Part 17
As to the pieces of flesh, I am convinced that they are not of a sea-serpent, but either of sea-lions, of porpoises, or of another smaller kind of whales, which are the rests of a meal of our friend. They are washed ashore in a putrified state, and their not being to the taste of the ravens is probably a story, which, like the report of the death of the Aleutians who had tasted of it, must without doubt be considered as a mere fable. This report is reprinted in the _Magazine and Journal_, Vol. LVIII, 1821.
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“In the month of August, 1817,” we read in the _Report of a Committee_, &c. printed Dec. 1817, Boston, by CUMMINGS and HILLARD,
“In the month of August, 1817, it was currently reported on various authorities, that an animal of very singular appearance had been recently and repeatedly seen in the harbour of Gloucester, Cape Ann, about thirty miles distant from Boston. It was said to resemble a serpent in its general form and motions, to be of immense size, and to move with wonderful rapidity; to appear on the surface of the water only in calm and bright weather; and to seem jointed, or like a number of buoys or casks following each other in a line.”
“In consequence of these reports, at a meeting of the Linnaean Society of New England, holden at Boston on the 18th. day of August, the Hon. John Davis, Jacob Bigelow, M. D. and Francis C. Gray, Esq. were appointed a Committee to collect evidence with regard to the existence and appearance of any such animal. The following report made by that Committee is now published by order of the Society.”
“Linnaean Society of New England.”
“The Committee appointed on the 18th. of August last to collect evidence with regard to the existence and appearance of a Sea-Serpent, said to have been recently seen in the harbour of Gloucester, now lay before the Society the following facts and documents.”
“On the 19th. of August your Committee wrote to the Hon. Lonson Nash of Gloucester, requesting him to examine upon oath some of the inhabitants of that town with regard to the appearance of this animal, to make the examination as early as possible, to request the persons examined not to communicate to each other the substance of their respective statements, until they were all committed to writing; to have these statements signed and certified in due form, and sent to us. Our letter also contained certain rules with regard to the mode of conducting this examination, and questions to be put to the persons examined.”
“In answer to it we received from Mr. Nash a letter, dated 28th. August, enclosing eight depositions, duly certified, which on the 1st. September were read before the Society as were also three depositions taken in Boston, on the 30th. August and 1st. September. You directed us to return your thanks to Mr. Nash for his readiness in complying with our request, to continue the investigation of the subject committed to us, in such manner as we should deem expedient, and to lay before you a formal report of the whole evidence that should be procured. In compliance with your directions, the chairman of the Committee wrote again to Mr. Nash on the 2d. September, and received from him an answer, dated 9th. September. We also wrote to Mr. Samuel Davis of Plymouth on the 1st. September, requesting him to examine upon oath some respectable men of that place, with regard to the appearance of an animal said to have been seen there in the year 1815, and to resemble the one lately seen near Gloucester; this letter contained the same rules and questions as were sent to Mr. Nash. In answer to this application, a letter from that gentleman was received on the 4th. October, enclosing the deposition of Capt. E. Finney. Your Committee have also received a communication from the Rev. William Jenks of Bath relative to the subject. All these documents are now laid before you in the following order.”
“1. The rules and questions of your Committee. “2. The letter from Mr. Nash of 28th August, enclosing the eight following depositions. “3. The deposition of Amos Story. “4. That of Salomon Allen. “5. That of Eppes Ellery. “6. That of William H. Foster. “7. That of Matthew Gaffney. “8. That of James Mansfield. “9. That of John Johnston. “10. That of William B. Pearson. “11. The deposition of Sewall Toppan } “12. That of Robert Bragg } taken at Boston. “13. That of William Somerby } “14. The letter from our Chairman to Mr. Nash. “15. The answer of Mr. Nash. “16. Our letter to Mr. S. Davis of Plymouth. “17. His answer, containing “18. The deposition of Elkanah Finney. “19. The letter from the Rev. William Jenks to your Committee. “20. Is an account of a serpent said to have been frequently seen in the North Sea, extracted from the history of Norway, written by the Right Rev. Erich Pontoppidan, bishop of Bergen, in the year 1751.
