Chapter II: “Gloucester, August 28, 1817.” (3)

“Dear Sir,”

“I presume I may have seen what is generally thought to be the sea-serpent--I have also seen my name inserted in the evening newspaper printed at Boston on Saturday, in a communication on this subject. For your gratification, and from a desire that my name may not sanction any thing beyond what was presented and passed in a review before me, I will now state that which, in the presence of more than two hundred other witnesses, took place near the long beach of Nahant, on Saturday morning last.”

“Intending to pass two or three days at Nahant, with my family, we left Boston early on Saturday morning. On passing the halfway house, on the Salem turn pike, Mr. Smith informed us the sea-serpent had been seen the evening before at Nahant-beach, and that a vast number of people from Lynn, had gone to the beach that morning, in hopes of being gratified with a sight of him: This was confirmed at the hotel. I was glad to find I had brought my famous mast-head spy-glass with me, as it would enable me, from its form and size, to view him to advantage, if I might be so fortunate as to see him. On our arrival on the beach, we associated with a considerable number of persons, on foot and in chaises, and very soon an animal of the fish-kind made his appearance. His head appeared about three feet out of water; I counted thirteen bunches on his back: my family thought there were fifteen--he passed three times at a moderate rate across the bay, but so fleet as to occasion a foam in the water--and my family and myself, who were in carriage, judged he was fifty feet in length, and, at the extend, not more than sixty; whether, however, the wake might not add to the appearance of his length; or whether the undulation of the water, or his peculiar manner of propelling himself, might not cause the appearance of protuberances, I leave for your better judgment. The first view of the animal occasioned some agitation, and the novelty perhaps prevented that precise discrimination which afterwards took place--as he swam up the bay, we and the other spectators moved on, and kept abreast of him; he occasionally withdrew himself under water, and the idea occurred to me that this occasionally raising his head above the level of the water, was to take breath, as the time he kept under water was of an average about eight minutes; after being accustomed to view him, we became more composed; and made the annexed figure of his outlines. Mrs. Prince and the coachman having better eyes than myself, were of great assistance to me in marking the progress of the animal; they would say he is now turning, and by the aid of my glass I saw him distinctly in this movement; he did not turn without occupying some space, and taking into view the time and space which he found necessary for his ease and accommodation, I adopted it as a criterium to form some judgment of his length--I had seven distinct views of him from the long beach so called, and at some of them the animal was not more than a hundred yards distance. After being on the long beach about an hour, the animal disappeared, and I proceeded on towards Nahant; but on passing the second beach, I met Mr. James Magee, of Boston, with several ladies in a carriage, prompted by curiosity to endeavor to see the animal, and we were again gratified beyond even what we saw in the other bay; which I concluded he had left in consequence of the number of boats in the offing in pursuit of him--the noise of whose oars must have disturbed him, as he appeared to us to be a harmless timid animal. We had more than a dozen different views of him, 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 length he exhibited, that is to say, from his head to his last protuberance, and applying the same angle to other objects, I feel satisfied of the correctness of my decision that he is sixty feet long, unless the ripple of his wake deceived me--nor my dear sir, do I undertake to say he was of the snake or eel kind, though this was the general impression on my family, the spectators and myself. Certainly it is a very strange animal. I have been accustomed to see whales, grampuses, porpoises, and other large fishes, but he partook of the appearance of none of these. The whale and the grampus would have spouted--the shark never raises his head out of water, and the porpoise skips and plays; neither of these has such appearances on the back or such a head as this animal. The shark it is true, has a fin on his back, and often the fluke of his tail is out of water; but these appendages would not display the form, and certainly not the number of protuberances, which this animal exhibited; nor is it the habit of the shark to avoid a boat. 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 occupied was from a quarter past eight to half past eleven--a cloud of witnesses exceeding two hundred, brought together for a single purpose, were all alike satisfied and united as to appearances, and as to the length and size of the animal; but you must deduct the influence which his passage through the water and the manner he propelled himself might have as to the apparent protuberances on his back, and the ripple occasioned by his motion on his real length, of all which you can judge equally well and better than myself. I must conclude there is a strange animal on our coast--and I have thought an unvarnished statement might be gratifying to a mind attached to the pursuit of natural science, and aid in the inquiries on a controverted question, which I knew to have interested you. I have ventured on the description, being also induced to hope, that if anything on the marvellous is stated as coming from me, you will correct it.

“Accept the respects and attention of

“Dear Sir, yours sincerely

“James Prince.”

