NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. i 99 



I wifh I had to communicate to the public. I have however in* 

 ferted a draught that I was favoured with by the before-mentioned 

 clergyman, Mr. Hans Strom, which he caufed to be carefully 

 made, under his own infpe&ion. This agrees in every particular 

 with the defcription of this monfter, given by two of his neigh- 

 bours at Herroe, namely, Meff. Reutz and Tuchfen, and of 

 which they had been eye-witnefles. I might mention to the fame 

 purpofe many more perfons of equal credit and reputation. Ano- 

 ther drawing alfo, which appears more diftinQ; with regard to 

 the forrn of this creature, was taken from the reverend Mr. 

 Egede's journal of the Greenland miffion, where the account 

 ftands thus in p. 6. « On the 6th of July, i 734 , there appeared 

 a very large and frightful Sea-monfter, which raifed itfelf up fo 

 high out of the water, that its head reached above our main-top. 

 It had a long (harp fnout, and fpouted water like a Whale, and 

 very broad paws. The body feemed to be covered with fcales, 

 and the skin was uneven and wrinkled, and the lower part was 

 formed like a Snake. 



After fome time the creature plunged backwards into the water, 

 and then turned its tail up above the furface a whole fhip-length 

 from the head *. The following evening we had very bad wea- 

 ther." So far Mr. Egede. The drawing annexed gives me the 

 greateft reafon to conclude, (what by other accounts I have 

 thought probable) that there are Sea-fnakes, like other Fifh, of 

 different forts. That which Mr. Egede faw, and probably all 

 thofe who failed with 'him, had under its body two flaps, or per- 

 haps two broad fins • the head was longer, and the body thicker f^ 

 but much fhorter than thofe Sea-fnakes, of which I have had the 

 mod confifleiic accounts. Though one cannot have an opportu- 

 nity of taking the exacl dimenfions of this creature, yet all that 

 have feen it are unanimous in affirming, as far as they can judge 

 at a diftance, it appears to be of the length of a cable, i. e. 

 100 fathoms, or 600 Englifh feet jjj "that -it' lies on the furface 



of 



* I remember to have feen this Sea-fnake reprefented in a large picture at Mr. Jacob 

 Severing, who then had the care of the expeditions to Greenland, under his majefty's 

 commiffion, and had put a Latin verfe under it ; the purport of which was, as far as 

 I can remember, that he looked with difdain upon that infernal Dragon, that feems 

 to frighten all. that come therewith the defign of enlightening and converting the 

 Greenland heathens. 



t In the New Survey of Old Greenland, p. 48, the before mentioned Mr. Egede 

 fpeaks of the fame monfter, with this addition, that the body was full as thick and 

 as big in circumference as the fhip that he failed in. Mr. Bing, one of the mifiiona- 

 nes, that took a drawing of if, informed his brother-in-law, Mr. Sylow, minifter of 

 Hougs in this diocefe, that this creature's eyes feemed red, and like burning fire ; aH 

 which makes it appear that it was not the common Sea-fnake. 



§, It was probably, from the appearance of this creature, that the valfarft king 



Oluf 



