The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
TIE OCEAN THRlSUER.
The Existence Of n Great Sea serpent Doubted
by Educated sailor.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sn: If the
periodical sea serpent. which has emerged in
your columns. is Opcn TO objections, you will
perhaps permit an old crcumnavigator. who
has Mt lcast tho tastes AMI studies Of n natural
list, ~ assail his snakcship in his vital pont-a
point which predict will mover bc reached by
shell or harpoon. Abundance Of such evidence
M that of tho crew and Captain OF the bark
Pauline in favor Of the sea serpent were occa-
sonaly offered in behalf Of the mermaid until
she was discovered ~ bo one Of the pho'B. In
decd the priori reason for the existence " a
great sen snake. krakcn. .or some ophidian sea
monster. IL n considerable element in the dispo-
sitiOn to credulity which we are all conscious
" in listening to testimony on the subject.
Thcrc are water snakes. why should there not
De "A sea scrpcntf Why not something in that
line cor responding to- what the sea elephant ~
with The porpoiseP Well frat, brcnuse thers
are no native water snakes no inloss and loot.
less reptiles 10 the manner born None. NJ
least, unless i be the very s'rp mt IN dispute.
What We call water snakes are lund-brc1 SER
points. which take to the water Tor prey or rccre-
alton No class ~ scrpcnts IL PLACED by nntural-
lists even among the nmphlbin. II may invent
word. they are all Of them dDph,b,ods. But
oven that the sea serpent cannot hrl No monster
OF such dimensions. since that which halted tho
army of Regulus, has ever hcrn seen on land.
Allowing that there may be- fresh water
snakes. in the proper sense of the words. NO
snnkc of any Kind (aways provided II be not
e grOS s0prd de Ia D,cr nimsciO has ever boon
found in salt water. They can endure" says
Button. " 10 live in fresh water only. for salt Is
an eIectual banc to all their tribe"
II will strike old whnlcrs that the animal seen
| by the crew of the Pauline in lat IS s., long.
| 30 W. was the cctt' known to them 10 tho
| thrashcr. magnincd and elongated Wy the ok
cited imaginations of merchant sailors. many
OF whom, on the longest Voyages. have meyer
| had fair view even of tho ordinary whale.
! The thrasher 80 called. is of the grampus fam
| lily. but the most slender and, in proportion tn
| his BAR. the 3n-'st y ~! th' ctt, n"hr wow
| of the animal. with which the writer VIVA Ourn
favored. enables him to say That the head is also
| somewhat ohlpng and lutt"ned. and the eye
| surrounded with white cir 'u,ar pat II. which
| gives the creature an un amy appearance II
mus enough 81 ophidi1n semDlahce 10 suggest
| an enormous eel.
several of these animals n ting together.
! attack their bulky relation, the right whale,
alter the manner indicated hy their namn, and
! with the greatest fury; often winding ther
! II Xible bodies partially around him. Hs If they
sought to drag him under the water; and, iail-
| ing IN this, again raping upon him and beating
| hun with their twenty or thirty ioct OF living
| Hail.
10y a single animal. whore s'rn ny men in the
| situation Of thos, Of the Pauline. None of tho
crfe IL Is true. raises the head and lopl around,
| like the ophida; though they all occasionally
water. The hooking around was probably due
t. some uncertainty VI vision IN The excited OBJ
| Sewers
A. no sea serpent has yet boon captured or
Il stroycd. and "a. Notwithstanding long imInu-
| nifty from the destructive prOprnsitits Oi man.
| the appearances Of this anomalous reptile have
| constantly decreased. lust in proportion rs they
| should have increased the inicr, n e. - pain
| that the sea serpent Will soon TAX his place.
| with mrrmcn and maids and medieval dragon !.
aud the kraken Of the Mortimer and the H. :
dra 81 the Greeks. among the nursery tales II
natural history. CAPTAIN MEMO.