I.
“Boston, Aug. 19, 1817.
“The Committee appointed by the Linnaean Society, at their meeting on the 18th. inst. for the purpose of collecting any evidence which may exist respecting a remarkable animal, denominated a _Sea Serpent_, reported to have recently been seen in and near the harbour of _Cape Ann_, have concluded on the following method of proceeding in the execution of their commission.”
“I. The examination to be confined to persons professing actually to have seen the animal in question.
“II. Such persons to be examined as may be met with by either of the Committee, or by Hon. Lonson Nash of Gloucester, who is to be requested by a letter addressed to him from the Committee to undertake this service.”
“III. All testimony on the subject to be taken in writing, and after being deliberately read to the person testifying, to be signed by him, and sworn before a magistrate. The examinations to be separate, and the matter testified by any witness not to be communicated until the whole evidence be taken.”
“IV. The persons testifying to be requested first to relate their recollections on the subject, which being taken down, the following questions to be proposed, if not rendered unnecessary by the statement given.”
“Questions.”
“1. When did you first see this animal?”
“2. How often and how long at a time?”
“3. At what times of the day?”
“4. At what distance?”
“5. How near the shore?”
“6. What was its general appearance?”
“7. Was it in motion or at rest?”
“8. How fast did it move, and in what direction?”
“9. What parts of it were above the water and how high?”
“10. Did it appear jointed or only serpentine?”
“11. If serpentine, were its sinuosities vertical or horizontal?”
“12. How many distinct portions were out of water at one time?”
“13. What were its colour, length and thickness?”
“14. Did it appear smooth or rough?”
“15. What were the size and shape of its head, and had the head ears, horns, or other appendages?”
“16. Describe its eyes and mouth.”
“17. Had it gills or breathing holes, and where?”
“18. Had it fins or legs, and where?”
“19. Had it a mane or hairs, and where?”
“20. How did its tail terminate?”
“21. Did it utter any sound?”
“22. Did it appear to pursue, avoid or notice any thing?”
“23. Did you see more than one?”
“24. How many persons saw it?”
“25. State any other remarkable fact.”
II.
“Gloucester, August 28, 1817.”
“John Davis, } “Jacob Bigelow, and } Esq’rs. “Francis C. Gray }
“Gentlemen,
“I have received your favour of the 19th. inst. In that communication you request my assistance, in collecting evidence relative to a strange marine animal, that has appeared in the harbour in this place; and I have most cheerfully complied with your request. The subject is calculated to excite much interest, at home and abroad.”
“The deponents were interrogated separately, no one knowing what the others had testified, and though they differ in some few particulars, still, for the most part, they agree.”
“I am confident, from my own observation, that Mr. Allen is mistaken, as to the motion of the animal. His motion is vertical. I saw him, on the 14th. instant, for nearly half an hour. I should judge he was two hundred and fifty yards from me, when the nearest. I saw him twice with a glass for a short time, and at other times, with the naked eye. At that distance, I could not take in the two extremities of the animal that were visible, _at one view_, with a glass. His manner of turning is well described in Messrs. Pearson’s and Gaffney’s descriptions. The persons who have deposed before me, are men of fair and unblemished characters. The interrogatories that you sent to me were all put to the witnesses; but generally, I have omitted inserting them in the depositions, when the witnesses declared their inability to answer them.”
“I think Mr. Allen is likewise mistaken, as to the distinct portions of the animal that were visible, at one time. I saw, at no time, more than eight distinct portions; though more may have been visible; still, I cannot believe that _fifty_ distinct portions were seen, at one time. I believe the animal to be straight, and that, the apparent bunches were caused by his vertical motion.”
“I have questioned Daniel Gaffney, who was in the boat with his brother Matthew, when he fired at the animal, and Daniel’s answers corroborate Matthew’s testimony.”
“Respectfully, gentlemen,
“Your most ob’t
“Lonson Nash.”
We observe that the Linnaean Society has exerted all its energies in the matter and has acted with the greatest accuracy. In our historical treatice we, however, have not followed the above order, but arranged the depositions chronologically.
