254 THE GREAT SEA-SERPENT. 



Serpent ; and when it dived again under water, it plunged 

 backwards into the sea, and so raised its tail aloft, which 

 seemed a whole ship's length distant from the bulkiest 

 part of its body." 



Finally, we subjoin the accounts, older and more recent, 

 given of this animal in what may be called its native 

 retreats. We shall begin with a short abridgment of the 

 information supplied in Pontoppidon's Natural History of 

 Norway : " Our coast," says the learned bishop, " is the 

 only place in Europe visited by this terrible creature. 

 This makes many persons who are enemies to credulity 

 entertain doubts about it. I have questioned its existence 

 myself, till that suspicion was removed by full and suffi- 

 cient evidence from creditable and experienced fishermen 

 and sailors, of which there are hundreds who can testify 

 they have annually seen them. All these persons agree 

 very well in the general description. In all my inquiries, 

 I have scarcely spoken to any intelligent person who was 

 not able to give strong assurances of the existence of this 

 fish ; and some of our traders think it a very strange ques- 

 tion, when they are seriously asked whether there be such 

 a creature ; they think it as ridiculous, as if the question 

 were put to them whether there be such fish as Cod or 

 Eel." After this, a long letter is supplied from Captain 

 L. de Ferry, who was in his boat, with a crew of eight 

 men, when they saw a Sea-Serpent, which he fired at and 

 wounded. His description very much agrees with that 

 already given, and every particular is authenticated by the 

 affidavits of two of his crew. We are also informed that 

 Governor Berestrap states, that he saw a similar animal 

 a few years before, and drew a sketch of it. Mr. Hans 

 vStrom, a clergyman, also caused a sketch to be made of 

 one which came under his inspection, and other eye-wit- 

 nesses are named. The bishop concludes, " I might men- 

 tion, to the same purpose, many more persons of equal 

 credit and reputation." But we must bring these state- 



