[ N°. 34, 35. | REPORTS AND PAPERS 155 
from his youth accustomed to a seafaring life — in the fishing 
employ, and in foreign voyages — has frequently seen whales, and 
almost every species of fish.” 
“The drawing on the other page (made by me) I have shewn 
to Capt. Finney, who says it illustrates his conceptions on the 
subject exactly. All your questions were asked him, and when his 
replies are negative, such as gills, breathing holes, &c. &c. it must 
not be inferred that such things were not displayed — but only 
that he did not see them, &c. Certain house carpenters, who were 
at work on a building near the spot, also saw it; as well as 
many others — these persons dwell with emphasis on the long 
and distant wake made in the water by the passage of the fish. — 
As to the point of time, it must have been from known data 
between the 18th. and 25th. of June. And I would remark, that 
this is exactly the season when the first setting in of mackerel 
occurs in our bay.” 
“Yours respectfully” 
eo: Davis’ 
And the deposition of Captain Finney as follows: 
“J, Elkanah Finney of Plymouth, in the county of Plymouth, 
Mariner, testify and say: That about the twentieth of June, A. D. 
1815, being at work near my house, which is situated near the 
sea-shore in Plymouth, at a place called Warren’s cove, where the 
beach joins the main land; my son, a boy, came from the shore 
and informed me of an unusual appearance on the surface of the 
sea in the cove. I paid little attention to his story at first; but 
as he persisted in saymg that he had seen something very remark- 
able, I looked towards the cove, where 1 saw something which 
appeared to the naked eye to be a drift sea-weed. I then viewed 
it through a perspective glass, and was in a moment satisfied that 
it was some aquatic animal, with the form, motion, and appear- 
ance of which I had hitherto been unacquainted. It was about a 
quarter of a mile from the shore, and was moving with great 
rapidity to the northward. It then appeared to be about thirty 
feet in length; the animal went about half a mile to the north- 
ward; then turned about, and while turning, displayed a greater 
length than I had before seen; I supposed at least a hundred feet. 
It then came towards me, in a southerly direction, very rapidly, 
until he was in a line with me, when he stopped, and lay entirely 
still on the surface of the water. I then had a good view of him 
through my glass, at the distance of a quarter of a mile. His ap- 
