be doubted; and he confesses he questioned it himself, until his suspicion was removed by credible evidence. He further observes :

'Though one cannot have an opportunity of taking the exact dimensions of this creature, yet all that have seen it are unanimous in affirming, as far as they can judge at a distance, that it appears to be the length of a cable, i. e.one hundred fathoms, or six hundred English feet; that it lies on the surface of the water, when it is very calm, in many folds; and that there are in a line with the head some small parts of the back to be seen above the surface of the water when it moves or bends. These at a distance appear like so many casks or hogsheads floating in a line with a considerable distance between them. Mr. Tuchsen, of Heroe, is the only person of the many correspondents I have, that informs me he has observed the difference between the body and the tail of this creature as to thickness. It appears that this creature does not, like the eel or land-snake, taper gradually to a point; but the body, which looks to be as big as two hogsheads, grows remarkably small at once just where the tail begins. The whole animal is of a dark brown colour, but it is speckled and variegated with light streaks or spots, that shine like tortoiseshell. It seems the wind is so destructive to this creature, that, as has been observed before, it is never seen on the surface of the water, but in the greatest calm, and the least gust of wind drives him immediately to the bottom again. These creatures shoot through the water like an arrow out of a bow, seeking constantly the coldest places.

"If any one inquires how many folds may be counted in a Sea-Snake, the answer is, that the number is not always the same, but depends upon the various sizes of them; five and twenty is the greatest number I find well attested.” A letter, dated Feb. 1751, is also quoted, from the Hon.

Lawrence de Ferry, a Captain in the navy, to Mr. John Reutz, Procurator, relating to a Sea-Snake, seen by him near MOLDE, on a very calm and hot day, in Aug. 1746. He had heard many stories about the monster-and ordered his men to row for it; he fired at it, on which it immediately sunk. Observing the water to be red, he supposed he had wounded it. The head, he relates, was like that of a horse-and of a grayish colour-the mouth was quite black and very large. He also mentions the bright mane. The eyes were black, and there were seven or eight thick folds, about six feet distance from one another.

This letter, the substance of which we have given, was sworn to before the magistrates at Bergen.

The account had been published by Guthrie, in his geography, who gave credence to the story-but the editors of the Encyclopedia, after reciting the evidence, avow their disbelief of the existence of the Sea-Serpent-"Its bulk,” say they, "is said to be so disproportionate (600 feet in length) to all the known animals of our globe, that it requires more than ordinary evidence to render it credible."

It is true the enormous length ascribed to the animal might reasonably have induced doubts of its accuracy; but they well knew the fallacy of determining by the eye the dimensions of objects at sea. A monstrous animal might yet have been seen, though his bulk should have been exaggerated. They did not credit the marvellous in regard to the length of the Snake, and disbelieved the whole relation. But what is very singular, the same editors express no disbelief of the story mentioned by Livy, of the enormous land Serpent, 120 feet long, which disput›d the passage of the army of Regulus, over the river Bag da, in Africa. Now, this is four times the length of any land Serpent at present known, and its bulk might readily have awakened suspicions as to the veracity of the rest of the narration, if they had not chosen to believe a Roman

historian, rather than a Danish bishop. But we see no absolute necessity for discrediting either the one or the other: there is probably an exaggerated statement in both. The next most authentic account, as far as we are informed, of the appearance of a Sea-Serpent, has been published in the American Journal of Science, conducted by Professor Silliman, of Yale College.* In the year 1804, a letter, was addressed by Alden Bradford, Esq to the Hon. John Q. Adams, Secretary to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, transmitting several documents, tending to establish the fact, that a large Sea-Serpent had been seen in and near the Bay of Penobscot, at various times. Though the descriptions of the phenomenon were similar in character, yet the Academy thought them incredible, and did not make the statements public. The accounts were mislaid; but have since been recovered. The first is a letter from the Rev. Mr. A. Cummings, of Sullivan, dated August 17, 1803, to another clergyman, Mr. H. McLean, with some remarks by the latter. The second is another letter, dated August, 1804, from Mr. Cummings to Mr. Bradford.