We see that Mr. PRINCE uses many words to give a very short description of the animal. Yet we are able to gather the following details. Its head appeared about three feet out of the water, there were 13 or 15 bunches on its back, sometimes the rapidity was moderate, occasioning, however, a foam in the water; length 50 to 60 feet; the animal left behind it a wake; sometimes it withdrew itself under water; it appeared to be a harmless timid animal; its eyes were glistening. All these characters, external features and habits are long known to us. Mr. PRINCE first said the animal belonged to the fish-kind; afterwards, however, he dared not say whether it was of the snake or eel-kind; yet his figure shows large scales and a fish-tail. It is astonishing that the person who is so careful in his expressions, is so inaccurate when handling the pencil. The head of the animal in his figure is more that of a young duck than of a serpent or snake, which the head of the sea-serpent is said to resemble closely. The coils are badly drawn, and though 13 to 15 bunches were seen, only six are delineated. The rippling of the water on the animal’s left side and before it is well represented, on its right side, however, it is quite wrong. The two racked-formed wings are certainly the representation of the foam, caused in the water by the animal’s rapid motion. And finally the scales and the fish-tail are drawn by Mr. PRINCE though he has not seen them! I am obliged to state again that this figure is a facsimile of that which I found in OKEN’s _Isis_; the very one of the _Boston Daily Advertiser_ I have had no opportunity to see.

The letter from Mr. PRINCE is translated into Dutch in the _Vaderlandsche Letteroefeningen voor 1820, Tweede Stuk, Mengelwerk_.

On the same day it was seen by Mr. CABOT, who wrote the following letter (SILLIMAN’s _Am. Journ. Sc. Arts_, II, 1820) to our well known

“Col. T. H. Perkins”

“Brookline, August 19, 1819.

“Dear Sir”

“I very willingly comply with your request to state what I saw of the _Sea-Serpent_ at _Nahant_, on Saturday last, particularly as I happened to see it under favourable circumstances to form a judgment, and to considerable advantage in point of position and distance.”

“I got into my chaise about seven o’clock in the morning to come to Boston, and on reaching the long Beach observed a number of people collected there and several boats pushing off and in the offing. I was speculating on what should have occasioned so great an assemblage there without any apparent object, and finally had concluded that they were embarking in those boats on a party of pleasure to Egg Rock, or some other point.”

“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.”

“As my curiosity was directed towards the boats to ascertain the course they were taking, my attention was suddenly arrested by an object emerging from the water at the distance of about one hundred or one hundred and fifty yards, which gave to my mind at the first glance the idea of a horse’s head. As my eye ranged along I perceived at a short distance eight or ten regular bunches or protuberances, and at a short interval three or four more. I was now satisfied that the _Sea-Serpent_ was before me, and after the first moment of excitement produced by the unexpected sight of so strange a monster taxed myself to investigate his appearance as accurately as I could.”

“My first object was the Head, which I satisfied myself was serpent shaped, it was elevated about two feet from the water, and he depressed it gradually, to within six or eight inches as he moved along. I could always see under his chin, which appeared to hollow underneath or to curve downward. His motion was at that time very slow along the Beach, inclining towards the shore; he at first moved his head from side to side as if to look about him. I did not see his eyes, though I have no doubt I could have seen them if I had thought to attend to this. His bunches appeared to be not altogether uniform in size, and as he moved along some appeared to be depressed, and others brought above the surface, though I could not perceive any motion in them. My next object was to ascertain his length. For this purpose I directed my eye to several whale boats at about the same distance, one of which was beyond him, and by comparing the relative length, I calculated that the distance from the animal’s head to the last protuberance I had noticed, would be equal to about five of those boats. I felt persuaded by this examination that he could not be less than eighty feet long; as he approached the shore and came between me and a point of land which projects from the eastern end of the Beach, I had another means of satisfying myself on this point.”

“After I had viewed him thus attentively for about four or five minutes, he sunk gradually into the water and disappeared; he afterwards again made his appearance for a moment at a short distance.”

“My first reflection after the animal was gone, was, that the idea I had received from the description you gave of the animal you saw at _Gloucester_, in 1817, was perfectly realized in this instance; and that I had discovered nothing you had not before described. The most authentic testimony given of his first appearance there seemed to me remarkably correct; and I felt as if the appearance of this monster had been already familiar to me.”

“After remaining some two or three hours on the Beach, without again seeing him, I returned towards Nahant; and in crossing the small beach, had another good view of him, for a longer time, but at a greater distance. At this time he moved more rapidly, causing a white foam under the chin, and a long wake, and his protuberances had a more uniform appearance. At this time he must have been seen by two or three hundred persons on the beach and on the heights each side, some of whom were very favourable situated to observe him.”

“I am very respectfully”

“your obedient servant”

“Samuel Cabot.”

The Editor of the American Journal, Prof. BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, adds:

“It is almost superfluous to add, that Mr. Cabot and his friend Col. Perkins, are gentlemen of the first standing and consideration.”

On Oct. 13, 1820, Col. T. H. PERKINS, when on board the _Ann Marie_, wrote a letter to his friend Mr. JNO. P. CUSHING; he published it in the _Boston Daily Advertiser_ of 1848, Nov. 25; a passage of it runs as follows:

“Besides the instances I have mentioned, 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 were not well authenticated, nor do I place any confidence in them.”