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=37=.--1817, August 6?--In a letter from Mr. S. G. PERKINS, dated Boston, Aug. 20, 1817, to Mr. E. EVERETT in Paris, preserved in the Library of the Royal University of Göttingen, and which we shall hereafter present to our readers _in toto_, we read:
“About a fortnight since, two women, who live near the entrance of the Harbour of Cape Ann, reported that they saw a Sea-Monster come into the Harbour, that it had the appearance of a Snake, was of great length, &c.”
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=38=.--1817, August, 10.--(See the _Report_ of 1817).
“I, Amos Story of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, mariner, depose and say, that on the tenth day of August A. D. 1817, I saw a strange marine animal, that I believe to be a serpent, at the southward and eastward of Ten Pound Island, in the harbour in said Gloucester. It was between the hours of twelve and one o’clock when I first saw him, and he continued in sight for an hour and half. I was setting on the shore, and was about twenty rods from him when he was the nearest to me. His head appeared shaped much like the head of a sea turtle, and he carried his head from ten to twelve inches above the surface of the water. His head at that distance appeared larger than the head of any dog that I ever saw. From the back part of his head to the next part of him that was visible, I should judge to be three or four feet. He moved very rapidly through the water, I should say a mile in two, or at most, in three minutes. I saw no bunches on his back. On this day, I did not see more than ten or twelve feet of his body.”
Though Mr. STORY compares the animal’s head with that of a sea-turtle, probably because he saw it in such a direction that it seemed short and thick; his statement that it carried its head a foot above the water, and that it was larger than that of any dog at a distance of twenty rods,--the head may even have been of about two feet--, that its motion was rapid, are all mere repetitions of facts well known to us. He did not see bunches on its back, the animal consequently swam with its body in a straight line, a habit we have also already met with. Just behind the head a part of the neck of about four feet was hidden under water, and then twelve feet of the animal’s body were visible again.
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=39=, =40=, =41=.--1817, August 12, 13, 14.--(See the _Report_, printed in 1817).
“I, Solomon Allen 3d. of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, shipmaster, depose and say; that I have seen a strange marine animal, that I believe to be a sea-serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester. I should judge him to be between eighty and ninety feet in length, and about the size of a half barrel, apparently having joints from his head to his tail. I was about one hundred and fifty yards from him, when I judged him to be of the size of a half barrel. His head formed something like the head of the rattle snake, but nearly as large as the head of a horse. When he moved on the surface of the water, his motion was slow, at times playing about in circles, and sometimes moving nearly straight forward. When he disappeared, he sunk apparently directly down, and would next appear at two hundred yards from where he disappeared, in two minutes. His colour was a dark brown, and I did not discover any spots upon him.”
“_Question._ When did you first see this animal?”
“_Answer._ I saw him on the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth of August, A. D. 1817.”
“_Q._ How often, and how long at a time?”
“_A._ I was in a boat on the twelfth inst. and was around him several times, within one hundred and fifty yards of him. On the thirteenth inst. I saw him nearly all the day, from the shore. I was on the beach, nearly on a level with him, and most of the time he was from one hundred and fifty to three hundred yards from me. On the fourteenth, I saw him but once, and had not so good a view of him.”
“_Q._ What parts of it were above the surface if the water, and how high?”
“_A._ Its joints or bunches, appeared about eight or ten inches above the surface of the water.”
“_Q._ Did it bend its body up and down in moving, or to the right and left?”
“_A._ He moved to the right and left.”
“_Q._ How many distinct portions of it were out of the water, at one time?”
“_A._ I should say fifty distinct portions.”
“_Q._ Did it appear smooth or rough?”
“_A._ It appeared rough and scaly.”
“_Q._ Had it ears, horns, or any other appendages?”
“_A._ I perceived none.”
“_Q._ How did its tail terminate?”
“_A._ He seemed to taper towards (what I thought) his tail, though I had no distinct view of his tail.”
“_Q._ Did it utter any sound?”
“_A._ Not in my hearing.”
“_Q._ Did it appear to pursue, avoid, or notice any thing?”
