The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1819-09-08


him to advantage, if j might be so fortu-
nate as to sec him. On our arrival on
the beach, we associated with consider
able collection Of persons OH foot and in
chaiscs: and very soon an animal Of the
fish kind made his appearance nearly in
this attitude and manner
#CfIere was inserted drawing of,he Sea Serpent
with the protuberances on bis back
His head appeared about 8 feet out Of
water l counted l3 bunches on his
back-my family thought there were IS
---he passed three times at moderate
rate across the bay but SO feet as to occa-
sion foam in the water-and my family
and self, who were in a carriage, Judged
that he was from so and not more than
60 feet in lcogtli--whcther, 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, leave to
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 swan up the bay, we
and the other spectators moved on and
kept nearly abreast Of him; he occasion
ally withdrew himself under water, and
the idea occurred to me that his occasion
ally rising his head above the level of the
water, was to take breath, as the time he
kept under was on an average about eight
minutes; and after being accustomed to
view him, we became more composed
and his general appearance was as above
delineated. Mrs. Prince and the coach
man having better eyes than myself, were
OF great assistance 10 me in marking the
progress of the animal they would say,
he Is now turning, and by the aid ofIny
glass saw him distinctly in this move
mcnt he did not turn without occupy
ing some space, and taking into view
the time and the space which he found
necessary for his ease and accommodation,
! adopted il as criterion 10 form some
Judgment OF his length--l mad seven dis
tinct views Of him from the long beach
so called, and at some ofthem the animal
was rot more than an hundred yards dis
tance After beiug on the long Beach
with other spectators about an hour, the
animal disappeared and proceeded to-
wards Nahant but on passing the sec.
ond beach, met MIR. James Magec sof
Boston, with several ladies in carriage,
promted by curiosity to endeavour to see
the animal, and we were again gratifcd
beyond even what we saw in the other
bay which concluded he had left in
consequence of the number of boats in
the ofing in pursuit Of him--thc noise
of whose oars must have disturbed him
as he appeared to be harmless timid an-
imal. We had here more than a dozen
different views Of him, and each similar
to the other: one however 50 near, that
the coachnan exclaimed, "Oh, see his
.giisteaiag eye"
Thinking might form some calcuIa-
ton Of his length by the time and dis
tance Of each turn; and taking an angle
with my two hands of his length which
he exhibited, that is to say, from his head
to the last protuberance. and applying
the same angie to other objects, | feel
satisfied of the correctness Of my dccis.
ion that he is so feet long, unless the
ripple of his wake deceived me---nor,
my dear sir, do l undertake to say he
was of the snake or eel kind though
this was the general impression Of my
family, the spectators and myself Ger.
tain It IS he is a very strange animal. /
have been accustomed to see whales.
sharks. grampuses, porpoises and other
large fishes, but he partook Of none of
the appearance Of either of ,hese. The
whale and grampus would have spouted
---thc shark never raises his head out OF
tI,e vvatsar a,,vl tle r>orv,f,s~a eI,c, acSl