The Sea-Serpent was seen by Mr. Cummings, his wife, daughter, and another lady, as they were on their passage to Belfast, between Cape Rosoi and Long-Island. It was in the month of July; the sea was calm; there was very little wind; and the first appearance of the Serpent was near Long-Island. Mr. C. supposed it to be a large shoal of fish, with a seal at one end of it; but he wondered the seal should rise out of the water so much higher than usual; as he drew near, they discovered the whole appearance to be one animal in the form of a Serpent. He had not the horizontal, but an ascending and descending serpentine mo

* Vol. 2d, No. 1. April 1820.

tion. This account also refers to the descriptions given by other persons of similar animals seen, by people on Fox-Island, in Penobscot Bay, at different times, at Ash Point-at or near Boothbay-at Muscongus Bay--and off Meduncook.

There is also a letter from Capt. George Little, of the U. S. navy, now deceased, dated March, 1804, and is addressed to Mr. Bradford. In the year 1780, some time in May, he observes, as he was lying in Broad Bay (Penobscot,) in a public armed ship, he discovered at sunrise, a large Serpent, coming down the bay on the surface of the water. The cutter was manned and armed: he went himself in the boat; and when within 100 feet of the Serpent, the marines were ordered to fire on him; but before they could make ready, he plunged into the water. He was not less than 45 to 50 feet long: the largest diameter of his body he supposed to be 15 inches; and his head, nearly the size of that of a man, he carried four or five feet out of water. He wore every appearance of a black Snake. He was afterwards pursued, but they never came nearer to him than a quarter of a mile. A Mr. Joseph Kent, of Marshfield, says Capt. Little, saw a like animal at the same place in the year 1751, which was longer and larger than the main boom of his sloop, of 85 tons. He observed him within ten or twelve yards of the vessel.

The declaration of Eleazer Crabtree is then given, who lived at Fox-Island, in the Bay of Penobscot, in the year 1777 or 1778. He had frequently heard of a sea-monster frequenting the waters near the shore--and doubting the tact, he went down one day upon receiving information from a neighbour, that he was then in the sea near his house. He saw a large animal in the form of a Snake, lying almost motionless in the water, about 500 feet from the bank where he stood. His head was about four feet above the surface; he appeared 100 feet long; and he

supposed him to be three feet in diameter. Many other inhabitants, upon whose veracity he could depend, had also declared to him that at other times they had seen such an animal.

The foregoing is the substance of the Documents published in the American Journal of Science.

A letter from Captain Crabtree, (whether he was the same person or not, we cannot say,) dated 1793, was published in the newspapers of the time, and afterwards reprinted. It related to a Serpent which he saw near Mount Desert, (Penobscot,) in the month of June, 1793. His head was elevated six or eight feet, somewhat resembling a horse's, and was larger than a barrel; the body was about the same circumference, of a dark brown colour, and appeared to be from 55 to 60 feet long. It showed no hostile disposition and remained in view of his vessel for nearly an hour. Its eyes were black and piercing, and its motion was rapid.

We are informed* on the authority of the Rev. Mr. A. Cummings, who was living in 1817, that the British, in their expedition to Bagaduse, had a view of the animal; though they exaggerated his length to 300 feet: that a Mr. Crocket saw two of them together about 25 years ago, and that the people on Mount Desert have also seen the animal. Various other accounts relative to the presence of this animal near the Penobscot Bay, in former years, are extant; but they are not sufficiently precise, to establish any further important facts, as to his size, motions and habits. All the narrations agree, however, with regard to his protuberances, his vertical sinuosities, his ser

* In a letter from the Rev. William Jenks to the Hon. Judge Davis, dated Bath, Sept. 17, 1817-and published in the Report of a committee of the Linnean Society of that year.