“In the month of August, in the last year, he again made his appearance in our vicinity, and under very satisfactory circumstances. The weather being hot, many of our citizens resorted to Nahant to pass a few weeks. On the number were Mr. and Mrs. Cabot and their children. Mr. Cabot had a view of him for more than half an hour at one time. He was in a chair, and had reached what is termed the long beach, when he saw several persons collected half a mile from him, which called his attention to the object which occupied them. Mr. C. had heard me often describe the view I had had of the serpent in 1817, and recognized in what was visible just without the breakers, and within a quarter of a mile, the monster which was supposed by many to exist nowhere but in the imaginations of those who had reported to have seen him. Mr. Cabot immediately rode back to Nahant; took Mrs. Cabot into his chair and returned to the beach; but the animal was no longer visible. By this time the inhabitants of Lynn had assembled to the number of some hundreds, on and near the beach, and all the visitors of Nahant were upon the alert. Having given over the hope of seeing him, Mr. Cabot was returning to leave his wife at her lodgings, when, to their mutual delight, he came in view just without the surf of the little beach, and within a quarter of a mile or less of where they stood.”

“Marshal Prince, James Magee, and many persons of my acquaintance had a fine sight of him, and all agreed in their account of him in the principal particulars. They all agreed as to the rapidity of his movements, being very much beyond anything living they had ever seen. The apparent bunches on his back they consider as arising from the construction of his body, and that the movement was vertical and not horizontal. At one time his head was about two or three feet above water, but soon depressed to the level of the sea. When not swimming to be in pursuit of his prey, his motion was not rapid. They saw him turn and bring his body into a letter S, the head being at right angles with the tail. From fifteen to twenty three bunches, or apparent bunches, 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”.

“No one thought they saw the whole of the body at a time, the tail seeming always to be considerably under water. The greatest length given to him was one hundred feet and no one who had a good sight of him thought him less than eighty feet in length. If the number of protuberances is twenty-three (and it seems there are at least this number), and calculating them to be distant from centre to centre four feet (and I think, considering their thickness, they cannot be less than this), he would be ninety two feet long. They all agreed, too, as to the colour being quite dark, approaching to black.”

In a letter from Dr. BOOTT to Dr. HOOKER, dated London, Nov. 4, 1826, part of which was published in the _Edinb. Journ. of Sc._, we read that he visited Boston to gather testimony from eye-witnesses. He then says:

“During this visit I distinctly remember the news coming from Nahant one morning, of the Serpent being in the bay of that place, distant about sixteen miles from Boston. Many hurried down to see it, and among them my brother Mr. James Boott. I was prevented from some cause leaving Boston. My brother reported 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 time, as far as I recollect.”

So we have of this appearance three different statements of respectable persons, who distinctly saw the animal on the same spot.

This appearance of the sea-serpent near Nahant is also mentioned in Dr. HAMILTON’s _Amphibious Carnivora_, 1839.

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=64=.--1819, August.--Mr. A. DE CAPELL BROOKE says in his _Travels through Sweden, &c._, at p. 207:

“I there” (Stenesöen) “obtained from his” (PEDER GREGER’S) “son John Greger, a young man, who employed himself in the fishery, still further information respecting the sea-serpent; it was in August of the preceding year, while fishing with others in the Vieg or Vegfjord, that he saw it; at that time they were on shore, hauling in their nets, and it appeared about sixty yards distant from them, at which they were not a little alarmed, and immediately retreated. What was seen of it above water, he said, appeared six times the length of their boat, of a grey colour, and lying in coils a great height above the surface. Their fright prevented them from attending more accurately to other particulars. In fact they all fairly took to their heels, when they found the monster so near them. The weather at the time was very hot and calm. Farther to the south (at Stenesöen) he said it was seen several times, and it remained there for a considerable period.”

* * * * *

=65=.--1819, August.--The same author at p. 216 of his volume relates:

“My honest boatmen who had brought me all the way from Leköe, a distance of near sixty miles, now left me. Previous to their departure they gave me the following account of the sea-serpent, which is here inserted as they related it, without the least variation. They were fishermen and had been up at the 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; the head blackish, with teeth. What they discerned of it they judged to be at least five times the length of their boat, which is about thirty feet. It moved in large folds on the water; and when they saw it, they rowed away from it as fast as they could. The weather was very calm at the time.”

This is the most northern appearance of the sea-serpent. The teeth are mentioned here, though not described.

* * * * *

=66=.--1819? August?--The same author at p. 222 of his _Travels_ tells us:

“To the testimony of others respecting the existence of the sea-serpent, I shall now add that of the bishop” (of the Nordlands and Finmark) “himself, who was eye-witness to the appearance of two in the bay of the Shuresund, or Sorsund, in the Drontheim _fjord_, about eight Norway miles from Drontheim. He was but a short distance from them, and saw them plainly. They were swimming in large folds, part of which was seen above the water, and the length of what appeared the largest he judged to be about 100 feet. They were of a darkish grey colour; the heads hardly discernable, from their being almost under water; and they were visible for only a short time. Before that period he had treated the account of them as fabulous; but it was now impossible, he said, to doubt their existence, as such numbers of respectable people, since that time had likewise seen them on different occasions.”

