Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-07-18
THE SEA SERPENT.

THE SEA SERPENT.
The Eastern papers announce that on
the evening OF the 5th instant. . schooner.
Cd N.hant. the favorite lounge Of the Old
Serpent, hsiled the steamboat Connecticut
upon her passage from Boston 10 Portland.
add told Captain Porter. that IL be would
look out he might see the Sea Serpent. for
"hs bore east Of Nahant"
The Connecticut steered accordingly
and very soon. Gays the Portland Daily
Advertiser. not one Sea Serpent alone. but
three-some say four-sppesred in sight
All the passengers saw these monsters Of
the deep. with their own eyes. distinctly
and clearly. One OF tho passengers Who
had q COED view. saws. that one Of the ser
penis Was one hundred feet in length
with head partly in the form Of q snake.
and partly in the form Of . pickerel. Some
say this largest serpent was yet longer -
Another OF the serpents WAS judged to BE-
about 90 feet long. One threw his body
out Of water about fifty feet. in . spiral.
ondulatory motion, which formed Of times
upon calm sea. . beautiful dark arch
During a portion or this time. ono Of the
serpents WAS thought 10 DO distant about
twenty rods and before and after this
near approach, they could DO seen for
soma time with a glass. The serpents
seemed to enjoy tho sport. and played a.
round the boat for some time.
The Boston Morning Post has also received
letter from passenger on board, corrobo-
rative Of the preceding statement, and says:
Their heads bore resemblance TO the
rickerel. and the crease Of their mouths.
marking the division Of the jaws. was like
that Of a common snake. The engine of
the boat was stopped. and for three quar-
tiers OF an hour we had cool sad dshbe-
rate view OF these monsters.
The Boston Mercantile Journal says:
We have heard the statements OF Cap
tain Porter and his Passengers. and we are
free TO say, that they leave but little doubt
IN our mind Of the actual appearance and
performance Of at beast one Of the marine
monsters-probably We may Go for the
whole tomorrow. The captain, particu-
Iarly. is very solemn as we'll a. minute in
his asseverations. lie gives the dates and
distances precisely. having stationed him.
self yesterday in the fore rigging. for the
express purpose Of accommodating. The
snake To which he chiefly directed his at
teution on the latter occasion. was q mile
or so s. 5. w. OF Nahant. He made his
course for him with q steam Of ~ inches,
and came 90 near crossing the animal that
he 'soiemnly believes he could have jump
ed upon the rascals back. had he been in
the bows below Captain Porter left the
city this morning at 10 o'clock, aceompa-
MED by large party OF gentlemen, in the
Connecticut. armed and equipped, on an
expedition against them.
The expedition Of reconnaissance, re-
erred 10 above, took place on Monday
morning, when . party Of eighty 10 hun
dred ladies and gentlemen embarked in
she Connecticut. with the expectation Of
getting view Of His Serpeniine Majesty.
About - o'clock, when the steam boat
was halfway between Nahaut and the
Graves.ths monster was seen apprssehing.
number or gentlemen took the email boat
ssd made directly for IL. but unfortunately
did not run upon the animal as was intsod-
ed, owing to q little Encouragement In
rowing The Ssrpent eaRe Wishin a.
oars length Of the boat. aud without ap.
peasing at all alarmed or uaeasy, took a
slight curve towards the steamboat, pass-
ed under her stern. within fifty or SIXTY
feet. and then disappeared. At this time
his motion was not unduiating, as has
sometimes been stated, but rather like she
movement Of an eel, or eommon water
snake.
The excursion or yesterday. ssys The
Columbian Seatinei, has Afforded . much
better opportunity Of seeing this strange
animal. than has occurred for years, aud
u is not Inconsistent With the whole tenor
of the statements that have been made aI
different times by great numbers Of per.
sons for the last IS years. since q monster
Of this description WAS first announced in
our waters. IL Is admitted on ell hands
that the appearance Of marine animal oil
this description. would be q most eEsraor.
binary occurrence But IL may be said a,
an Offset. that IL would no still more ex
traordiusry. &c 80 many witnesses should
be so grossly deceived. Ss weuld be III,
case, if no such animal bad appeared. w,
Iearn that gentleman fred al him with
mnskel. from the steamer, but without ef
feet. The shot vas given before he has
approached so near the steamer as be de
= few minutes afterwards.
We, the undefsignsd, passengers OF
board the steamboat Con- eetisut. a., here
BY testify, that We were in tha small boa
which put III from the steambost. and ara
preached within Ten feet Of a See .Moualsy
which passed under our bew 81 very "a
pid rate. As near ss we could Judge fror
the view We had Of him. his bead resenl
blsd that of picksrel His head only sE
peafed on The surface 80 10 the length 4
u. Il Is impossible 70 determine. The nc
hon vas not like that Of the porPoise, b.
assembled that Of common snake.
BENZ. ~. NORToN,1
JAS. w. HALE,
wM. TEwKsBURY, Passenger
=. s. WILLIAMS,
q. ". PROCTOR,
THOMAS PURCELL
JAMES GAIIAgAN. (Oarhtneo'