or rather hopping in a body, from an artificial pond. near three miles square, that by the exceeding heat of the weather, was dried up. This pond was about five miles from Wyndham, and in their way to the Winnomantic river, they were under the necessity of keeping the road that led through the town; they entered about midnight-the bull frog, as being the most powerful in size as well as voice, in the front, the rest following; they were so exceedingly numerous, that they were some hours passing through, and, for want of water, unusually clamorous. The inhabitants were greatly terrified, and fled from their beds naked, nearly half a mile, imagining that they were the French and Indians; the men, after a small recollection, finding no enemy in pursuit, mustered courage enough to return; when they came near the town, they imagined they distinctly heard the words wight, helderkin, dier, and terte, which resembles the noise they make, and in their fright they thought the last word meant treaty, when three of them, in their shirts, approached to treat with the general of the French and Indians, but being dark, and no answer given, their terrors were greatly increased, and they were distracted between hope and fear: at length day-light appearing, they were eased from all their anxiety, by discovering, that this terrific enemy was an army of frogs, dying with thirst, going to the river for a little water.'

THE GREAT SEA SERPENT.

(Various Authorities.)

IN the month of August, 1817, it being currently reported, that an animal of very singular appearance had been recently and repeatedly seen in the harbour of Gloucester, near Cape Ann, thirty miles from Boston, the Linnæan Society of New England, in a meeting at Boston, on the 19th of August, appointed the Hon. John Davis, Jacob Bigelow, M. D. and Francis C. Gray, Esq. a committee, to collect evidence with regard to the existence and appearance of such an animal. Accordingly on the 19th of August, the committee

wrote to the Hon. Lonson Nash, of Gloucester, requesting him to examine upon oath, some of the inhabitants of that town upon the subject; from which testimonies the following are selected.

Eighth Deposition.

"I William B. Pearson, of Gloucester, merchant, depose, that I have several times seen a strange marine animal that I believe to be a serpent of great size.

I have had a view of him only once, and this was on the 18th of August, 1817. I was in a sail boat, and when off Webber's Cove, I saw something coming out, we hove-to, not doubting but that it was the same creature that had been seen several times in the harbour. The serpent passed out under the stern of our boat towards Ten-Pound Island; then he stood in towards us again, and crossed our bow. We immediately exclaimed, 'here is the snake!' From what I saw of him, I should say, that he was seventy feet in length. I distinctly saw bunches on his back, and once he raised his head out of the water. The top of his head appeared flat. His colour was a dark brown. I saw him at this time about two minutes. His motion was vertical. His velocity at this time was not great; though, at times, I have seen hin move with great velocity,-I should say at the rate of a mile in three minutes, and perhaps faster. His size I judged to be about that of half a barrel. I saw Mr. Gaffney fire at him, at about the distance of thirty yards. I thought he hit him, and afterwards he appeared more shy. He turned very short, and appeared as active as the eel, when compared to his size. I thought that I saw his eye at one time, and it was dark and sharp. I saw ten or twelve distinct bunches out of the water at one time; but I saw none towards what I thought to be his tail."

Letter to Judge Davis, President of the Linnean Society, stating former Appearances of the same Serpent.

DEAR SIR,

Bath, September 17th, 1817.

I make no apology for communicating to you the following statements, in reference to the sea serpent of our coasts.

They consist of extracts from some MS. notes on the District of Maine, which I have been in the habit of making ever since I have resided in the country.

