(1860. | REPORTS AND PAPERS. , 317 
the eye-witnesses “the mode of progression was like that of a 
caterpillar”, Mr. Goss inserts his opinion in the following terms: 
“probably a looping or geometric caterpillar’. Now my readers 
will be at one with me, that the motion of the geometric cater- 
pillar is the last with which that of the sea-serpent can be com- 
pared! The rapid motion of a common caterpillar of some butterfly, 
when tickled on its back part, will give the best idea. 
The writer further tries to throw discredit on reports of Americ- 
ans. He says (p. 287): 
“Though the position and character of some of these witnesses 
add weight to their testimony, and seem to preclude the possibility 
of their being either deceived or deceivers, on a matter which 
depended on the use of their eyes, yet, owing to a habit prevalent 
in the United States, of supposing that there is somewhat of wit 
in gross exaggerations, or hoaxing inventions, we do naturally look 
with a lurking suspicion on American statements, when they des- 
cribe unusual or disputed phenomena.” 
I, however, am of the contrary opinion, and may turn his words 
in the following may: Though we generally and naturally look 
with a lurking suspicion on American statements, when they des- 
cribe unusual or disputed phenomena, owing to a habit prevalent 
in the United States, of supposing that there is somewhat of wit 
in gross exaggerations, or hoaxing inventions, we are bound to 
admit all that 1s stated by such persons of unimpeachable character 
as Col. Prrxkins and others, whose testimonies we have inserted 
in our papers. They evidently communicated what they saw, without 
any exaggeration and without any tendency to crack a joke or to hoax. 
Again p. 318 of his work, after having treated of only a few 
of the different reports, that had come in up to his days (1860) 
Mr. GossE goes on in the following terms: | 
“A large mass of evidence has been accumulated; and I now 
set myself to examine it. In so doing, I shall eliminate from the 
inquiry all the testimony of Norwegian eye-witnesses, that obtained 
in Massachusetts in 1817, and various statements made by French 
and American captains since. Confining myself to English witnesses 
of known character and position, most of them being officers under 
the Crown, I have adduced the following testimonies.” 
Here again I must point out that there is not a single reason 
to exclude all testimonies not coming from British navigators. 
With such reasoning Mr. Gossr makes himself ridiculous in the 
eyes of all reasonable persons of his own and of other nations! 
