254 SPORT m NORTH AMERICA. 



There lie is to the nor'rard, by Cape Corl. Look at 

 that moving mass, which looks like a number of 

 barrels fastened together. There he is!" 



I must confess that at first I thought it was a hoax. 

 The fantastical stories which certain of the American 

 journals had published occurred to my memory. 

 Nevertheless, I desired nothing but the truth, and, 

 sure enough, with the aid of an excellent glass by 

 Chevalier (which always accompanies me on my 

 sporting expeditions), I certainly did perceive an 

 enormous fish twisting itself into the shape of the 

 letter S on the surface of a comparatively calm sea. 

 Without doubt it was the Kraken, or Sea-serpent : 

 the monster was no longer a myth, but a horrible 

 reality. Our captain made for the creature under a 

 full head of steam, and within a quarter of an hour 

 we had gained upon the Serpent, and could arrive at 

 some approximation as to his shape and length. It was 

 like a monstrous eel, but of great size in the middle 

 of the body. Its swimming fius were very long, and 

 looked like arms. The head was kept under water, 

 so that we could not distinguish its shape. 



When we were about a cannon-shot from the Ser- 

 pent, one of the sportsmen on board was silly enough 

 to fire his rifle at it, and this bad example was im- 

 mediately followed by several. In a twinkling the 

 Serpent disappeared, and nothing could be seen but 

 a ripple on the surface of the sea, which rapidly 

 subsided. 



