Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-14
NO. 50.
Miseellaneons.
The Sea Serpent Of 1918.


MIR. EDITOR.-In an article which |
furnished for your paper of the 25th ult.,
mention was made of the sea serpent
which Capt. S. West of Hallowell, master
of the packet ''Delia,n saw on his passage
from Boston to kennebec on the 21st of
June, 1918. AS many of your readers
never saw sea serpent, (Which is not
very strange!) J and as a few perhaps at
the present day never heard of that levia-
than which appeared on our coast more
than half century ago, | have thought
it might not be altogether unintcresting to
both OF the classes named, to see the de-
scriptve OF this monster as given by Capt.
West, under oath, and published in the
American Advocate on the date of June
9th of that year. The Editor of the Ad-
vocate who, think, was at that time the
Hon. Peleg Sprague, in Introducing Capt.
Vests account, thus endorses his state
ments:
1.-The following account of the sea ser
pent, while it fully confirms former state
ments as to his enormous size, gives n
more just idea of his monstrous powers
than any which has preceded it. How
vast must be the body of serpent that,
when lying in the water, could easily, and
Tor length of time, support nearly fifty
feet OF Its length in an erect position above
the surface! and how wonderful his
strength which could attack and beat the
whale as in mere sport Is not this the
Leviathan indeed! Captain West is u gen
tleinan we'll known to us and the correct
ness and veracity of his statement will
not be doubted by any one who knows
him.
Here follows the account as given by
Capt. West. 1t will be noticed that it is
given in the solemn form of an affidavit
sworn to before one of the most distin-
guished magistrates that ever lived in
kennebec County the late lamented Dr. A.
Mann, for many years judge of Probate
for this county.
DREuX.
''AFFIDAYIT.
|, Shubael West. of Hallowell in the
County of Kennebec, Master Of the packet
"Delia," plying between kenncbec river
and Boston, do testify and say, that left
Boston on the morning of Sunday. the
2lst inst, and at about 6 O'Clock Z. NJ,
Cape Ann bearing w. S. W. about two
leagues, steering II course N. n. f. saw
directly ahead, distant three fiiths OF n
mile, an object which have no doubt was
the sea serpent so often mentioned by
others, engaged with whale that was
endeavoring to elude the attack. The
serpent threw up his tail from % to so
feet in a perpendicular direction, strik-
ing the whale with tremendous blows
rapidly repeated. which were distinctly
heard and very loud for two or three min
utes. They then both disappeared for
several minutes, moving in W. S. W.
direction; when they reappeared in-shore
of us, and about under the sun, the re-
Election of which was so strong as to pre-
vent our seeing so distinctly as before,
when the tremendous blows were re-
peated as clearly as heard before. They
again went down for short time, and
again came up to the surface under our
larboard quarter, the whale appearing
first, and the serpent in pursuit. Here
our view was very fair. The serpent shot
up his tail through the water to the height
before mentioned, which he held out OF
water some time, waving it in the air, and
at the same time while his tail remained
in this position, raised his head rather
leisurely 10 or 20 feet, as if taking view
of the surface of the sea. After remain
ing in this situation Il short time, he again
sunk into the water, disappeared, and was
not seen after by any on board.
The scrpent's body was larger. in my
opinion. than the mast OF any ship | ever
saw his tail appeared very ragged and
rough, and was shaped somewhat like an
cells and his head like that of the land SER
pent. Being well acquainted with whal-
ing think the whale was endeayoring to
escape, as he spouted but once at a time on
coming to the surface. The whales back
was distinctly seen. is well as his spouting;
and the last time he appeared he went down
before the serpent came up. The above was
seen by all on board, amounting to ID or
Is persons, as we'll rs myself, with the eX-
ception of one woman.
During our view the combatants had
passed mile or more. The whale was Il
hump-back, and u pretty large one.
SHUBAEL WEST"
HALLOwELL, June u, 1918.
kENNEBEC ss.-Then the above named
Shubael West personally appeared before
me, the subscriber, one OF the Justice OF
Peace, within and for the County of Ken
nebec, and made solemn oath, that the
above statement of facts by him sub
scribed, is just and true.
A. MANN.