“_A._ It appeared to me to avoid the boat where I was, though afterwards, I saw him make towards a boat, in which was Mr. Gaffney and others.”
“_Q._ Did you see more than one?”
“_A._ I did not.”
“_Q._ How many persons saw it?”
“_A._ Twenty or thirty persons were in view of me.”
“_Q._ Did he open his mouth when you saw him, and if so, how wide?”
“_A._ Yes, when I looked at him from the shore with a glass at about two hundred yards distance, his mouth appeared to be open about ten inches. I had no glass, when I saw him from the boat.”
“_Q._ Did he carry his head above the surface of the water?”
“_A._ Yes, at times, about two feet, then again he would carry the top of his head just on the surface of the water.”
“_Q._ Did he turn short and quick, and what was the form of the curve that he made?”
“_A._ He turned short and quick, and the first part of the curve that he made in turning resembled the link of a chain; but when his head came parallel with his tail, his head and tail appeared near together.
“Solomon Allen 3d.”
“Essex, ss. August 21, 1817. Personally appeared Solomon Allen the third, and made oath that the foregoing facts by him subscribed, are true, according to his best knowledge and belief.”
“Cor. Lonson Nash, Jus. Pacis.”
As we have already seen, Mr. LONSON NASH wrote in his letter to the Committee:
“I am confident, from my own observation, that Mr. Allen is mistaken, as to the motion of the animal. His motion is vertical.” And:
“I think Mr. Allen is likewise mistaken as to the distinct portions of the animal, that were visible, at one time. I saw at no time more than eight distinct portions; though more may have been visible; still I cannot believe that _fifty_ distinct portions were seen at one time.”
As to the motion of the animal I believe that Mr. ALLEN was really mistaken. When the animal was nearest to him, there was still a distance of a hundred and fifty yards between Mr. ALLEN and the animal. As to the number of the bunches which Mr. ALLEN reports, viz. fifty, I believe that he has not _counted_ them; he says: I should say fifty. PONTOPPIDAN tells us that the greatest number ever seen was twenty-five, and I believe that this is indeed the case.
Moreover its length of from eighty to ninety feet, the size of the visible part to be that of a half barrel, the resemblance of the head to a rattle-snake’s, say a common snake’s, the size of it to be that of a horse’s, say two feet, &c., &c., are all common statements. Of course Mr. ALLEN is also mistaken as to its scaly surface. The roughness, however, may have been the result of the rippling of the water. When the animal disappeared it sunk directly down, like a rock, a statement which we have met with and shall meet with several times. That the teeth of the animal were not visible at a distance of two hundred yards cannot surprise us. In the animal’s turning its flexibility again is mentioned: head and tail approaching, nay, nearly touching each other.
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=41=.--1817, August 14.--See also no 41 on p. 164.--(_Report of a Committee_, 1817).
“I, Epes Ellery, of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, shipmaster, depose and say; that on the 14th. day of August, 1817, I saw a sea animal that I thought to be a serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester. I was on an eminence, near low water mark, and about thirty feet above the level of the sea, when I saw him. I should judge that he was about one hundred and fifty fathoms from me. I saw the upper part of his head, and I should say about forty feet of the animal. He appeared to me to have joints, about the size of a two-gallon keg. I was looking at him with a spy-glass, when I saw him open his mouth, and his mouth appeared like that of a serpent; the top of his head appeared flat. His motion when he turned was quick, but I will not express an opinion of his velocity. The first part of the curve that he made in turning was of the form of a staple, and as he approached towards his tail, he came near his body with his head, and then ran parallel with his tail, and his head and tail then appeared together.”
“_Q._ At what time of the day did you see him?”
“_A._ It was a little after sun set.”
“_Q._ What parts of it were above the surface of the water, and how high?”
“_A._ I did not count the number of bunches, but they appeared about six inches above the surface of the water.”
“_Q._ Were its sinuosities vertical or horizontal?”
“_A._ Vertical.”
“_Q._ Did it appear to pursue, avoid, or notice any thing?”
“_A._ It did not appear to avoid any thing. He appeared to be amusing himself, though there were several boats not far from him.”
“_Q._ Did you see more than one?”
