CHEATS AND HOAXES. D1 
to throw the sea alongside into a foam, until the former came 
clear away of the ship. The serpent was powerful enough, although 
the ship was carrying all sail, and going at about six knots at 
the time, he attacked us, to stop her way completely. When the 
bowsprit with the jibboom sails and rigging went by the board, 
the monster swallowed the foretopmast staysail and flying jib, 
with the greatest apparent ease; he also snapped the thickest of 
the rigging asunder like thread. He sheered off a little after this, 
and returned apparently to scratch himself against the side of the 
ship, making a most extraordinary noise, resembling that on board 
a steamer when the boilers are blowing off. A whale breached 
within a mile of the ship at this time, and the serpent darted off 
after it like a flash of lightning, striking the vessel with his tail, 
and staving in all the starboard quarter gally. Saw no more of it, 
but caught a young one in the afternoon, and brought it on to 
Melbourne. — William Taylor, Master, “British Banner” .” 
“(The British Banner arrived here on Sunday, and is now in 
the Albert Dock. Captain Taylor declares that the above statement 
is perfectly correct. — Hditor Daily Post.\’ 
Mr. Epwarp Newman, the Editor of the Zooloyist, adds hereto: 
“It is impossible for any story to read more like a hoax than 
this, but I had ready means of procuring, through a friend at 
Lloyd’s, the information that there is such a ship as the “British 
Banner”, that she is commanded by Mr. William Taylor, a respect- 
able and trustworthy gentleman, and that she did arrive at Liver- 
pool on Sunday, 18 March, last past, and is now in the Albert 
Dock. Armed with this information I wrote to Capt. Taylor, who 
has replied in the most courteous manner; he confirms the above 
statement, adding that he sent it to the Daily Post himself, and 
adding also that the young one reported to have been caught was 
presented to the Museum at Melbourne, were it was thoroughly 
inspected and pronounced to be a veritable sea-serpent.’’ — 
It is not quite clear whether Mr. Newman was a second time 
the dupe of a trick, or not, but I think he really was! 
Mr. Groreze Guyon, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, on the contrary, 
wrote the following poem (see Zoologist, p. 7051, 1860): 
“I’ve a story to tell — I don’t say that it ’s true — 
But just as I heard it I tell it to you. 
A ship there was sailing upon the blue sea 
With her canvas all set, when the captain, said he 
“J feel that the vessel is all of a tremble, 
