the papers to the
that while on board the Manopouri
another of the Union
Company's steamers, on the voyage from Auckland to Gisborne,
on Friday, July 24th., he and several others distinctly saw a seaserpent resembling the one seen from the Rotomahana off Portland
Island. This time it appeared north of the East Cape, which is
some distance to the north of where it was seen by the Rotomahana a week later. The time, Mr. Mathews states, was between
effect
APPENDIX.
and nine
eight
the
ship's
when
the morning.
in
officer
charge.
in
its
in that position
It
589
broken limb on a
human
belly,
which appeared
to dangle
about like a
Zealand
castle
(R. P. G.
and
Gilbert Bogle.)
"The Chief
Officer,
Mr.
when
land,
huge conger
Its
it
if I
was,
rise
all
out of the
the world
like
was coming
eel,
it
and
head did not appear to be
particularly definite, the neck running right up to the head the
same as that of a large eel. It was broad daylight at the time,
as
it
fins
The
did not
back as
the
last
When
creature's
fall
clearly.
forward like a
fish
that
it
is
under the ship and reappear on the other side, but I did not see
it again.
Had the weather not been so rough the steamer might
alongside
APPENDIX.
590
to
every
nearly
in
trade,
slave
me
lady told
should have
given them credit for being quite sincere, I should have taken no
notice of
it
much accustomed
When we got to
when they pointed
at
Napier,
of sending
cause
give
water
no opinion, but
I
should
we saw
it
the
as
the
to
only
my
As
surface.
creature
rose
still
too
some
30ft.
two-thirds
of
out of the
it
in the
supposition."
am
mistake.
the
however,
sea,
referred
APPENDIX.
The
time afterwards.
back
the
part.
were
like
been
at
it
common
was glistening
not
been
see
was nothing
away
had
or
Every
eyes.
in the
The Chief
it
was on
Officer
the
sea-serpent
my
that
what
twenty
sort
saw
is
It
The thing
it.
eyes.
Had
the sun
years
it.
I ever seen
seen other
men who
pro-
Call
it.
it
what you
like,
but
am
decidedly of opinion
is
it
question,
but I suppose
exactly,
creatures.
like
aft
any thing
bridge.
story
five
to
who were
never saw
reply
the
seen
after
it
as
said he
to
its
it,
fessed
sea.
been night,
it
time
that
one,
Had
splash
He
like a whale.
in
shining,
its
It
eel.
than
to
an
of
like
such a
is
It
those
all
591
said,
I
"I
should
am
have
been frightened
if it
closer."
derful-seeming
As
to
the
"that
Zeal.)
report
of
remark of
if
Prof.
the
I only
really
creature
remark
observed
the
(N.
19).
in
my
turn
movements
that Prof.
it is
improbable
to have
592
LAST WORD.
LAST WORD.
we read
immediately called
"I
but only
below,
or
five
the
to
came up
six
to
who were
all down
The remainder refused
passengers,
many
too
already."
Dr.
101:
Andrew Wilson
"And
great
so
regarding
in
some minds
subject,
this
he
And
"My
liar all
my
I said I
life
after"
to the Editor of the
Graphic (144)
sea-serpents
his
to use his
the
that
sea-serpent
is
p.
it,
and a lady
to
sea-
meeting with a
sea-
serpent."
I
Should
any
extract
of
publish
new
me
all
it,
one
to
be induced
criticize
evidences,
it,
etc.,
this fear of
of.
by
publication
this
to
write
etc.,
to
paper against
make an
it,
or to
each notice.
^
^