THE MERMAID. 



17 



of the circumstance recorded by Albrecht Herport * in his 

 account of India, that a merman was seen in the water 

 near the church of Taquan on the morning of the 29th of 

 April, 1 66 1, and a mermaid at the same spot the same 

 afternoon ? Or what do they say to the fact that in 17 14 

 a mermaid was not only seen but captured near the island 

 of Booro, five feet, Rhineland measure, in height ; which 

 lived four days and seven hours, but, refusing all food, 

 died without leaving any intelligible account of herself?" 



FIG. 12. — MERMAID AND FISHES OF AMBOYN'A. After Valciltyit. 



Valentyn, in support of his own faith in the mermaid, cites 

 many other instances in which both " sea-men and sea- 

 women " were seen and taken at Amboyna ; especially one 

 by a district visitor of the church, who presented it to the 

 Governor Vanderstel. Of this "well-authenticated" specimen 

 he gives an elaborate portrait amongst the fishes of the island.f 



* Itinerarium Indicum, Berne, 1669. 



t With the permission and assistance of Messrs. Longman, the 

 accompanying wood-cut of this picture, and that of the Dugong, on page 

 43, are copied from Sir J. Emerson Tennent's book pubhshed in 1S61. 



C 



