2 6o SNAKES. 



^vith the naked eye.' The size of the creature is given as 

 about fifteen or sixteen inches diameter in the neck 'behind 

 the head, which was, without doubt, that of a snake.' No 

 fins were seen, but 'something Hke the mane of a horse, 

 or rather a bunch of seaweed w^ashing about its back.' Its 

 progress was about fifteen miles an hour, and it remained 

 twenty minutes in sight. 



Lieutenant Drummond, also of the Dcedahis, reported 

 what he saw, and from his log-book, while the captain's 

 was from memory. The lieutenant thought he saw 'a back 

 fin ten feet long, and also a tail fin.' The head was 'rather 

 raised, and occasionally dipping, and gave him the idea of 

 that of a large eel.' 



Without being an ophiologist. Captain M'Quhae also 

 unintentionally describes a creature of ophidian habits and 

 proportions. He inadvertently says 'shoulders,' when, as 

 my readers know, a snake has anatomically no shoulders, 

 any more than ' neck.' But for all that, the raised head, and 

 the absence of any striking movements in the part visible, 

 are the manners of a serpent in the water, when propelled 

 by its tail, which would be out of sight ; and the captain 

 simply describing what he saw, but giving no name, those 

 acquainted with herpetology would at once decide that he 

 described a long-necked and slender reptile of some sort, 

 perhaps some enormous saurian, whose feet were under 

 water, if not a serpent. 



There were many learned discussions concerning this 

 creature, and for these I refer my reader to the journals 

 and scientific publications of the time. No one doubted 

 the fact that some strange animal w^as seen, but the wisest 



