The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-04

tail were seen above water, only small
| portion of the middle Of the creature being
submerged. Most frequently, however, II
was the undulations or apparent coils Of tho
| body that were observed two or three OF
them being occasionally visible at the same
time. These coils had all the appearance TO
the observer, at the distance mentioned above,
of the coils or folds of serpent the sea and
the black masses being distinctly separated.
Occasionally the creature seemed to take n
header, and disappeared altogether; but it
seldom remained longer than two or three
minutes beneath the surface, without expos
ing some part or other of its body. When
fully stretched out, as IL appeared to he
several times during the period of observa-
ton, IL seemed to he upward Of a hundred
feet in length, with an apparent breadth Of
from two or three feet. No doubt the dimen-
sons must have been very much larger. As
II was in sight for upward of quarter of an
hour, ample opportunity was afforded for
watching its movements. The sea was also
as smooth as the surface of mirror, which
contributed very much TO assist the observa-
tons made by the onlookers. After disport-
ing near the shore for the time specified the
long and 1.-the creature turned its head TO
the north, and stood out TO sea. Altogether,
II the animal was not the great plesiosaurus
seen Ivy DR.. Joass, he was evidently near
relative Of the same family, and his visit TO
Belhaven Bay has furnished food for re6ec-
ton to those who witness his gambos for
many dav."
The officers and passengers of the steamer
Nestor, plying between Malacca and Penang,
give the following az their evidence: cat
about 10 A. M. we were surprised by the ap-
pcarance of an extraordinary monster going
in our course, and at an equal speed with
the vessel, at a distance from MS of about GOO
feet IL had n square head and n dragon
black and white striped tail, and an i'm
mense body, which was quite 80 feet broad
when the monster raised II. The head was
| about IL feet broad, and appeared TO he oc-
| casionaliy, NJ the extreme, about feet
above the water. When the head was placed
| on level with the water the body was cx-
tended to its utmost limit, to all appearances,
| and then the body rose out of the water
about 2 feet, and seemed quite 80 feet broad
| at those times. The long dragon tail with
black and white scales afterward rose, with
an undulating motion, in which at one time
the head, at another the body, and eventu-
ally the tail, formed, each in its turn, q
prominent object above the water. The ami
nal, or whatever 1t may be called, appeared
careless of our close proximity, and went oui
|
board side, and then finally worked round
TO our port side, and remained in view, tc
the delight of all on hoard, for about half al
hour.n
Mr.. Henry w. Goodwin, ofGlouster, Mass.
says: My family distinctly saw from Green
Hill yesterday All animal similar TO the one
described in your paper. 1t was at first seen
| coming from North Shore. 10 came quite
near TO the land, passing between the Bacl;
Rocks, and from them in n straight course
toward Minot's. 1t remained above water
until half way ia Minot's, when It disap
peared, and was not seen again. The heat
of the animal appeared TO be several fee
above the water, and its body was at leas
70 feet in length. AS it passed through til,
water it left a long wake behind it. It's mo
ton was very rapid-faster than any steam
boat"
lnoppostion to these tales, Sir Charles l.yel
is inclined to believe that many of the oh
servers We're mistaken, and thinks it nigh
have been the ripples made by sllark-th
So,tdfus mar'nms-tiat often attains u length
of 81 feet, lie says. "Dr. Melville informe,
me that he saw large species of shark
swimming at the rate of 10 miles an hour, il
the Torris Strait, and besides the lateral flex
ures of the tail, which are the principa
propelling power, the creature described n
it advanced series of vertical undulations
not by the actual bending of the body itself
but by the whole animal first rising nea
the surface, and then dipping down again
so that the dorsal fin and part of the bacl
were occasionally lifted to n considerabl
height. So, if u large shark were going a
the rate of 20 miles an hour that portion G
the back that emerged in front might easii
be taken for the head, the doysal fin for TIL
name, and the waves formed by the rising G
so heavy body would complete the humps
Again, if the fins should emerge and be sui
merged in rapid succession, the image of ON
set would be retained on tho retina of tn
eye after another set had Lecome visible AN,
they might be continued over and over agai
! indefinitely
The writer has often observed a sma
genus of the squid rushing along the surfac
of tho water, its tail, shaped like head
projecting above the surface, the arms float
ing and twisting behind, making-if til
animal was large one-coils and waves tina
would readily be taken for the coils of
snake. Other explanations are advanced
! but none sufficient to refute the statement
given. There is strong reason to believ
that in the great depths of the ocean ther
are huge forms analogous to the fossil ont
that we know to have existed in the earl
days of the earth,