22 ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT THE SEA-SERPENT. 
must remain doubtful whether it was a snake or a fish. I am 
inclined to believe it was a fish, until otherwise convinced: it 
might be a gigantic species of eel, or a species of the above genus 
Octipos. Until seen again, and better described, it may be recorded » 
under the name of Anguilla gigas or Gigantic Hel.” 
And in the Additions to this dissertation: 
“The Water-Snake of Lake Erie has been seen again, and des- 
cribed to be of a copper colour, with bright eyes, and 60 feet 
long. It is added, that at a short distance balls had no effect on 
him: but it is omitted to mention whether it was owing to have 
hard scales (in which case it might be a real snake of the genus” 
Enhydris or Pelamis), or to the indexterity of the marksman.” 
Every one feels that Mr. Rarinesaue was the dupe of a hoax, 
and that he was so, indeed, will be seen from Mr. MrrcHint’s 
dissertation (see below) in which more hoaxes are to be found. 
Unbelievers not only invented tales to play a trick to believers, 
but when scientific men, they even read papers before learned 
assemblies, with a view of ridiculing the matter. I believe there 
has been no greater attempt to throw discredit on the sea-serpent, 
than that of Mr. Samugn L. Mircume.. I am obliged to commun- 
icate to my readers his whole paper, even at the risk of wearying 
them. It was published in Srnuiman’s Am. Journ. Sc. Arts, 1829, 
and runs as follows: 
“The History of Sea-Serpentism, extracted from Samuel L. 
Mitchill’s Summary of the progress of Natural Science within our 
United States, for a few years past; read before the New York 
Lyceum, at a succession of sittings during October, 1828. — 
N°. 35. — The Sea-Serpent. (Communicated for this Journal).” 
“his subject, the author observed, would scarcely be worthy of 
notice, before this learned and respectable assembly, if it had not, 
happened, that during several years, it, or something so imagined 
and so called, had frequently been presented for public consideration ; 
and that paragraphs and statements in the newspapers and journals, 
do yet, from time to time, attract the attention of their readers.” 
“This alleged monster of the deep first haunted the coast of 
Massachusets, and frightened more particularly the neighbourhood 
of Gloucester with his presence. Observations were made, and 
evidence was collected to a large amount. These were so consider- 
