6016 



Reptiles. 



was surging under its chest as it passed along at a rate, probably, of not less than ten 

 miles per hour. Capt. M'Quhae's first impulse was to tack in pursuit, ourselves being 

 on a wind on the larboard tack, when he reflected that we neither could lay up for it 

 or overhaul it in speed. There was nothing to be done, therefore, but to observe it as 

 accurately as we could with our glasses as it came up under our lee quarter and passed 

 away to windward, at its nearest position being not more than 200 yards from us ; the 

 eye, the mouth, the nostril, the colour and form, all being most distinctly visible to us. 

 We all felt greatly astonished at what we saw, though there were sailors among us of 

 thirty and forty years' standing, who had traversed most seas and seen many marvels 

 in their day. The captain was the first to exclaim, ' This must be that animal called 

 the sea-serpent,' a conclusion which, after sundry guesses, we all at last settled down 

 to. My impression was that it was rather of a lizard than serpentine character, as its 

 movement was steady and uniform, as if propelled by fins, not by any undulatory 

 power. It was in sight from our first observing it about ten minutes, as we were fast 

 leaving one another on opposite tacks with a freshening breeze and the sea getting up. 



" I feel. Sir, I have already occupied more of your time and space than is justifi- 

 able, and have the honour to remain your obedient servant, 



An Officer of Her Majesty's Ship ' D^dalus.* 



" February 13." 



" Sir, — A letter appears in the ' Times ' of to-day signed ' Frederick Smith ' on 

 the subject of the sea-serpent. 



" The writer has this advantage over others who have reported the occasional ap- 

 pearance of what he fairly calls ' this queer fish ' — that he has handled as well as 

 seen it. Still there would seem to be a considerable variety in the genus, for, while 

 the specimen obtained by the ' Pekin ' in 1848 was 4 inches in diameter and 20 feet 

 in length, that seen from the ' Circassian ' is described, if I remember rightly, in your 

 paper of the 4th inst., as 10 feet or 11 feet in diameter, and upwards of 200 feet in 

 length. 



" In this latter instance it was seeing only, and but a passing sight ; and testimony 

 of this kind is just that which naturalists may be slow to receive as evidence of any 

 new fact ; nevertheless the practised vision of the Circassian's commander should go 

 for something, and, as it would appear from the following letter that Capt. Harrington 

 is to be in town next week and ready to answer any questions, it might be worth the 

 while of some of our philosophers to examine a little into the question of what Capt. 

 Harrington and his officers really did see. 



" I have the honour to be. Sir, your most obedient servant, 



" W. A. B. Hamilton. 



" Blackheath, February 12." 



" 14, South Castle Street, Liverpool, February 8. 

 " Dear Sir, — I am in receipt of your favour of the 6th of February, and should 

 be glad if my communication to the 'Times' might be instrumental in dispelling 

 many doubts respecting the existence of such a monster as that described by myself 

 and officers. 



" I communicated it to Capt. Schomberg, K.N., of this place, in the course of 

 conversation, who advised me by all means to send a copy of it to the ' Times.' 



