Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-06-17
A Mermnn.

"The wind being easterly, we had thirty
fathoms of water, when at ten o'clock In
the morning sea monster Like man ap-
peared near our ship, first on the larboard.
where the master was, whose name is vii
liam Lomone, who took graphing iron
to pull him up; but our captain, named
Oliver NORM, hindered him, being afraid
that the monster would drag him away
into the sea. The said Lomone struck him
on the back to make him turn about that
he might view him the better. The mon
ster, being struck, showed his face, having
his two hands closed as if he had expressed
some anger. Afterwards he went round
the ship when he was at the stern ne took
hold of the helm with both hands, and we
were obliged to make it fast lest he should
damage it. From thence he proceeded to
the starboard, swimming still as men do.
When he came to the fore part Of the ship
he viewed for some time the figure that
was in our PROV, which represented a
beautiful woman, and then he rose out OF
the water as if he had been willing to catch
that figure. All this happened in sight OF
the whole crew. Afterwards he came
again to the larboard, where they present.
ed to him a Goldfish, hanging down with
rope; he handled it without spelling it,
and then removed the length of cable
and came again to the stern, where he took
hold of the helm a second time.
At that very moment Captain Norm got
a harping-iron ready, and took 1t himself
to strike him with it; but the cordage being
entangled, he missed his aim, and the harp
ing-iron touched only the monster, who
turned about, showing his face, as he had
done before. Afterward he came again to
the fore part, and viewed again the figure
in our PROV. The mate called for the
harping-iron; but he was frightened, fam
cying that this monster was one La Com
mune, who had killed himself in the ship
the year before, and had been thrown into
the sea in the same passage. He was con-
tented to push his back with the harping-
iron, and then the monster showed his
face, as he had done at other times.
Afterward he came along the board, so
that one might have given him the hand.
He had the boldness to take rope held
up by John Mazier and John Defiete, who
being willing to pluck it out of his hands,
drew him to our board; but he fell into
the water and then removed at the distance
of a guns shot. Afterward he swan again
around the ship, and then went away, and
we have never seen him since.
believe that from ten o'clock till twelve
that this monster was along our board if
the crew had not been frightened, he might
have been taken many times with the hand
being only two feet distant. That monster
is about eight feet long, his skin is brown
and tawny, without any scales, all his
motions are like those of men, the eyes Of
proportionable size, little mouth,
large and fiat nose, very white teeth, black
hair, the chin covered with messy beard,
sort Of whiskers under the nose, the ears
like those of men, fins between the fingers
of his hands and feet like those of ducks.
In a word he is a well shaped man.
Which is certified to be true by Captain
Oliver Norm, and John Martin, pilot, and
by the whole crew, consisting of two and
thirty man" ."-4n article from, Brest, IN the
Memoirs of 7rerour. This monster was
mentioned i'll the Gazette Of Amsterdam,
October u, 1925, where it is said it was
seen in the ocean in August, same year.