Bigelow on the Sea Serpent. 157 
back, and the ripple occasioned by his motion on his real 
length, of all which you can judge equally well as and better 
than myself. I must conclude there is a strange animal on 
our coast—and I have thought an unvarnished statement 
might be gratifying to a mind attached to the pursuit of 
natural science, and aid in the inquiries on a controverted 
question, which I knew to have interested you. I have 
ventured on the description, being also induced to BORE, 
that if any thing of the marvellous is SIO. as coming from 
me, you will correct it. 
_ Accept the respects and attention of, 
Dear Sir, yours sincerely, 
JAMES PRINCE. 
ETA Judge Davis, Nahant, Aug. 16th, 1819. 
Extract of a letter from Mr. Curnver Feicu, Chaplain 
of the United States’ Ship Independence of 74 guns, to 
the Editor of the Boston Centinel. 
Guovucester, Jug. 26, 1819. 
“ Dear Str, 
“Others having taken in hand to give some account 
of the Sea Serpent, [ know not why [ should not have 
the same liberty. Being on this station, in the United 
States schooner Science, for the purpose of surveying this 
harbor, we were proceeding this morning down the harbor, 
in the schooner’s boat; when abreast of Dallivan’s Neck, 
William. T. Malbone, Esq. commander of the’ schooner, 
seeing some appearance on the water, said—* there 1s your 
Sea Serpent,” meaning it as a laugh on iy for believing in 
its existence; but it proved to be no joke. The animal 
was then between thirty and forty yards distance from us. 
Mr. Malbone, Midshipman Blake, myself, and our four boat- 
men, had a distinct view of him. He scon sunk; but not 
so deep but we could trace his course. He rose again with- 
in twenty yards distance of us, and lay some time on the 
water. He then turned, and steered for Ten Pound Island ; 
we pulled after him ; but finding that he was not pleased 
with the noise of our oars, they were laid in, and the boat 
skulled. We again approached very near him. He con- 
tmued some Jength of time, plying between ‘Ten Pound 
