190 THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS , [Ne. 51.] 
of him perhaps could not have exceeded ten minutes, m which 
short time he had gone probably not less than six or seven miles.” 
“I was yesterday informed on creditable authority, that on the 
day on which I saw the above mentioned animal, he was seen by 
some persons at or in the vicinity of the light house on Sand’s 
Point.” 
“That it was a sea animal of great bulk, to me is certam. — 
That it is what is usually called a Sea-Serpent, and the same 
which appeared in Gloucester harbour, is only probable.” 
“With much respect, Sir, yours, &.” 
“Thos. Herttell.”’ 
Though the usual statement that the animal had bunches on its 
back is here expressed in other terms, viz.: that its back was 
irregular, uneven, deeply indented, it may be seen at a glance 
that no new feature gave rise to these terms. The animal may 
moreover have had a mane, extending all over the back. 
N°. 20 of the Report is, as we have seen above (p. 161), an 
account of a serpent said to have been frequently seen in the 
North-Sea, extracted from the “History of Norway” written by 
the Right Rev. Erica Pontoprrpan. Here is an extract from the 
matter given by that Bishop about the sea-serpent, and the whole 
affidavit of Capt. von Frrry. 
After this the Committee goes on: 
“We have seen and heard sundry other statements of various 
authority relating to similar animals, said to have been seen at 
sea by different persons, but do not insert them in our report, 
because we consider the foregoing testimony sufficient to place the 
existence of the animal beyond a doubt; and because they do not 
appear so minute and so well authenticated as the preceding 
documents.” 
Poor Committee! Could they have foreseen that seventy years 
afterwards the existence of the sea-serpent was zot beyond a doubt, 
at least among learned persons, they would not only have published 
all those sundry other statements, but have exerted themselves 
more in the matter than they did now. They would have gone to 
have a look at the animal and made an affidavit of their obser- 
vations, and — even then they would not have been believed! 
I would kindly beg the Linnaean Society of Boston, or that 
