THE GREAT SEA SERPENT. - 241 



monster of the deep I shall cite these : — About the 

 latter end of the eighteenth century the inhabitants 

 of the coast of Newfoundland, situate between the 

 48th and 50th degrees of latitude, and in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Pare Legit, remarked that the atmo- 

 sphere became so pestiferous, that when the wind 

 blew from the sea it was foul enough to breed a 

 plague. After searching about for the cause, it was 

 at last discovered that this horrible and dangerous 

 stench was caused by the carcase of a Kraken, which 

 was lying among some rocks in the offing. I can 

 find no record of the means used by the Newfound- 

 landers to rid themselves of this fearful nuisance, 

 but it was got rid of somehow, either by the help of 

 the waves or the sea-birds. At any rate, it disap- 

 peared, and the threatened scourge was averted. 



I have read that a certain Bishop of Norway, having 

 heard from the fishermen that an unknown island 

 had recently risen up in Bergen Bay, determined to 

 celebrate Mass upon it. The surface of the island 

 turned out to be very soft and slimy; but by the aid 

 of a boat-load of sand, which had been brought for 

 the purpose, an altar was set up, divine service was 

 performed, and a cross erected in celebration of the 

 event ; when, just as the Bishop and his clerical at- 

 tendants were re-embarking to return to the main- 

 land, down dived the island and disappeared under 

 the waters, and it was then recognised that the sup- 

 posed island was nothing but an enormous Kraken. 



