Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-12
SEA PEOPLE.
MgRMAIpg ARD THsIR STRANGE HIS
ToaY sKETcHgD.

ScaA SA2AtGGQ.
The Mermsn and Me,chi,drsn for the Last
ssven Hundred Years-strange
atories Indeed.
Why is it that we hear nothing of the
mermaid in our day? Is it true that it has
become extinct; that the voice of the siren
is no longer heard where it once led the
unwary on treacneFous shores; that sailors,
welded to the belief that it has its home
in the sea, now search in vain for this
curious creature? The prudent man hest
tases to give definite answer, for less
than fifty years ago a school of mermaids
was seen on the coast of Scotland, aud il is
but sixty years since the last catch vas
made. Still there is the fact that in our
day no mermaid has been seen. This has
led to the belief that, like the dodo, the
roc, the dragon and centaur, It is thing
of the past.
THE sKEPTICAL MAN
Even denies that the mermaid ever had an
existence, and holds that the creature.
half fish, half human, sprapg from the
brain of GONE wiseacre, who told stories
aud spun warns for the marines. But the
horse of Escsne Europe was something
between Shetland pony and pig, with
three separate hoofs on each. Of its feet"
ana the semi human man OF 5ha Miooene
age encourages the bslief chat tbs connect
ing link between man and ms apo may vet
be found, peshsps in some fastHess in the
interior Of Africa; indeed, some travellers
claim that in ehat land .of dark forests
there is tribe Of dwarfs, human in aspect
but wearing tails. Aud VINO has nos
iaughsd over the circumstansiaI stories con
neeted with the sea serpent Yet, If To-
port speaks true, Prof. Baird has faith in
thar willy creature, and knows no reason
why he should doubt its existence.
no SPECIMENS.
Unfortunately, we have no living speoi.
men OF the mermaid, and no dried ones,
for that matter, otasr than those that have
come to US from Japan but what more
have we Of the do3o than the drawing il
the British Museum? ana if we reject the
dragon, of which we have literally nothing
bat effigies, we throw discredis on the
Soriptures-the words put into the mouth
OF David, ana Jeremiah. and Ez kiel, to
say nothing of the great red dragon ths5
has 50 large a place - Revelation. We
have no such high authority ffr the exist.
ence of the mermeid 3urisg tho years that
it had plsce ia the fauna Of Europe but
many interesting usTrsstvss II it's habits,
both az large aad in ca5tly ', have cop1e
down 70 us, withOat taking into account
what PontopiGaD, that viyacious writer,
LAS 10 tell his readers And these nara
JIves are the more interesting in that there
are hardly any two OF them alike-evi.
dence conclusive that the parrctoIs used
their owa eyes, aud uied to describe what
hey sag, CT thought they saw, when
brought face to face with such afairy-hke
creature, combing its hair, aud Surveying
itself in q tiny mirror while poised on It's
sesly tail on the crested waves of an un-
frequented shore; for if the creature
CHANGED 10 be norman, the impression
was quite different.
AN EXTRAORDINARY CATCH.
There was an extraordinary catch of this
kind in the days of King john Norman,
taken on the coast of Suffolk, where II was
KEEP. IN confinement for a time. The body
of the creature above the waist (jor all be-
low was covered VITA seales) sYas hairy,
but the crown of the head was bald, which
added much to its human aspect. "He
would not, OF could not, utter any epeeche,
although to frye him they hung him up By
the heels (Cudimentary heels, probably
and Eniserably tormented him." But he
slept well when left slore, "and would
getse him to his couche at the setting OF
the same, and rise again when il rose
Through a great piece OF imprudence one
day they allowed him TO battle in the sea,
first taking the preeaution TO stretch three
meta across the mouth of the haven that he
might not escape; but, diving TO the bot
tom, he came up outside of the nets, and
was given up for lost; in which, however,
they were mistaken, tor - he came 20 them
againe of his own sccorde, and remayned
with them two months after.
& merman was taken In the same locality
in the time of Henry IL, and was kept
by B3rthelomew de Giainvilie, custodian of
the castle of O-eford, by 5hs space of six
months or more. He spake not o word.
Ofteutimes he YVES brog ght TO church,
where he showed no tokens Of alteration.
A. length, when he was not well locked to,
he stole away TO the sea, and never after
appeared.
CAPTURED aiERMEN.
But captured mermen have not always
been so irreverent. A Fasher OF tbe Society
OF Jesus, returning TO Rome from India,
reported that during his travels he had seen
"a seaman adorned with an episcopal
mitre" Il did not bear its confinement
we'll, and having been let loose it made it's
way down to the sea ); but before it finally
disappeared it turned and bowed in thanks
for Its liberty"
As general thing the mermaids cap
tured proved to be far more devout when
L. L L Al = :. I
1903 mermaid taken in lake in Holland,
thrown thither forth of the sea," was
carried into the city Of Haerlen, where she
g suffered herself to have garments upon
her, and admitted tee use OF bread, milk
and similar articles of diet. Also she did
learn to spin, and to DO many other things
after the manner of women also she did
devously bend the knees TO the image Of
Christ crucified, being docile in all things
of which she was commanded of her mas
ter !: but living there many years she al
wars remained mute" Stories are told of
other mermaids that beclme quite domes-
ticased, and made themselves useful about
the house, although, owing to the singular
formation of their lower member, and the
! absence of feet, their movements on land
were necessarily constrained, and were at
times awkward.
A REAL ONR.
In l76l two girls on the island of Noir-
moutiers came upon strange form in
grotto. When discovered il was leaning
upon its hands, surveying its face is the
water. One of the girls, nothing dsunted,
struck knife into the creature, which,
wounded, groaned audibly. It had the
breast of fuli-chested woman. The chin
was adorned with beard formed of shells,
and over the whole body there were tufts
of similar shells-probsbly goose barnscles,
| The tail was that OF a fish. and on it there
was an excrescence thai was neither a foot
nor fin, but which no doubt served some
useful purpose.
| BABIES.
Numbers Of baby mermaids have been
caught. One seen sporting with its mother