BY C. W. DE VIS, II. A. 113 



the evidence of their own eyes. The strangeness of the fact, 

 the possibihty of dekision amounting in some cases to great 

 probabihty, the absence of specimens hving or dead or of bones 

 dredged from the sea bottom — these are the chief objections 

 urged by the spirit of unbehef, and together they are weighty. 

 But on the other hand the frequency of encounters, occasionally 

 at close quarters, the plain circumstantiality of the accounts 

 logged while fresh in the memory by men actuated by no hope 

 of gain, ambitious purpose, or eagerness to found a doctrine, and 

 supported by the testimony of whole crews, are considerations 

 not to be overlooked as unscientific. It is neither sensible nor 

 prudent to set aside sober testimony in favour of ill-furnished 

 doubt because the witnesses were uncritical observers, and could 

 not by effectuig a capture secure the means of obtaining the 

 verdict of science. The utmost liberty we should allow our- 

 selves at present is to doubt with modesty and reserve. To 

 frankly accept the evidence we have as good enough as well as 

 plentiful enough to warrant our belief in the "Sea Serpent" would, 

 perhaps, be more consistent with justice ; at any rate that 

 evidence is hardly bad enough to convict us of over-weening 

 credulity if we opine that the non-existence of " sea serpents" 

 is " not proven." 