"June 28th 1809.-The Rev. Mr. Abraham Cummings," who has navigated his own boat among the islands, &c. informs me, "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 a sloop's mast. He saw him in company with his wife and daughter, and a young lady of Belfast, Martha Spring; and judged he was about three times the length of his boat, which is twenty-three feet, When he was seen this time, he appeared not to notice the boat, though he was distant as nearly as could be ascertained, but about fifteen rods. Mr. Cummings observes, that the British saw him in their expedition to Bagaduse; that the inhabitants of Fox and Long Islands have seen such an animal; and that a Mr. Crocket saw two of them together, about twenty-two years since. When he was seen by the inhabitants of Fox Island, two persons were together at both times. People also of Mount Desert have seen him. One of those which were seen by Mr. Crocket, was smaller than that seen by Mr. Cummings; and their motion in the sea appeared to be a perpendicular winding, and not horizontal. The British supposed the length of that which they saw, to be three hundred feet, but this Mr. Cummings imagines to be an exaggeration. The Rev. Alden Bradford, of Wiscasset, now secretary of the common-wealth, inquired of Mr. Cummings, whether the appearance might not be produced by a number of porpoises following each other in a train; but Mr. Cummings asserts, that the animal held his head out of water about five feet, till he got out to sea; for, when seen, he was going out of the Bay, and Mr Cummings was ascending it. The colour was a bluish green about the head and neck, but the water rippled so much over his body that it was not possible to determine its tint. The shape of the head was like that of a common snake, flattened, and about the size of a pail. He was then seen approaching, passing, and departing. The weather was calm, and it was the month of August; in which month it is said the serpent makes his appearance on the coast.

August 23, 1809.-Mr. Charles Shaw, (then of Bath, now an attorney at Boston) informed me, that a Captain Lillis, with whom he had sailed, told him that he had seen off the coast a very singular fish, which was about forty feet long. It held its head erect, had no mane, and looked like an ordinary serpent.

About two years after hearing this, while on a journey to India Old Town, I had an opportunity to make farther inquiry, and find in my journal the following entry:

"September 10, 1811.-A Mr. Staples of Prospect, was told by a Mr. Miller, of one of the isiands of the bay, that he had seen the great sea serpent, and 'it was as big as a sloop's boom, and about sixty or seventy feet long' Mr. Staples told me also, that about 1780, as a schooner was lying at the mouth of the river, or in the bay, one of these enormous creatures leaped over it between the inasts; that the men ran into the hold for fright, and that the weight of the serpent sank the vessel one streak,' or plank, The schooner was about eighteen tons

About four weeks after the foregoing depositions had been received, a serpent of remarkable appearance was brought from Gloucester to Boston, and exhibited as the progeny of the great serpent. It had been killed upon the sea-shore by some labouring people of Cape Ann. Captain Beach, jun. the possessor, very liberally submitted it to examination, and permitted an opening to be made in the side for the inspection of its internal structure."

It is scarcely possible to dispute the evidence which has been adduced in favour of the existence of this enormous inhabitant of the deep, still, some doubt may remain.

RATTLE-SNAKE, RING-SNAKE, AND BLACKSNAKE.

(Dwight's Journal.)

AMONG the reptiles of New-England the Rattle

snake seems to have been made an object of more attention, in Europe, than any other. This animal has

there been commonly supposed, but erroneously, to be very dangerous to man. His bite is, indeed, a strong poison; but is both certainly and easily cured. Besides, he is so clumsy, as to be avoided without any difficulty. His whole progress is formed by coiling himself up, and then stretching himself again at full length. These snakes have, therefore, long since ceased to be objects of anxiety. They are also rare, except in some solitary places.

THE RING SNAKE+

is long, slender, and black, with a white ring round its neck. This animal, when running, raises his head and about half his body, in a perpendicular position; and in this posture moves with very great rapidity. These snakes are very rare and not venomous; but are said, in solitary instances, to have wound themselves closely round the limbs of persons, falling asleep carelessly on the ground in forests.

There are few other animals of this class, which are venomous; but they are either so rare, or so inefficient, as scarcely to be thought of by the inhabitants of the country.

It has been often said, that snakes have the power of fascinating birds. The following account concerning this subject may not be unacceptable to you. It was communicated to me by a student of Yale college, and deserves entire credit.

As this young gentleman, together with some companions, was walking one morning through a grove, in the summer season, they heard a bird scream in an unusual manner, Upon examination, they found a blue jay flying in a horizontal direction, about fifteen feet from the ground, from a certain tree; and, after having extended its flight about thirty rods, returning again to the same tree. Its excursions, however, be

See page 146 this volume.

A fine specimen of the Ring-snake, preserved in spirits, is now in the possession of the Editor of this work, presented to him by Wm. Cooke, Esq. late of Demarara.