THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



authenticity of the account given by Captain 

 M'Quhae of the 'great sea-serpent.' When return- 

 ing to India, in the year 1829, 1 was standing on 

 the poop of the Royal Saxon, in conversation 

 with Captain Petrie, the commander of that ship. 

 We were at a considerable distance south-west of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, in the usual track of 

 vessels to this country, going rapidly along (seven 

 or eight knots) in fine smooth water. It was in 

 the middle of the day, and the other passengers 

 were at luncheon ; the man at the wheel, a steer- 

 age passenger, and ourselves, being the only per- 

 sons on the poop. Captain Petrie and myself, at 

 the same instant, were literally fixed in astonish- 

 ment by the appearance, a short distance ahead, 

 of an animal of which no more generally correct 

 description could be given than that by Captain 

 M'Quhae. It passed within thirty-five yards of 

 the ship, without altering its course in the least ; 

 but as it came right abreast of us, it slowly 

 turned its head towards us. Apparently about 

 one-third of the upper part of its body was above 

 water, in nearly its whole length, and we could 

 see the water curling up on its breast as it moved 

 along, but by what means it moved we could not 

 perceive. We watched it going astern with in- 

 tense interest until it had nearly disappeared, 

 when my companion, turning to me with a coun- 

 tenance expressive of the utmost astonishment, 

 exclaimed, 'Good heavens! what can that be?' It 

 was strange that we never thought of calling the 

 party engaged at luncheon to witness the extra- 

 ordinary sight we had seen; but the fact is, we 

 were so absorbed in it ourselves, that we never 

 spoke, and scarcely moved, until it had nearly 

 disappeared. Captain Petrie, a superior and most 

 intelligent man, has since perished in the exercise 

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