CURIOUS CREATURES. 



271 



Pirate, says (speaking of Shetland and Orkney fisher- 

 men) : " The Sea-Snake was also known, which, arising 

 out of the depths of the ocean, stretches to the skies 

 his enormous neck, covered with a mane like that of a 

 war-horse, and with his broad glittering eyes, raised 

 mast-head high, looks out, as it seems, for plunder or 

 for victims." " The author knew a mariner, of some 

 reputation in his class, vouch for having seen the 

 celebrated Sea-Serpent. It appeared, as far as could 



be guessed, to be about a hundred feet long, with the 

 wild mane and fiery eyes which old writers ascribe to 

 the monster ; but it is not unlikely the spectator might, 

 in the doubtful light, be deceived by a good Norway 

 log on the water." 



Mr. Maclean, the pastor of Eigg, an island in the 

 Small Isles parish, Inverness-shire, wrote, in 1809, to Dr. 

 Neill, the Secretary of the Wernerian Society, that he 

 had seen a Sea-Serpent, while he was in a boat about 