Not a single fact that need astonish us. That _two_ were seen together is not reported for the first time, as the reader will remember. The swimming “in large folds, part of which was seen above water”, is a very accurate description of the effect made by the swimming animals. The colour is described as a darkish grey, which is exactly the colour of the animal, when seen at a short distance. Their holding their heads very low, only just above the surface of the water, is a common habit of them too.

* * * * *

=67=.--1819? August?--The same author relates (p. 403):

“The last account respecting the existence of the sea-serpent I received from him” (the sexton of Maasöe) “during our journey. He was fishing, as he said, with others in the Mageröe-Sund, when they discerned the monster of the deep, stretching out his bulk in many a spiral fold, and basking on the surface of the water. Its colour was dark and as to its length, he assured me, with looks of wonder and almost of alarm, that it nearly reached from the Mageröe side to the mainland opposite. In this measurement fear, doubtless, was the principal agent; for as to any accurate observations made by himself, they were out of the question. My friend the sexton was much too prudent a man, to hazard any at such a juncture. A glance was sufficient for him to commence his flight forthwith, as fast as his arms would enable him.”

Of course I agree with Mr. DE CAPELL BROOKE as to the exaggerated dimensions attributed to the animal by the sexton of Maasöe. The words “spiral folds”, of course, are wrong, the author meant the sinuosities in which the animal moves. Its colour is here described dark, which corresponds with so many other testimonies.

* * * * *

=68=.--1819? August?--At page 406 of the volume of this author we read in a note:

“The account of the serpent, received by him” (Prösten DEINBOLT of Vadsöe) “from several persons on that part of the coast, agreed with those which have been already given.”

This, of course, is only a report of the appearance of the sea-serpent near Vadsöe.

* * * * *

=69=.--1819, Aug. 26.--“_Extract of a letter from_ Mr. Cheever Felch, Chaplan to the United States’ ship Independance of 74 guns, to the Editor of the Boston Centinel.” (SILLIMAN’S _Am. Journ. Sc. Arts_, Vol. II).

“Gloucester, August 26, 1819.

“Dear Sir.

“Others having taken in hand to give some account of the Sea-Serpent, I know not why I should not have the same liberty. Being on this station, in the United States’ schooner Science, for the purpose of surveying this harbor, we were proceeding this morning down the harbor, in the schooner’s boat; when abreast of Dallivan’s Neck, William T. Malbone, Esq. Commander of the Schooner, seeing some appearance on the water, said--“_there is your sea-serpent_”, meaning it as a laugh on me, for believing in its existence; but it prooved to be no joke. The animal was then between thirty and forty yards distance from us. Mr. Malbone, Midshipman Blake, myself, and our four boatmen, had a distinct view of him. He soon sunk; but not so deep but we could trace his course. He rose again within twenty yards distance of us, and lay sometime on the water. He then turned, and steered for Ten Pound Island; we pulled after him; but finding that he was not pleased with the noise of our oars, they were laid in, and the boat skulled. We again approached very near him. 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 carronade would have upon him. He did not remain long after we landed, so that I was unable to effect my intention, of ascertaining, accurately, his length, with my instruments. From my knowledge of aquatic animals, and habits, and intimacy with marine appearances, I could not be deceived. We had a good view of him, except the very short period while he was under water, for half an hour.--His colour is a dark brown, with white under the throat. His size, we could not accurately ascertain, but his head is about three feet in circumference, flat and much smaller than his body. We did not see his tail; but from the end of the head to the fartherest protuberance, was not far from one hundred feet. I speak with a degree of certainty, from being much accustomed to measure and estimate distances and length. I counted fourteen bunches on his back, the first one, say ten or twelve feet from his head, and the others about seven feet apart. They decreased in size towards the tail. These bunches were sometimes counted with, and sometimes without a 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 under water, with the greatest velocity, as if seizing prey. 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 have been much acquainted with the snakes in our interior waters. His motion was the same. I have given you in round numbers, one hundred feet, for his length, that is, what we saw; but I should say he must be one hundred and thirty feet in length, allowing for his tail. There were a considerable number of birds about the sea-serpent as I have seen them about a snake on shore. That there is an aquatic animal in the form of a snake, is not to be doubted. Mr. Malbone, till this day, was incredulous. No man would now convince him, there was not such a being. The sketch or picture of Marshal Prince, is perfectly correct. I could not, with my own pencil, give a more correct likeness.”

“With respect”

“Your obedient servant”

“Cheever Felch”

“Major B. Russell.”

I will not contest Mr. FELCH’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, requested Mr. BOLTON, 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, published by Col. PERKINS in the _Boston Daily Advertiser_ of Nov. 25, 1848, runs as follows:

“In the year 1817 I was the first lieutenant of the Independence, of 74 guns, then lying in the harbour of Boston.”