“_A._ I did not.”
“_Q._ How many persons saw it?”
“_A._ There were fifteen or twenty persons near where I was.”
“Epes Ellery.”
Essex ss. August, 25, 1817. Personally appeared Epes Ellery, and made oath to the truth of the foregoing facts by him subscribed.
“Cor. Lonson Nash, Jus. Pacis.”
Not a single fact which has not been stated before.
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=41=.--1817, August 14.--(See also n^o. 41 on p. 164 and n^o. 41 on p. 167.)--(_Report of a Committee_, 1817).
“I, William H. Foster, of Gloucester, in the county of Essex, merchant, depose and say: That on the fourteenth day of August, A. D. 1817, I first saw an uncommon sea-animal, that I believe to have been a serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester. When I first discovered him, his head was above the surface of the water, perhaps ten inches, and he made but little progress through the water. He was apparently shaded with light colours. He afterwards went in different directions, leaving on the surface of the water, marks like those made by skating on the ice. Then he would move in a straight line west, and would almost in an instant, change his course to east, bringing his head, as near as I could judge, to where his tail was; or in fact, to the extreme hinder part visible, raising himself as he turned, six or eight inches out of water, and shewing a body at least forty feet in length.”
Its being shaded with light colours is already mentioned by PONTOPPIDAN. Its leaving a wake behind it has already been stated many times, and will often be stated afterwards. Also its mode of turning, giving to its body the form of a staple.”
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=41=.--1817, August 14.--(See also n°. 41 on p. 164, p. 167, p. 168.)--(_Report of a Committee_, 1817.).
“I, Matthew Gaffney, of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, ship carpenter, depose and say: That on the fourteenth day of August, A. D. 1817, between the hours of four and five o’clock in the afternoon, I saw a strange marine animal, resembling a serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester. I was in a boat, and was within thirty feet of him. His head appeared full as large as a four-gallon keg, his body as large as a barrel, and his length that I saw, I should judge forty feet at least. The top of his head was of a dark colour, and the under part of his head appeared nearly white, as did also several feet of his belly, that I saw. I supposed and do believe that the whole of his belly was nearly white. I fired at him, when he was the nearest to me. I had a good gun, and took good aim. I aimed at his head, and think I must have hit him. He turned towards us immediately after I had fired, and I thought he was coming at us: but he sunk down and went directly under our boat, and made his appearance at about one hundred yards from where he sunk. He did not turn down like a fish, but appeared to settle directly down, like a rock. My gun carries a ball of eighteen to a pound; and I suppose there is no person in town, more accustomed to shooting than I am. I have seen the animal at several other times, but never had so good a view of him, as on this day. His motion was vertical, like a caterpillar.”
“_Q._ How fast did it move?”
“_A._ I should say he moved at the rate of a mile in two, or at most three minutes.”
“_Q._ Did it appear smooth or rough?”
“_A._ I thought it smooth, when I was endeavouring to take aim at him, and will not say positively, that he was smooth, though that is still my belief.”
“_Q._ Does he turn quick and short, and if so, what is the form of path that he makes, in turning?”
“_A._ He turns quick and short, and the first part of the curve that he makes in turning, is in the form of the staple; but his head seems to approach rapidly towards his body, his head and tail moving in opposite directions, and when his head and tail came parallel, they appear almost to touch each other.”
“_Q._ Did he appear more shy, after you had fired at him?”
“_A._ He did not; but continued playing as before.”
“_Q._ Who was in the boat with you, when you fired at the serpent?”
“_A._ My brother Daniel, and Augustin M. Webber.
“Matthew Gaffney.”
“Essex, ss. August 28, 1817. Then Matthew Gaffney made oath that the foregoing, by him subscribed, is true according to his best knowledge and belief.
“Before Lonson Nash, Jus. of Peace”
As we have already seen Mr. LONSON NASH in his letter to the Committee wrote:
“His manner of turning is well described in Mr. Gaffney’s description...... I have questioned Daniel Gaffney, who was in the boat with his brother Matthew when he fired at the animal, and Daniel’s answer corroborate Matthew’s testimony.”