208 : THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS , [NeiGaa 
by curiosity to endeavor to see the animal, and we were again 
gratified beyond even what we saw in the other bay; which 
{1 concluded he had left in consequence of the number of 
boats in the offing in pursuit of him — the noise of whose oars 
must have disturbed him, as he appeared to us to be a harmless 
timid animal. We had more than a dozen different views of him, 
and each similar to the other; one however so near, that the 
coachman exclaimed: “Oh, see his glistening eye’. Thinking I 
might form some calculation of his length by the time and dis- 
tance of each turn; and taking an angle with my two hands of the 
length he exhibited, that is to say, from his head to his last 
protuberance, and applying the same angle to other objects, I feel 
satisfied of the correctness of my decision that he is sixty feet 
long, unless the ripple of his wake deceived me — nor my dear 
sir, do I undertake to say he was of the snake or eel kind, though 
this was the general impression on my family, the spectators and 
myself. Certainly it is a very strange animal. I have been accustomed 
to see whales, grampuses, porpoises, and other large fishes, but 
he partook of the appearance of none of these. The whale and the 
grampus would have spouted — the shark never raises his head out 
of water, and the porpoise skips and plays; neither of these has 
such appearances on the back or such a head as this animal. The 
shark it is true, has a fin on his back, and often the fluke of his 
tail is out of water; but these appendages would not display the 
form, and certainly not the number of protuberances, which this 
animal exhibited; nor is it the habit of the shark to avoid a boat. 
The water was extremely smooth, and the weather clear: we had 
been so habituated to see him, that we were cool and composed — 
the time occupied was from a quarter past eight to half past 
eleven — a cloud of witnesses exceeding two hundred, brought 
together for a single purpose, were all alike satisfied and united 
as to appearances, and as to the length and size of the animal; 
but you must deduct the influence which his passage through 
the water and the manner he propelled himself might have 
as to the apparent protuberances on his back, and the ripple 
occasioned by his motion on his real length, of all which you can 
judge equally well and better than myself. | must conclude there 
is a strange animal on our coast — and I have thought an un- 
varnished statement might be gratifymg to a mind attached to the 
pursuit of natural science, and aid in the inquiries on a contro- 
verted question, which I knew to have interested you. I have vent- 
