THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



was seen by the quarter-master, the boatswain's 

 mate, and the man at the wheel, in addition to 

 myself and officers above-mentioned. 



"I am having a drawing of the serpent made 

 from a sketch taken immediately after it was seen, 

 which I hope to have ready for transmission to 

 my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty by to- 

 morrow's post. 



"PETER M'QUHAE, Captain. 

 "To Admiral Sir W. H. Gage, G.C.H., Devonport." 



Lieutenant Drummond, the officer of the watch 

 named in the above report, published his own 

 impressions of the animal, in the form of an ex- 

 tract from his own journal, as follows: — "In the 

 four to six watch, at about five o'clock, we ob- 

 served a most remarkable fish on our lee-quarter, 

 crossing the stern in a S.W. direction; the ap- 

 pearance of its head, which, with the back fin, 

 was the only portion of the animal visible, was 

 long, pointed, and flattened at the top, perhaps 

 ten feet in length, the upper jaw projecting con- 

 siderably ; the fin was perhaps twenty feet in the 

 rear of the head, and visible occasionally; the 

 captain also asserted that he saw the tail, or an- 

 other fin about the same distance behind it; the 

 upper part of the head and shoulders appeared of 

 a dark brown colour, and beneath the under jaw 

 a brownish white. It pursued a steady undevi- 

 ating course, keeping its head horizontal with the 

 surface of the water, and in rather a raised posi- 

 tion, disappearing occasionally beneath a wave 

 for a very brief interval, and not apparently for 

 purposes of respiration. It was going at the rate 

 of perhaps from twelve to fourteen miles an hour, 

 and when nearest, was perhaps one hundred yards 

 distant. In fact it gave one quite the idea of a 

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