206 THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS , [N°. 63.] 
G3. — 1819, August 13?— There appeared an interesting ac- 
count of an eye-witness about a sea-serpent in the Boston Datly 
Advertiser of 19th. August, 1819. I have not been able to consult 
this journal. The report was translated in Oxmn’s Js7s of 1819, p. 
1754, accompanied by the figure, made by the eye-witness. Happily 
I found the same in Sruniman’s American Journal Sc. Arts, Vol. 
II, Boston, 1820, but without the figure. It runs as follows: 
“The recent appearance of this animal at Nahant, in the view 
of several hundred persons, has furnished, perhaps, more conclusive 
proof of his existence, than any that has before been made public. 
For the satisfaction of our readers, we have procured a copy of 
the following letter, which gives a very clear and intelligible de- 
scription of his appearance and movements. We have heard verbal 
statements from a great number of gentlemen, all of whom agree 
in substance with what is here related.” 
“Copy of a letter from James Prince, Marshal of the District, 
to the Hon. Judge Davis, dated”: © 
“Nahant, Aug. 16th., 1819.” 
“Dear oie: | 
“[ presume I may have seen what is generally thought to be 
the sea-serpent — I have also seen my name inserted in the evening 
newspaper printed at Boston on Saturday, in a communication on 
this subject. For your gratification, and from a desire that my 
name may not sanction any thing beyond what was presented and 
passed in a review before me, I will now state that which, in 
the presence of more than two hundred other witnesses, took place 
near the long beach of Nahant, on Saturday morning last.” 
“Intending to pass two or three days at Nahant, with my family, 
we left Boston early on Saturday morning. On passing the half- 
way house, on the Salem turn pike, Mr. Smith informed us the 
sea-serpent had been seen the evening before at Nahant-beach , and 
that a vast number of people from Lynn, had gone to the beach 
that morning, in hopes of being gratified with a sight of him: 
This was confirmed at the hotel. | was glad to find I had brought 
my famous mast-head spy-glass with me, as it would enable me, 
from its form and size, to view him to advantage, if I might be 
so fortunate as to see him. On our arrival on the beach, we asso- 
ciated with a considerable number of persons, on foot and in chaises, 
and very soon an animal of the fish-kind made his appearance. 
His head appeared about three feet out of water; I counted thirteen 
bunches on his back: my family thought there were fifteen — he 