“In the course of the spring or summer a party of officers were detailed, by order of Commodore Bainbridge, to survey the coast of the bay, to a limited extent northeastward and outside of the light-house.”

“The officers selected for this duty were the sailingmaster of the ship, Wm. T. Malbone, and the Rev. Cheever Fetch, the instructor of the 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, and, further, that they have advanced in professional distinction. There were also added a sufficient number of seamen and boys.”

“Commodore Bainbridge, Mr. Malbone and Mr. Felch died some years ago.”

“I recollect that on the first occasion, when the Lynx returned to the Independence, of which ship she was the tender, that Mr. Malbone reported as having seen a monstrous sea-animal, not before known to him, of the snake species; the length doubtful, but estimated at some eighty or more feet; and added as an accident, that the officers and men employed in a small boat to carry out the soundings had returned in haste, and indeed alarm, to the Lynx, which was at anchor.”

“These statements were corroborated by Mr. Felch, the officers and crew.”

“Subsequently it was seen several times, by some of the party, who, being soon satisfied that it was harmless approached comparatively near, and no doubt gave me a minute description of its appearance as it presented itself to them; but if so, the particular details have escaped my memory.”

“These facts are all that I can with distinctness and certainty mention. Wm. Compton Bolton, Captain in the Navy of the United States, Saratonga Springs, July 14, 1846; to Hon. T. H. Perkins, Boston.”--

It cannot surprise us that in some particulars, as “in the year 1817”, and in some others this letter does not agree with the foregoing letter from the Rev. CHEEVER FELCH himself, as twenty-seven years had since elapsed.

* * * * *

=70=.--1819, September?--Dr. FRANCIS BOOTT in a letter to Dr. HOOKER, dated London, Nov. 4, 1826, and published in the _Edinb. Journ. Sc._, VI, 1827, says:

“I remember also that a letter appeared in the _Boston Centinel_, soon after, published by an officer in the American Navy, who reported that, on his return from a survey of some part of the coast, he saw, when out of sight of land, a large serpent. He was so near that he drew an outline of it, and that outline accompanied the paragraph. When you showed me Mr. Warburton’s figure on the card, I at first thought it was a copy of that of the _Centinel_. I can only add, for your own satisfaction, that _I_ have no doubt of the existence of this remarkable animal.”

As Dr. BOOTT is speaking of a visit at Boston in August 1819, the words “soon after” of course signify in the latter part of August or in the beginning of September. As the officer was “on his return” and published his encounter in the _Boston Centinel_, the appearance most probably occurred not far from Boston. The reader will find Mr. WARBURTON’S drawing further on (n°. 83).

* * * * *

=71=.--1819, September 13?--(_Phil. Mag._ LIV, 1819).

“The great Sea-Snake has been seen again towards the middle of September, in the bay of Massachusetts, and three yellow collars observed on his neck, which has led some to believe it might be another individual and species; but this circumstance might have been overlooked before. It is not stated whether it had streaks of a lighter hue on the body, as the first was represented to have by some witnesses. It is therefore likely that the two characters of “streaks of a lighter hue on the body and three yellow collars on the neck”, may be added to its description. The collars are described as about two inches broad, and one foot apart.”

The three yellow collars observed on its neck may be explained as follows: The animal has a hairy skin, as we have already seen, like a seal-skin. Now, when the neck is wet and contracted by the animal, its skin gets wrinkles, of course running round the neck, as is also the case in sea-lions. Those parts of these wrinkles, which are deepest, remain wet for a very long time, because they are not exposed to the air; those, however, which are highest, if we may use this expression, are not only most exposed to the air, but the hairs on those parts diverge and dry as soon as possible; and--when dry, they have a yellow greyish colour. If the animal now stretches its neck, it may show one, two, &c., even eight or more yellow-coloured collars round its dark brown neck, which may have a breadth of about two inches and a distance of one foot between them. This phenomenon or appearance, as already stated, is often to be seen in our zoological gardens on sea-lions and seals.

* * * * *

In the _Philosophical Magazine_, Vol. LIV, 1819, Dr. RAFINESQUE says:

“Dr. Mitchill informs me that General Hawkins has written a memoir on the sea-serpent of Massachusetts, which he has sent, with a drawing, to Sir Joseph Banks; it is a paper of some length, and much interest, as it relates facts, and all the circumstances attending the appearance and natural history of those huge animals, taken upon oath of eye-witnesses. He attempts to prove, with much probability, that several individuals have been seen, and two at least, if not three species; one with three collars, another without any, and a smaller one.”

In SILLIMAN’S _Am. Journ. Sc. Arts_, Vol. II, 1820, I have found the following extract from a letter to the Editor, dated Boston, April 8, 1820:

“I have lately received a letter from Sir Joseph Banks, written by his own hand, in which he expresses his full faith in the existence of our Serpent in the Sea, and not only as it regards himself, but his friends, and he is grateful for every new communication I have given him on that subject, and writes with the same enthusiasm that he did several years ago. Although he is now very infirm.”

