Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-11-22
LIVE MERMAlDa NO MISTAKE.
From the Neo York ,ansricun.


prodigious excitement prevails in Ire,
land, especially in the North, IN consequence
u: an actual iicing Mermaid, which was re.
Gently caught IN a salmon net ut Honneraw
Point, IN the county ct Donegal There
can he no mistake in this fact, as five or six
papers coTrobOtate il in the important pnjnts:
but the "Derry Sentinel" and the "Ferma>
nagh Journal are the most enthusiastic and
particular in their descriptions. The frs,
announcement appeared in the Sentinel. as
follows:
n Mermaid and no Mistake very ye>
neral disbelief in the existence of the mer.
maid is likely To receive n severe shock {, ON
The truth OF the following statement: "A
creature IN every respect answering the US
ual description of The "sca woman" has been
caught in the salmon nets at Honneraw
Point, near Fohan, County Donegal. She
IS at present under the protection of gen
tleman of tina, neighborhuod, who has kind :
" permitted the country people, who are
Hooking in hundreds ahnut the pI ace, to see
and believe" The members of the Lon
donderry Natural History Sucie,y are To in
yesiiga'e this extraordinary phenomenon,
i"r the purpose OF sending an Immediate re
port OF their observations To the British As
ISOLATION, sitting at Newcastle. We under
stand that, if the novel monster should sur
vive the sudden change in her situation, she
VIII be sent Ia Fiscount Melbourne as p
present To the Queen; IL mol the body will
De preserved IN spirits, and will grace the
! now forming museum ot our local Society
A minute description shall be given in our
next.
The effect Of this notice was, that at least
a fourth of all the inhabitants of DeuIy, VIII,
could afford the expense, proceeded in ii bD
dy TO HUnneraw, where they were admiiie,
to an inspection of the singular creature
which is thus described in the Frrmanayh
Journal:
Tie Mermaid This is certainly a sec
tooman, and has such an expression Of intel
hgence IN lis countcnance, that we are aSsn
'ute!y inclined 10 believe that il is a crea
ture of reason, Father than OF Instinct w,
do not mean to insinuate that il has any no
lion of abstract ideas hut the fact is, tina
there is an appearance Of confusion about i
that would seem 10 indicate sentiments o
shame, fear, and supplicaiion. IL weigh
about seventy pounds, and is altogether hut
man in ils OUTWARD organization from III
head to The naval, when the tins begin tn de
vc!ope, and the remainder is formed We
~ like the extremity OF large dol rhin
The skin of the face and the breast is a Is hi
fish brown the eyes are black and the nos,
purely aqueiine; and It's eyebrows, lips, ant
chin are models for a sculptor The hair i
long and thick and The creatures principa
amusement seems tn lie to stroke il down
\ ward with her webhed, but otherwise per
4 feet fingers.
IL looks TO he twelve or fourteen years old
and regards people, occasionally, as if il hat
an inclination to speak !; aud we are solemn
iy of opinion that, when in its native ele
ment, il makes lis wishes known through
the medium its tongue. Altogether, in.
decd, IT IL the most siugu'ar being we esei
a., -"-~.i ~nd o..sitns t--I;~.rs :. Tho hr..s.
o! teh"lders, at least as much akin 10 Az,
as To curiosi'y.-Can !, have soul and b,
an accountable creature? Atal events. w.
shall examine ii closely hhis week, and re-
port particulars.
We shall look with great anxiety for ou
next files OF IRISH papers, on the RECENT q
which We trust to re nhie TO furnish the Ca
ders ct The Examiner with some fuller in.
formation in relation 10 this surprising phe
nomenun.