[N°. 44. ] REPORTS AND PAPERS. 181 
many people collected by this time, many of whom had before 
seen the same object, and the same appearance. From the time I 
first saw him until he passed by the place where I stood, and 
soon after disappeared, was not more than fifteen or twenty minutes.” 
“I left the place fully satisfied that the reports in circulation, 
although differing in details, were essentially correct. I returned 
to Boston, and having made my report, I found Mrs. Perkins and 
my daughters disposed to make a visit to Gloucester with me when 
the return of the animal should be again announced. A few days 
after my return I went again to Cape Ann with the ladies; we 
had a pleasant ride, but returned ungratified in the object which 
carried us there.’ 
The reader knows already that I don’t agree with Col. T. H. 
Perkins as to the generic difference of the sea-serpent. —- It 1s 
the second time that the tongue of the animal is seen to be 
thrown out. | 
All these reports of course greatly alarmed the people, and di- 
vided them into believers and unbelievers. Letters were written to 
Hurope. As it is of interest to know the public opinion about the 
subject, it is perhaps not unnecessary to communicate here the 
letters which I found, especially those hitherto unpublished. On 
the 20th. of August of 1817 Mr. S. G. Prrxins wrote a letter 
to Mr. E. Evererr, then at Paris; this letter is preserved in the 
library of the Royal University of Gottingen. An extract from it, 
respecting the sea-serpent, here printed for the first time, runs 
as follows: 
“You will except me to give you some account of the extraor- 
dinary monster, which is now the subject of universal conversation 
here. So far as we know anything of it, I will give it you, but 
we have yet to learn its Genus, species and character. About a 
fortnight since, two women, who live near the entrance of the 
Harbour of Cape Ann, reported that they saw a Sea-Monster 
come into the Harbour, that it had the appearance of a Snake, 
was of great length, &c. But little attention, however, was paid 
to this report, and it gained no public circulation. Within a week 
the Country has been agitated with reports of the existence of the 
monster, and men of reputation and character have made known, 
that they have distinctly seen the animal. Many have gone off in 
search of him in Boats, and muskets have been fired at him, 
