[N°. 83. ] REPORTS AND PAPERS. 935 
the sketch, slowly approaching at not more than the rate of two 
miles an hour, in a straight direction. I suppose we were hardly 
going through the water so fast, for there was scarcely a breath 
of wind. I must premise that I had never heard of the existence 
of such an animal. I instantly exclaimed, why, there is a sea- 
snake! “That is the sea-serpent’, exclaimed the captain, “and I 
would give my ship and cargo to catch the monster’. I immediately 
called to the passengers, who were all down below, but only five 
or six came up, among whom was Miss Magee, the daughter of 
a merchant in New York. The remainder refused to come up, 
saying there had been too many hoaxes of that kind already. | 
was too eager to stand parleying with them, and I returned to 
the captain. In the same slow style the serpent passed the vessel 
at about the distance of 50 yards from us, neither turning his 
head to the right or left. As soon as his head had reached the 
stern of the vessel, he gradually laid it down in a horizontal 
position with his body, and floated along like the mast of a vessel. 
That there was upwards of 60 feet visible, is clearly shown by the 
circumstance, that the length of the ship was upwards of 120 feet, 
and at the time his head was off the stern, the other end (as 
much as was above the surface) had not passed the main mast. 
The time we saw him, as described in the drawing, was two 
minutes and a half. After he had declined his head we saw him 
for about twenty minutes a-head, floating along like an enormous 
log of timber. His motion in the water was meandering like that 
of an eel, and the rake he left behind was like that occasioned 
by the passing of a small craft through the water. We had but 
one harpoon on board, and the ship’s long-boat was, for the time 
being converted into a cow-house. We had two guns on board, 
but no ball..... I dined one day at the Hotel of New York with 
Sir Isaac Coffin, who discredited the existence of such an animal, 
which was reported to have been seen by Captain Bennet of Boston 
about five years back; but as I assured him I had never heard 
previously even the report of such a monster, and that I was an 
Eaglishman, he gave full credit to it. The sketch I gave him also 
corresponded with the description that was circulated at that time. 
The humps on the back resembled in size and shape those of the 
dromedary. I remain, Dear Sir, yours respectfully, 
“William Warburton.” 
I give in fig. 27 a facsimile of the figure, accompanying the 
paper of Mr. Hooker (Hadind. Journ. Sc. Vol. VI, 1827, Pl. I. fig. 10). 
