Year: 1879

THE woNDE RFUL STORY TOLD BY CAPT.

 LARSEN OF A NORWEGIAN VESSEL.

 The steamship P. Caland, which arrived at New York from Rotterdam, had on board Capt. l.. O. Larsen and the entire crew of Norwegian bark which was lost in mid ocean under remarkable circumstances. Capt Larsen's story, which is fully corroborated by his men, goes to show that the accounts which have been given to the public from time to time of dangerous sea monsters in habiting the ocean are not wholly false. Either the original sea serpent or some powerful submarine creature of the same race, ran into the bark Columbia on September 4, in latitude AT deg. 32 min., and longitude 43 deg. 54 min., and in- jured that vessel so that she sank within short time after she had been struck. The bark Columbia left London for Quebec. in ballast, on August 8, and met with variable weather until the morning of September 4th, when she was sailing at the rate of from six to seven miles an hour before fair wind. The sea was not very rough, aud the bark WAS carrying all sail and heading westward. The Captain was on deck at i've bells in the morning watch, when 8 tremendous shock, which shook the bark from stem to stern, was suddenly felt. The men who were asleep in their hunks were awakened, and, thinking that the foremast had been carried away, sprang on deck. Capt. Larsen and three of his men ran to the port side and saw the water discolored with blood, while the tail and fins of a huge monster were seen splashing about in tho sea, which had become violently agitated on that side of the vessel. At this moment one of the crew cried out that leak had been sprung, and Capt. Larsen and the carpenter hurried down into the hold to see if the bark had suffered any injuries. In the port bow, about three feet below water mark, they found that four blanks had been crushed in for space about four feet long. A large hole had been made, through which the daylight above the water could be plainly seen. The water was pouring rapidly into the vessel through this hole. Several attempts were made to stop it up, but the Captain soon found that it would be useless to remain below any longer. In the mean time the men on deck had become terribly frightened. Some cried bitterly. while others had become so frightened by their unexpected encounter with the sea monster that they were for the time being almost helpless. When Capt.

 Larsen reached the deck he directed his men to get the boats in readiness for abandoning the vessel. The log-book, instruments, and few clothes, with some provisions, were bundled into two boats, which were put over the sides as soon as the excited sailors had placed a little fresh water in them. The water casks had been slowed in the hold, into which the sea was pouring so rapidly that not more than one days fresh water could be saved. Fortunately, the sea was not rough, and when the boats had been launched the entire crew abandoned the bark. Capt. Larsen said that he was unable to give full description of the monster which had sunk his vessel. Its fins and tail could be seen as they splashed the water, but he got only 9 slight glimpse of DOT tion of the body. One of the sailors at first thought it might be whale, but no whale had ever been known to sink a vessel. A whale could not present an array of tail and fin reaching from the fore rigging to the main rigging of a vessel of 462 tons register, but this monster did. What little was seen of it's back was much too round for that of @ whale. It would certainly require an animal of enormous size and strength to make the hole in the bow of the Columbia. What became of the monster after it had run into the bark is moi known, as the crew left the side as soon as it was discovered that the vessel was sinking. They then became too much occupied in getting things in readiness to abandon the bark to observe what course their submarine enemy had pursued. No traces of it were observed while they were in the boats.