THE GREAT UNKNOWN. 



lore was precluded from getting another sight of 

 this leviathan of the deep. 



"George Henry Harrington, Commander. 

 William Davies, Chief Officer. 

 Edward Wheeler, Second Officer." 



This document was immediately answered by 

 Captain Fred. Smith, of the ship Pekin, in the 

 following announcement: — 



•On Dec. 28, 18*8, being then in lat. 26° S., 

 long. 6 s E., nearly calm, saw about half a mile 

 on port beam, a very extraordinary-looking thing 

 in the water, of considerable length. With the 

 telescope we could plainly discern a huge head and 

 neck, covered with a long shaggy-looking kind of 

 mane, which it kept lifting at intervals out of the 

 water. This was seen by all hands, and declared 

 to be the great sea-serpent. I determined on 

 knowing something about it, and accordingly 

 lowered a boat, in which my chief officer and four 

 men went, taking with them a long small line in 

 case it should be required. I watched them very 

 anxiously, and the monster seemed not to regard 

 their approach. At length they got close to the 

 head. They seemed to hesitate, and then busy 

 themselves with the line, the monster all the time 

 ducking its head, and shewing its great length. 

 Presently the boat began pulling towards the 

 ship, the monster following slowly. In about 

 half an hour they got alongside; a tackle was 

 got on the mainyard and it was hoisted on 

 board. It appeared somewhat supple when hang- 

 ing, but so completely covered with snaky-looking 

 barnacles, about eighteen inches long, that we had 

 it some time on board before it was discovered to 

 be a piece of gigantic sea- weed, twenty feet long, 

 21 321 