Evidently this was a letter from General HAWKINS.

Professor BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, the Editor of this journal adds:

“Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society of London, the Companion of Capt. Cook, is now at a very advanced age but still vigourous in his intellectual powers, and ardent in the promotion of every species of useful knowledge.”

In Mr. A. DE CAPELL BROOKE’S _Travels through Sweden_, we find at p. 411:

“For a length of time the most extraordinary accounts were circulated relating to it, till at last the whole story was generally considered as the fabric of American invention; and there are many, I believe, in this country” (Great Britain) “who do not consider it in any other light than that of a hoax. Judging, however, from the detailed accounts of the circumstance which are preserved among the papers of sir Joseph Banks, the principal facts appear to be these.”

And at p. 413:

“The repeated accounts of the serpent’s appearance having attracted the attention of the Linnaean Society at Boston, one of its members was deputed to visit the spot and to examine into the truth of them. This was accordingly done; and the above is the general substance of the various depositions sworn to before General Humphreys. This gentleman, who was a corresponding member of the Society, despatched to Sir Joseph Banks copies of the whole of these, which are still preserved in his library. Sir Joseph entered with warmth into this curious investigation; and the minuteness, with which every particular was supplied, showed how greatly he felt interested in the question.”

In Nov. 4, 1826, Dr. FRANCIS BOOTT wrote a letter to Dr. HOOKER, a part of which was published in the _Edinburgh Journal of Science_, Vol. VI, 1827. Dr. BOOTT, after some general remarks, goes on to express himself in the following terms:

“All that I could collect upon the subject was sent to Sir Joseph Banks, with whom I had repeated conversations about the animal, and the respectability of the individuals who affirmed to the sight of him. The great mass of evidence is to be found in the pamphlet published by the Linnaean Society of New England. The question as to the real appearance of a large serpent off the coast of Massachusetts, was put to rest by that publication. There could be no doubt of the fact, and the testimony of thousands who saw the animal _for one or two years afterwards_, must have been sufficient to satisfy the most incredulous.”

“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 all events, I distinctly remember that when I first spoke to him on the subject, he was incredulous, and showed me a Plate of a similar animal in Pontoppidan’s _History of Norway_. I myself had no doubt of the truth of the assertions of the early observers of it, for many of them were known to me, and I was anxious to convince Sir Joseph of the discovery of a new and remarkable animal. I therefore was in the habit of sending him every information I could collect respecting it. In one of my last visits to Boston, I gathered testimony from individuals, and from the public papers, and was happy to find on my return to Europe, that Sir Joseph was satisfied of the existence of the serpent, though he continued doubtful of the relationship between the small snake (figure 1 of the Linnaean pamphlet) and the large serpent.”

In October, 1828, Mr. MITCHILL read a paper before the New York Lyceum, which paper will be found in our Chapter on Hoaxes. As we have already observed, this paper also contains a particular account concerning the letters addressed by General HUMPHREYS to Sir JOSEPH BANKS.

Again Dr. HAMILTON, in his _Amphibious Carnivora_, 1839, asserts:

“General Humphreys, by whom the affidavits were taken, transmitted a copy of them, and a detail of the whole circumstance, to the late Sir Joseph Banks, in whose Library the documents are still preserved.”

Remarkable fact! Nowhere I have found a paper of Sir JOSEPH BANKS himself, neither in the _Transactions of the Royal Society of London_, nor anywhere else. I beg the present members of this Very Learned Body to give me the loan of all the papers about the subject, or to publish them in their next volume.

* * * * *

=72=.--1820, July?--Mr. A. DE CAPELL BROOKE in his _Travels through Sweden, during the Summer of 1820_, relates at p. 263:

“During the time I remained at Hundholm a curious circumstance occurred: One day when at dinner at Mr. Blackhall’s house, and thinking little of the sea-serpent, concerning which I had heard nothing for some time, a young man, the master of a small fishing yacht, which had just come in from Drontheim, joint our party; in the course of conversation, he mentioned that a few hours before, whilst close to Hundholm, and previous to his entering the harbour, two sea-snakes passed immediately under his yacht. When he saw them he was on the deck, and, seizing a handspike, he struck at them as they came up close to the vessel on the other side, upon which they disappeared. Their length was very great, and their colour greyish; but from the very short time they were visible, he could not notice any other particulars. He had no doubt of their being snakes as he called them, and the circumstance was related entirely of his own accord.”

* * * * *

=73=.--1820, August.--In the _Zoologist_ of 1849, p. 2361, we read:

“He was several times seen in the month of August, 1820, from the piazza of the house of Col. Perkins, at Nahant.”

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=74=.--1820?--The following report was published in the _Zoologist_ of 1849, p. 2460.

