[NS 29. | REPORTS AND PAPERS. 145 
three times the length of his boat, which is twenty three feet. 
When he was seen this time he appeared not to notice the boat, 
though he was distant, as nearly as could be ascertained, but 
about fifteen rods.” ..... “A gentleman of intelligence (Rev. ALDEN 
Braprorp of Wiscasset, now Secretary of the Commonwealth) 
inquired of Mr. Cummines whether the appearance might not be 
produced by a number of porpoises following each other in a train ; 
but Mr. Cummines asserts, that the animal held its head out of 
water about five feet till he got out to sea; for when seen he was 
going out of the bay, and Mr. Cummines was ascending it. The 
colour was a bluish green about the head and neck, but the water 
rippled so much over his body, that it was not possible to determine 
its tint. The shape of the head was that of a common snake, 
flattened , and about the size of a pail. He was seen approaching, 
passing, and departing. Till this, Mr. Cummines was as incredulous 
in respect to its existence, as many of his neighbours. The weather 
was calm, and it was the month of August, im which month, Mr. 
Cummines remarks, that, as far as he had heard, the serpent 
makes his appearance on the coast.” 
“IT am inclined to suppose that Mr. Cummings’ account is that, 
which in one of the public papers was lately alluded to, as having 
been communicated to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 
but mislaid.” 
In the Mem. Am. Acad. Arts and Sc. Vol. IV. Part 1, -1818, 
we read also: | 
“A letter from this gentleman” (Mr. Cummineas) “was forwarded 
to the Academy about the year 1806, giving a particular account 
of the animal, as he saw it at a small distance; but this letter is 
lost or mislaid.” 
Fortunately this letter was only mislaid, and found back in the 
hands of the corresponding Secretary, the Hon. Joun Q. ADAms, 
and printed in Siiiman’s American Journal of Science and Arts 
(Vol. IT, 1820). The letter runs as follows: 
“Sullivan, Aug. 17th. 1803.” 
“My Dear Sir,” 
“With peculiar pleasure I comply with your request, though 
the urgency of my affairs must excuse my brevity. It was sometime 
in July 1802 that we saw this extraordinary sea monster, on our 
passage to Belfast, between Cape Rosoi and Long Island. His first 
appearance was near Long Island. I then supposed it to be a large 
shoal of fish with a seal at one end of it, but wondered that the 
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