Reptiles. 1 605 



Nils Koe, workman at Mr. William Knudtzon's, relates : I saw the serpent twice, 

 once at noon, and two days afterwards towards the evening, in the fjord at the hack of 

 Mr. Knudtzon's garden. The first time it was about a hundred feet distant. It swam 

 first along the fjord, then afterwards direct over the spot where I stood. I observed it 

 for above half an hour. Some strangers who were on the opposite shore fired at it, 

 when it disappeared. The second time it was further from me. It was small, perhaps 

 twice as long as this room (about forty- four feet) ; while swimming it made serpentine 

 movements, some to the side, others up and down. I cannot state what thickness it was, 

 but it appeared to be about as thick as a common snake in proportion to its length. 

 It was thinner towards the tail. The head was several times slightly elevated above 

 above the surface of the water. The front of the head was rather pointed ; the eyes 

 were sharp, and glistened like those of a cat. From the back of the head a mane like 

 that of a horse commenced, which waved backwards and forwards in the water. The 

 colour of the animal was a blackish brown. John Johnson (merchant, about sixty- 

 years of age) : I saw the animal some years since in the fjord ; it was about a thousand 

 paces distant when nearest to me. It swam very swiftly ; in the same time that we 

 rowed about a quarter of a mile to the side from it, it had swam about double the dis- 

 tance. I saw it most plainly when it swam in a semicircle round a tolerably large rock 

 that obstructed its passage ; in doing this it partly raised itself above the surface of the 

 water. Its colour was blackish brown, and about the length of this house (fifty-five 

 feet). With the exception of the head, I did not remark much of its body, as that ap- 

 peared but little above the surface. Judging from what I observed, I should say the 

 thickness of the body was about that of a stout man. The agitation it caused in the 

 water was very strong. Its movements were serpentine, up and down, like a leech 

 swimming. Lars Johnoen (fisherman at Smolen, about fifty years of age): I have 

 several times seen the sea-serpent, but some time since, twelve years ago, in the dog- 

 days, in the fjord not far from here, one afternoon as I was fishing in my boat, I saw 

 it twice in the course of two hours, and for some time quite near me. It came close 

 to my boat, so that it was only about six feet from me. I became alarmed, recom- 

 mended my soul to God, laid down in the boat, and only held my head so far over it 

 that I could observe the serpent. It swam now past the boat, that was agitated by the 

 ripple caused by its movement in the water, which was previously smooth, and after- 

 wards removed itself. After it had swam a considerable distance from me, I began 

 again to fish. Not long afterwards, the serpent came close to the boat, which was 

 strongly agitated by its movements in the water. I laid down and remained quite still, 

 and notwithstanding my fright, kept a watchful eye on the animal ; it passed me, dis- 

 appeared, and returned, though not so close as previously, and disappeared entirely 

 when a light wind arose, and ruffled the water. Its length was about five to six 

 fathoms, and the body, which was as round as a serpent's, was about two feet in di- 

 ameter. The tail seemed to be very round. The head was about as long as a brandy 

 anker (ten gallon cask), and about the same thickness, it was not pointed but round. 

 The eyes were very large, round, and sparkling. Their size was about the diameter of 

 the box here (five inches), and they were as red as my neckerchief (crimson). Close 

 behind the head, a mane like a horse's, commenced along the neck, and spread itself 

 on both sides, right and left, while swimming on the water ; it was of tolerably long 

 hair. The mane as well as the head, and the rest of the body, was brown as this look- 

 ing-glass frame (old mahogany). Spots, stripes of other colours I did not observe, nor 

 were there any scales ; it seemed as if the body was quite smooth. Its movements were 



