CURIOUS CREATURES. 215 



long Horns round about, like a tree rooted up by the 

 roots : they are ten or twelve Cubits long, very black, 

 and with huge eyes, the Compass whereof (i.e., of the fish} 

 is above eight or ten Cubits : the apple of the eye is of 

 one Cubit, and is red and fiery coloured, which in the 

 dark night appears to Fisher-men afar off under Waters, 



as a burning Fire, having hairs like Goose- Feathers, thick 

 and long, like a beard hanging down ; the rest of the 

 body, for the greatness of the head, which is square, 

 is very small, not being above fourteen or fifteen cubits 

 long ; one of these Sea Monsters will drown easily many 

 great ships, provided with many strong Marriners." 



He also speaks of a Cetacean, called a Physeter : 

 " The Whirlpool, or Prister, is of the kind of Whales, two 

 hundred Cubits long, and is very cruel. For, to the 

 danger of Sea men, he will sometimes raise himself 

 beyond the Sail yards, and cast such floods of Waters 

 above his head, which he had sucked in, that with a 

 cloud of them, he will often sink the strongest ships, or 

 expose the Marriners to extream danger. This Beast 

 hath also a long and large round mouth like a Lamprey, 

 whereby he sucks in his meat or water, and by his 



