62 
SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 
gun, that was ready charged, and fired at it ; on this he imme- 
diately plunged under the water. We rowed to the place where 
it sunk down (which in the calm might be easily observed) and 
lay upon our oars, thinking it would come up again to the surface ; 
however it did not. Where the snake plunged down, the water 
appeared thick and red j perhaps some of the shot might wound it, 
the distance being very little. The head of this snake, which it held 
more than two feet above the surface of the water, resembled that 
of a horse. It was of a greyish colour, and the mouth was quite 
black,' and very large. It had black eyes, and a long white mane, 
that hung down from the neck to the surface of the water. 
Besides the head and neck, we saw seven or eight folds, or coils, 
of this snake, which were very thick, and as far as we could guess 
there was about a fathom distance between each fold. I related 
this aftair in a certain company, where there was a person of dis- 
tinction present who desired that I would communicate to him an 
authentic detail of all that happened ; and for this reason two of 
my sailors, who were present at the same time and place where -I 
saw this monster, namely, Nicholas Pedersen Kopper,and Nicholas 
Nicholsen Anglewigen, shall appear in court, to declare on oath 
the truth of every particular herein set forth ; and I desire the 
favour of an attested copy of the said descriptions. 
I remain, Sir, your obliged servant, 
L. DE Ferry. 
"Bergen, 21st February, 1751. 
" After this the before-named witnesses gave their corporal 
oaths, and, with their finger held up according to law, witnessed 
and confirmed the aforesaid letter or declaration, and every par- 
ticular set forth therein to be strictly true. A copy of the said 
attestation was made out for the said Procurator Reutz, and 
granted by the Recorder. That this was transacted in our court 
of justice we confirm with our hand and seals. Actu7n Bergis die 
et loco, ut supra. 
A. C. Dass {Chief Advocate), 
H. C. Gartner {Recorder):' 