“What degree of confidence the following story may gain is to me a subject of very little consideration; for as I can have no view of gaining anything by it, so it certainly will appear that it would hardly be worth the trouble of invention; but as a story of this sort has made its appearance among our transatlantic friends, without being at all credited, it is as likely in Europe this may have the same fate; yet if it can afford any amusement or information for intelligent and scrutinizing minds, for their gratification I freely give it to the press, assuring them, on my sacred honour, of the truth of what I am about to describe. On Sunday, about 5. P. M., being then in latitude 46, longitude 3, by dead reckoning, observed an immense body on the surface of the water, apparently without motion, but water spouting from it, not unlike the blowing of a whale. I immediately got my glass; and, from its rugged appearance and showing nothing where the water issued from, I began to entertain some doubts, that this must have been the vigia laid down for Barenethy’s rocks or the three chimneys, and, so prepared in my own mind, I directed the steering sails to be taken in and the ship prepared for going about. Some of my ship’s company were of opinion it was a ship-bottom up: this I thought not unlikely, and went into the main cat harpens to look more distinctly at it: the appearance then was still steady, but irregular. I saw neither head nor tail above the water, but a hump from one extreme resembling the rise or point of rather a triangular rock: this tapered to a distance,--I certainly believe 70 or 100 feet, and the water broke over it, a little beyond it: it discharged the spout; but nothing showing itself, undetermined in mind what it could be, or whether I should tack the ship, it all at once disappeared, and, to my great astonishment, a head and neck--resembling something of a serpent’s--made its appearance, erected about six feet above the surface of the water. After taking a survey towards the vessel, it all at once vanished, leaving us full of conjecture and surprise. It gives me more confidence in making the above statement, as one of the seamen, whose name is Jonathan Townsend, was in the main top, and saw the creature I have described, and would feel no hesitation in taking an oath to it.--George Sanford, Lieutenant R. N.”

[“Copied from a memorandum-book of Lieut. Sanford, and communicated by Dr. Scott, of Exeter. There is no date to the above statement, but it is presumed to have been written about the year 1820. Lieut. Sanford then commanded a merchant-ship, the Lady Combermere.--E. N.”]

No doubt the latitude of 46 degrees is northern lat., so that the appearance occurred in the Bay of Biscay.--The act of breathing of the sea-serpent, after having remained for some time under the surface of the water, just as in whales, has an appearance generally called “spouting”. Apparently the animal held its head just at water-level, and so it showed “nothing where the water issued from”. The rugged appearance may have been caused by the animal lying with several bunches on its back, as afterwards was also reported by the Lloydsteamer _Kätie_ (n°. 154) or by its having a mane, extending all along the neck and back. The “hump from one extreme resembling the rise or point of rather a triangular rock” must have been the animal’s head which it lifted up just above the surface. Nearly the same appearance will be observed in the figure of one of the officers of H. M. S. _Plumper_ (fig. 31). Let the dimensions moreover be somewhat exaggerated, the “head and neck resembling something of a serpent’s erected about six feet above the surface of the water”, the “taking a survey towards the vessel”, and the vanishing at once, makes all comment superfluous; all these characters have more than once been reported of this creature.

* * * * *

In the _Philosophical Magazine and Journal_, Vol. LVII, 1821, we find an extract from the numerous reports communicated by Prof BIGELOW in SILLIMAN’S _American Journal of Science and the Arts_, Boston, Vol. II, 1820, May.

* * * * *

We have already quoted MILTON, who in his _Paradise Lost_, printed in 1667, compares Satan with some huge monsters, amongst others the sea-serpent. Parts of these verses have been more than once cited by writers of articles on the sea-serpent. I cannot but express my surprise at this custom, for there is not one single word or expression in MILTON’S verses, which is taken from accounts, reports, or tales of the sea-serpent itself. WALTER SCOTT, however, in his _Pirate_: which was published in 1821, vol. I, chapt. II, says a few words about the animal, which are so correct, that they must have been taken from some or other report:

“The Ocean also had its mysteries, etc.”

“The Sea-Snake was also known, which arising out of the depths of Ocean, stretches to the skies his enormous neck, covered with a mane like that of a war-horse, and with its broad glittering eyes, raised mast-head high, looks out, as it seems, for plunder or for victims.”

The large glittering eyes, the enormous neck, covered with a mane are known characters, and the rising from the depths high into the air, standing nearly upright and viewing for a moment all around, evidently taking a survey, is a habit observed more than once.

* * * * *

=75=.--1821, Summer.--Col. T. H. PERKINS on the 13th. of Oct. 1820, when on board the _Ann Marie_, wrote a letter to his friend JNO P. CUSHING, which he published in the _Boston Daily Advertiser_ of 25th. Nov. 1848, after the excitement caused by the appearance of an individual on the 6th. of August, 1848. The different parts of this letter are inserted partly in our Chapter on Hoaxes (p. 20, 21) and partly in n^o. 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 63. The Editor of the _Boston Daily Advertiser_ now goes on:

“In addition to this interesting narrative our venerable correspondent gives letters from several members of his family, who _the next summer_ had opportunity to see the sea-serpent, in which the appearance of the animal is minutely described. This correspondence is very interesting; the description of the animal agrees entirely with that given above, and we regret that want of space must prevent the insertion of it.”

