152 _ Bigelow on the Sea Serpeni. 
that this motion was ascending and descending; all we can 
say is, 2¢ appeared so to us,* (for he was seen not only by 
me, but by three other persons.) Perhaps his nearest dis- 
tance from us was ten rods. ‘The sea was then very 
smooth, and very little wind, but still there was such a con- 
stant rippling of the water over his body, that I could not 
distinctly observe the magnitude or colour of any part but 
his head and neck. The degree of his rapidity I cannot 
explain. But certain | am that he had a serpent’s head, of 
a colour as blue as possible, and a black ring round his eye. 
The head was three feet in circumference at least. Who 
ever saw fifty or sixty porpoises moving after each other in 
a right line, and in such a manner that those who formed 
the rear were no larger than haddock and mackerel, and 
none but the foremost shewed his head? Who ever saw a 
serpent’s head upon a porpoise or whale? We saw him 
swim as far as from Long Island to the Cape before he 
disappeared. His head and neck all the time out of water. 
Now who ever saw a eure swim so great a distance 
without immerging at all? wo young men on Fox Island, 
mtelligent and credible, saw an animal of this kind sient 
five years since, as they then informed me. They told 
me, that the serpent which they saw was about sixty feet 
long, and appeared to have an ascending and descending 
motion. A few years before, perhaps ten years since, twe 
of those large serpents were seen by two other persons on 
that Island, as their neighbours informed me. About twen- 
ty years since, two of those serpents, they say, were seen 
by one Mr. Crocket, who then lived upon Ash Point. 
‘This is the best information which you can obtain from 
Your Friend and Servant, 
ABRAHAM CUMMINGS. 
Rev. Atpen Braprorp. 
P.S. The head and neck of the animal were of the same 
colour. 
Cc. Marsnrigenp, 13th March, 1804. 
In answer to yours of the 30th of January last, I observe, 
that in May, 1780, 1 was lying in Round Pond, in Broad 
* His real motion might be horizontal. 
