“Gloucester, August 28, 1817.”
“John Davis, }
“Jacob Bigelow, and } Esq’rs.
“Francis C. Gray }
“Gentlemen,
“I have received your favour of the 19th. inst. In that communication
you request my assistance, in collecting evidence relative to a strange
marine animal, that has appeared in the harbour in this place; and
I have most cheerfully complied with your request. The subject is
calculated to excite much interest, at home and abroad.”
“The deponents were interrogated separately, no one knowing what the
others had testified, and though they differ in some few particulars,
still, for the most part, they agree.”
“I am confident, from my own observation, that Mr. Allen is mistaken,
as to the motion of the animal. His motion is vertical. I saw him, on
the 14th. instant, for nearly half an hour. I should judge he was two
hundred and fifty yards from me, when the nearest. I saw him twice with
a glass for a short time, and at other times, with the naked eye. At
that distance, I could not take in the two extremities of the animal
that were visible, _at one view_, with a glass. His manner of turning
is well described in Messrs. Pearson’s and Gaffney’s descriptions. The
persons who have deposed before me, are men of fair and unblemished
characters. The interrogatories that you sent to me were all put to
the witnesses; but generally, I have omitted inserting them in the
depositions, when the witnesses declared their inability to answer
them.”
“I think Mr. Allen is likewise mistaken, as to the distinct portions of
the animal that were visible, at one time. I saw, at no time, more than
eight distinct portions; though more may have been visible; still, I
cannot believe that _fifty_ distinct portions were seen, at one time. I
believe the animal to be straight, and that, the apparent bunches were
caused by his vertical motion.”
“I have questioned Daniel Gaffney, who was in the boat with his brother
Matthew, when he fired at the animal, and Daniel’s answers corroborate
Matthew’s testimony.”
“Respectfully, gentlemen,
“Your most ob’t
“Lonson Nash.”
We observe that the Linnaean Society has exerted all its energies in
the matter and has acted with the greatest accuracy. In our historical
treatice we, however, have not followed the above order, but arranged
the depositions chronologically.
* * * * *
=37=.--1817, August 6?--In a letter from Mr. S. G. PERKINS, dated
Boston, Aug. 20, 1817, to Mr. E. EVERETT in Paris, preserved in the
Library of the Royal University of Göttingen, and which we shall
hereafter present to our readers _in toto_, we read:
“About a fortnight since, two women, who live near the entrance of the
Harbour of Cape Ann, reported that they saw a Sea-Monster come into the
Harbour, that it had the appearance of a Snake, was of great length,
&c.”
* * * * *
=38=.--1817, August, 10.--(See the _Report_ of 1817).
“I, Amos Story of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, mariner, depose
and say, that on the tenth day of August A. D. 1817, I saw a strange
marine animal, that I believe to be a serpent, at the southward and
eastward of Ten Pound Island, in the harbour in said Gloucester. It was
between the hours of twelve and one o’clock when I first saw him, and
he continued in sight for an hour and half. I was setting on the shore,
and was about twenty rods from him when he was the nearest to me. His
head appeared shaped much like the head of a sea turtle, and he carried
his head from ten to twelve inches above the surface of the water. His
head at that distance appeared larger than the head of any dog that I
ever saw. From the back part of his head to the next part of him that
was visible, I should judge to be three or four feet. He moved very
rapidly through the water, I should say a mile in two, or at most, in
three minutes. I saw no bunches on his back. On this day, I did not see
more than ten or twelve feet of his body.”
Though Mr. STORY compares the animal’s head with that of a sea-turtle,
probably because he saw it in such a direction that it seemed short and
thick; his statement that it carried its head a foot above the water,
and that it was larger than that of any dog at a distance of twenty
rods,--the head may even have been of about two feet--, that its motion
was rapid, are all mere repetitions of facts well known to us. He did
not see bunches on its back, the animal consequently swam with its body
in a straight line, a habit we have also already met with. Just behind
the head a part of the neck of about four feet was hidden under water,
and then twelve feet of the animal’s body were visible again.
* * * * *
=39=, =40=, =41=.--1817, August 12, 13, 14.--(See the _Report_, printed
in 1817).
“I, Solomon Allen 3d. of Gloucester, in the County of Essex,
shipmaster, depose and say; that I have seen a strange marine animal,
that I believe to be a sea-serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester.
