Lateft ii 



fiances. 



NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



mentis haberi quibufdam. Nos oculatas manus habemus, Sirenef- 

 que tales demonflramus, quales revera vifae. Nee manus aut cote 

 fallunt, quarum icones dedimus ad ipfam nature veritatem con- 

 fectas." 



The latefl inflance I have learned of a Mer-man's being feen, 

 was in Denmark; and this flands attefled fo well, that it de- 

 fences to be quoted after all the others. I fhall give it as it is 

 found in Ol. Bang's collections, p. 52,8. and is as follows; Anno 

 1723, on the 20th of September, the burger- mafler, A. Buffseus, 

 of Elfeneur, had, by his ma jelly's orders, three ferrymen, inha- 

 bitants of Elfeneur, examined before the privy-councellor Frid. 

 von Gram. Their names were Peter Gunnerfen, aged 3 8, Nicho- 

 la^Jenfen, aged 31, his brother, and Jeppe Jenfon Giflen, aged 

 29. Thefe men were examined about a Sea-monfler, which they 

 affirmed they had feen, a few weeks before, and concerning which 

 their depofitions were taken upon their refpe&ive oaths, in order 

 to corroborate their teflimony. 



It appeared, that about two months before, the aforefaid ferry- 

 men were towing a fhip jufl arrived from the Baltic, and which 

 was then under full fail, when they were at a confiderable diftance 

 from land, being in the midway between Hveen and Ssedland, 

 where they could fee the church-fleeples of Landfcrone. The 

 calm weather induced them to lie by a little, and at the diftance 

 of an Englifh mile, or a quarter of a Norway mile, they obferved 

 fomething floating on the water like a dead body, which made 

 them row to it, that they might fee what it was. When they 

 came within feven or eight fathoms, it flill appeared as at ftrft, 

 for it had not flirred, but at that inflant it funk, and came up 

 again almofl immediately in the fame place. Upon this, out of 

 fear, they lay flill, and then let the boat float, that they might 

 the better examine the monfler, which, by the help of the 

 current, came nearer and nearer to them. He turned his face, 

 and flared at the men, which gave them a good opportunity of 

 examining him narrowly j he flood in the fame place for half a 

 quarter of an hour, and was feen above the water down to his 

 breafl : at lafl they grew apprehenfive of fome danger, and be- 

 gan to retire 5 upon which the monfler blew up his cheeks, and 

 made a khid of a roaring noife, and then dived under the water, 

 fo that they did not fee him any more. 



In regard to his form and fhape, they fay he appeared to 

 them like an old man, flrong limb'd, and with broad fhoulders, 

 but his arms they could not fee. His head was fmall in propor- 

 tion to the body, and had fhort-curled black hair, which did 



not 



