[ N°. 44.] REPORTS AND PAPERS. ny 
crew report that, off Cape Ann Harbour, they saw a Sea Monster 
of the Snake kind, lying on the water, of immense length. ‘That 
the crew were so much alarmed, that they got away as soon as 
they could, and that they estimated it at 100 feet long.” 
44 — 1817, August 18. — See also n°. 44 hereabove. — 
(Report of a Committee, 1817). — 
“T, William B. Pearson, of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, 
merchant, depose and say: That I have, several times, seen a strange 
marine animal, that I believe to be a serpent, of great size. I have 
had a good view of him, only once, and this was on the 18th. 
of August, A. D. 1817. I was in a sailboat, and when off Webber’s 
cove (so called) in the harbour of said Gloucester, I saw something 
coming out of the cove; we hove to, not doubting but that it 
was the same creature that had been seen several times in the 
harbour, and had excited much interest among the inhabitants of 
Gloucester. James P. Collins was the only person with me. The 
serpent passed out under the stern of our boat, towards Zen Pound 
Island; then he stood in towards us again, and crossed our bow. 
We immediately exclaimed: “here is the snake!” From what I 
saw of him, I should say that he was nothing short of seventy 
feet in length. I distinctly saw bunches on his back, and once he 
raised his head out of water. The top of his head appeared flat , 
and was raised seven or eight inches above the surface of the water. 
He passed by the bow of the boat, at about thirty yards distance. 
His colour was a dark brown. I saw him at this time about two 
minutes. His motion was vertical. His velocity at this time was 
not great, though at times, I have seen him move with great 
velocity, I should say at the rate of a mile in three minutes, and 
perhaps faster. His size I judged to be about the size of a half 
barrel. I saw Mr. Gaffney fire at him, at about the distance of 
thirty yards. I thought he hit him, and afterwards he appeared 
more shy. He turned very short, and appeared as limber and 
active as the eel, when compared to his size. The form of the 
curve when he turned m the water, resembled a staple; his head 
seemed to approach towards his body for some feet; then his head 
and tail appeared moving rapidly, in opposite directions, and when 
his head and tail were on parallel lines, they appeared not more 
than two or three yards apart.” 
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