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I, M a TT H E w G a F FN E Y, of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, 
Ship carpenter, depose and say : That on the fourteenth day of 
August, A D. 1817, between the hours of four and five o’clock 
in the afternoon, I saw a strange marine animal, resembling a 
serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester. I was in a boat, and 
was within thirty feet of him. His hea ! appeared full as large 
as a four-gallon keg ; his body as large as a barrel, and his length 
that I saw, I should judge forty feet, at least. The top of his 
head was of a dark colour, and the under part of his head ap¬ 
peared nearly white, as did also several feet of his belly, that I 
saw. I supposed and do believe that the whole of his belly was 
nearly white. I fired at him, when he was the nearest to me. 
I had a good gun, and took good aim. I aimed at his head, and 
tlunk I must have hit him. He turned towards us immediately 
after I had fired, and I thought he was coming at us ; but he 
sunk down and went directly under our boat, and made his ap¬ 
pearance at about one hundred yards from where he sunk. He 
did not turn down like a fish, but app ared to settle directly 
down, like a rock. My gun carries a ball of eighteen to the 
pound; and I suppose there is no person in town, more accus¬ 
tomed to shooting, than I am. I have seen the same animal at 
several other times, but never had so good a view of him, as on 
this day His motion was vertical, like the caterpillar. 
Q. How fast did it move ? 
A I should say he moved at the rate of a mile in two, or at 
most, three minutes. 
Q Did it appear smooth or rough ? 
A. I thought it smooth, though I was endeavouring to take 
aim at him, and will not say positively, that he was smooth, 
though that is still my belief. 
Q- Does he turn quick and short, and if so, what is the form 
of path that he makes, in turning ? 
A. He turns quick and short, and the first part of the curve 
that he makes in turning, is in the form of the staple ; but his 
head seems to approach rapidly towards his body, his head and 
