56 ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT THE SEA-SERPENT. 
after having seen the shoal of sharks, two minutes afterwards saw _ 
four of these individuals swimming perfectly in a line, the fore- 
most occasionally lifting its head above the surface, and the backs 
with the backfin of each animal being visible. The distance between 
the first and the last being about seventy feet, the whole row 
looked like a huge serpent, and gave thus rise to the story, which, 
as I have already said above, may be a hoax, or a true statement 
of what they saw. Evidently one of the mates first drew the sketch 
exactly as he saw the four sharks, but afterwards, answering his 
own question: “how would the serpent look, if floating on the 
surface?” sketched the second figure, where a boa or python with 
four fins is represented floating on the water like a cork, or better 
like the skin of such an animal puffed up! 
A splendid hoax was again communicated by a correspondent 
of the Monde Lllustré to the Editor, and published in the number 
of October, 8, 1881, of that journal. 
“On board the steamer Zhe Don, of the Royal Mail Steam 
Packet Company. — Captain Rozpert Wootwarp.” 
“Sunday, August 14, 1881”. 
“To the Editor.” 
“IT commence my letter by asking you a correspondent’s diploma 
of the journal Le Monde Lllustré for my friend Mr. E. pr Con- 3 
TRERAS Y AL Cee, an inhabitant of Ponce, Isle of Porto Rico, 
Spanish colony.” 
<I owe to Mr. pz Conrreras the subjoied sketch, the exactness of 
which is guaranteed by the seven signatures of the eye witnesses, 
who are: 
“Mr. E. pe Conrreras y Atcantrara, of Ponce, Isle of Porto 
Rico , 
Mr. Carto Lopez Aupana, of Lima, Peru, 
Mr. Henrieve Roman, of Cartagena, Columbia, 
Mr. A. E. Ximenes pr San José, of Costa Rica, 
Mr. Maurice Renarp, of Paris, 
Mr. C. Renarp, of Paris, your correspondent. 
“The appearance lasted for ten minutes, in full moonlight. As 
I made the sketch, my son noted down his observations, Mr. Con- 
TRERAS too; we compared and exchanged our several observations, 
these gentlemen at the little window of the smoking-saloon, and 