It is a great pity that all these letters have not been published. Perhaps they are now lost for ever!

* * * * *

=76=.--1821.--In a letter from WILLIAM WARBURTON to ROBERT BARCLAY, Esq. printed in the _Edinburgh Journal of Science_, Vol. VI, 1827, p. 130, and dated 20th. September 1826, we read:

“I dined one day at the Hôtel of New York with Sir Isaak Coffin, who discredited the existence of such an animal, which was reported to have been seen by Captain Bennett of Boston, about five years back.”

Of course the occurrence took place near the coast of the U. S.

* * * * *

=77=.--1821, September 25? In FRORIEP’S _Notizen_ of Jan. 1822, I, we read:

“The Sea-Serpent, of which much has been spoken of late years, has been clearly seen again this year by many persons with spy-glasses, and it is described by all of them and the descriptions agree pretty well with each other: on Sept. 27 last a distinguished merchant of Nantucket, Mr. Francis Joy, jun. made a declaration of it on oath before the justice of the peace.”

* * * * *

=78=.--1821?--Dr. HIBBERT in his _Description of the Shetland Islands_ says at p. 565:

“I have heard, in Shetland, of a sea-serpent being seen off the Isle of Stenness, Vailey Island and Dunrossness.”

This report is also quoted by Dr. R. HAMILTON in his _Amphibious Carnivora_, 1839.

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=79=.--1822.--Mr. A. DE CAPELL BROOKE in his Travels through Sweden, &c., 1823, says in a note, p. 416:

“In some very recent accounts I have received from Finmark, founded on respectable authority, the sea-serpent is stated to have appeared off Soröe this last summer (1822) and to have been seen by many of the inhabitants of that Island. The length of the animal is described as about a fourth of an English mile, its size that of a full grown ox; the colour of a greyish brown; and the weather when it made its appearance, calm and fine.”

Fear must have enlarged its length: the diameter, the colour, the calmness of the weather, however, are all correct.

* * * * *

Mr. A. DE CAPELL BROOKE in his _Travels through Sweden &c._, 1823, at p. 403 tells us a remarkable fact, viz. the striking agreement of the fabulous tales of the sea-serpent of those days (1820) with those, related by PONTOPPIDAN. The passage runs as follows:

“The following information, however, which he” (the sexton of Maasöe) “gave me concerning this animal deserves a greater share of attention. It is the practise of the fishermen, he said, when at any time they found themselves suddenly surrounded by the folds of the serpent, and obliged to pass over a part of it, never to attempt making their way between the openings, caused by part of the body of the animal being concealed under water, for fear of its raising and upsetting the boat. On the contrary, they rowed with all their strength against one of the visible folds, as the serpent, as soon as he feels the touch of the boat, naturally sinks down and enables it thus to pass over in safety. It will appear perhaps as a striking circumstance, that looking afterward into Pontoppidan, I found the foregoing particulars the very substance of what is related in his work, which may be said to be unknown in Finmark, and even of his name my informant had never heard.”

Indeed, this is remarkable, but it is only a proof of the scrupulousness with which fables are told unchanged! The passages from PONTOPPIDAN referred to by our traveller have been discussed by me--p. 134.

For history’s sake, as well as to acquaint my readers with all that has been written for or against the subject, I am obliged to insert all that Mr. BROOKE further says about it. After having repeated nearly all what PONTOPPIDAN mentioned about it, he goes on:

“Taking upon the whole a fair view of the different accounts related in the foregoing pages respecting the sea-serpent, no reasonable person can doubt the fact of some marine animal of extraordinary dimensions, and in all probability of the serpent tribe, having been repeatedly seen by various persons along the Norway and Finmark coasts. These accounts, for the most part, have been given verbally from the mouths of the fishermen; an honest and artless class of men who, having no motive for misrepresentation, cannot be suspected of a wish to deceive. Could this idea, however, be entertained, the circumstance alone, of their assertions having been so fully confirmed by others in more distant parts, would be sufficient to free them from any imputation of this kind. The simple facts are these: In traversing a space of full 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 some degree of credit to be given to it; but when these several relations as to the general appearance of the animal, its dimensions, the state of the weather, when it has been seen, and other particulars are so fully confirmed, one by the other, at such considerable intervening distances, every reasonable man will feel satisfied of the truth of the main fact. Many of the informants, besides, were of superior rank and education; and the opinions of such men as the _Amtmann_ (Governor) of Finmark, Mr. Steen of Carlsöe, _Prösten_ (Dean) Deinbolt of Vadsöe, and the Bishop of Nordland and Finmark, who was even an eye witness, ought not to be disregarded. There does not appear the least probability, or even possibility, that any other marine animal at present known on the northern coast, could have been confounded with the sea-serpent. The finners, a species of whale already mentioned, are too well known to occasion any mistake; and the total want of similarity in shape, appearance, and size, if they were even rare, would be sufficiently obvious.”