82 
SEA MONSTERS UNMASKED. 
two of them, reduced in size to suit these pages — one 
showing the relative positions of the ''serpent" and the 
ship when the former was first seen {Frontispiece), and the 
other (Fig. 19) representing the animal afterwards passing 
under the frigate's quarter. An enlarged drawing of its 
head was also given, which I have not thought it neces- 
sary to copy. 
Lieutenant Drummond, the officer of the watch men- 
tioned in Captain M'Quhae's report, published his memo- 
randum of the impression made on his mind by the 
animal at the time of its appearance. It differs somewhat 
from the captain's description, and is the more cautious of 
the two. 
I beg to send you the following extract from my journal. 
H.M.S. ' Daedalus,' August 6, 1848, lat. 25° S., long. 9° 37' E., St. 
Helena 1,015 utiles. In the 4 to 6 watch, at about 5 o'clock, 
we observed a most remarkable fish on our lee-quarter, crossing 
the stern in a S.W. direction. The appearance of its head, which 
with the back fin was the only portion of the animal visible, was 
long, pointed and flattened at the top, perhaps ten feet in length, 
the upper jaw projecting considerably ; the fin was perhaps 20 feet 
in the rear of the head, and visible occasionally ; the captain also 
asserted that he saw the tail, or another fin, about the same dis- 
tance behind it ; the upper part of the head and shoulders appeared 
of a dark brown colour, and beneath the under-jaw a brownish- 
white. It pursued a steady undeviating course, keeping its head 
horizontal with the surface of the water, and in rather a raised 
position, disappearing occasionally beneath a wave for a very brief 
interval, and not apparently for purposes of respiration. It was 
going at the rate of perhaps from twelve to fourteen miles an hour, 
and when nearest was perhaps one hundred yards distant ; in fact 
it gave one quite the idea of a large snake or eel. No one in the 
ship has ever seen anything similar ; so it is at least extraordinary. 
It was visible to the naked eye for five minutes, and with a glass 
for perhaps fifteen more. The weather was dark and squally at 
