60 
THE SEA-SERPENT. 
was out of the den like a bird, and in less than a 
minute was back to say that u some men in a 
boat are coming this way.” Now it chanced 
three days before, that a gallant ship was burnt 
at morning ; they were a thousand miles from 
shore, and the flames had given so brief a warn¬ 
ing, that only one boat was saved, and she with 
women and men (say twenty-three) was crowded, 
— a wretched company. In fact, they were get¬ 
ting short of provision when they spied this rock ; 
and fields Elysian ne’er looked so fair to a poet’s 
view, as that rock to them, in the ocean blue. 
They steered for the rock and were coming near, 
when, looking down through the waters clear, 
they saw something swimming under the sea, and 
they wondered much what that fish could be ; 
just then they saw what filled them with fear, six 
serpents dash round them in full career ; they 
felt at the sight u considerably struck up ” ; but 
shipwrecked people must still keep their pluck 
up. The ladies at once began to cry ; some of 
the men felt disposed to mourn ; and, had you 