I should judge him to be between eighty and ninety feet in length, and
about the size of a half barrel, apparently having joints from his
head to his tail. I was about one hundred and fifty yards from him,
when I judged him to be of the size of a half barrel. His head formed
something like the head of the rattle snake, but nearly as large as
the head of a horse. When he moved on the surface of the water, his
motion was slow, at times playing about in circles, and sometimes
moving nearly straight forward. When he disappeared, he sunk apparently
directly down, and would next appear at two hundred yards from where he
disappeared, in two minutes. His colour was a dark brown, and I did not
discover any spots upon him.”
“_Question._ When did you first see this animal?”
“_Answer._ I saw him on the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth of
August, A. D. 1817.”
“_Q._ How often, and how long at a time?”
“_A._ I was in a boat on the twelfth inst. and was around him several
times, within one hundred and fifty yards of him. On the thirteenth
inst. I saw him nearly all the day, from the shore. I was on the beach,
nearly on a level with him, and most of the time he was from one
hundred and fifty to three hundred yards from me. On the fourteenth, I
saw him but once, and had not so good a view of him.”
“_Q._ What parts of it were above the surface if the water, and how
high?”
“_A._ Its joints or bunches, appeared about eight or ten inches above
the surface of the water.”
“_Q._ Did it bend its body up and down in moving, or to the right and
left?”
“_A._ He moved to the right and left.”
“_Q._ How many distinct portions of it were out of the water, at one
time?”
“_A._ I should say fifty distinct portions.”
“_Q._ Did it appear smooth or rough?”
“_A._ It appeared rough and scaly.”
“_Q._ Had it ears, horns, or any other appendages?”
“_A._ I perceived none.”
“_Q._ How did its tail terminate?”
“_A._ He seemed to taper towards (what I thought) his tail, though I
had no distinct view of his tail.”
“_Q._ Did it utter any sound?”
“_A._ Not in my hearing.”
“_Q._ Did it appear to pursue, avoid, or notice any thing?”
“_A._ It appeared to me to avoid the boat where I was, though
afterwards, I saw him make towards a boat, in which was Mr. Gaffney and
others.”
“_Q._ Did you see more than one?”
“_A._ I did not.”
“_Q._ How many persons saw it?”
“_A._ Twenty or thirty persons were in view of me.”
“_Q._ Did he open his mouth when you saw him, and if so, how wide?”
“_A._ Yes, when I looked at him from the shore with a glass at about
two hundred yards distance, his mouth appeared to be open about ten
inches. I had no glass, when I saw him from the boat.”
“_Q._ Did he carry his head above the surface of the water?”
“_A._ Yes, at times, about two feet, then again he would carry the top
of his head just on the surface of the water.”
“_Q._ Did he turn short and quick, and what was the form of the curve
that he made?”
“_A._ He turned short and quick, and the first part of the curve that
he made in turning resembled the link of a chain; but when his head
came parallel with his tail, his head and tail appeared near together.
“Solomon Allen 3d.”
“Essex, ss. August 21, 1817. Personally appeared Solomon Allen the
third, and made oath that the foregoing facts by him subscribed, are
true, according to his best knowledge and belief.”
“Cor. Lonson Nash, Jus. Pacis.”
As we have already seen, Mr. LONSON NASH wrote in his letter to the
Committee:
“I am confident, from my own observation, that Mr. Allen is mistaken,
as to the motion of the animal. His motion is vertical.” And:
“I think Mr. Allen is likewise mistaken as to the distinct portions of
the animal, that were visible, at one time. I saw at no time more than
eight distinct portions; though more may have been visible; still I
cannot believe that _fifty_ distinct portions were seen at one time.”
As to the motion of the animal I believe that Mr. ALLEN was really
mistaken. When the animal was nearest to him, there was still a
distance of a hundred and fifty yards between Mr. ALLEN and the
animal. As to the number of the bunches which Mr. ALLEN reports, viz.
fifty, I believe that he has not _counted_ them; he says: I should say
fifty. PONTOPPIDAN tells us that the greatest number ever seen was
twenty-five, and I believe that this is indeed the case.
Moreover its length of from eighty to ninety feet, the size of the
visible part to be that of a half barrel, the resemblance of the head
to a rattle-snake’s, say a common snake’s, the size of it to be that of
a horse’s, say two feet, &c., &c., are all common statements. Of course
Mr. ALLEN is also mistaken as to its scaly surface. The roughness,
however, may have been the result of the rippling of the water. When
the animal disappeared it sunk directly down, like a rock, a statement
which we have met with and shall meet with several times. That the
teeth of the animal were not visible at a distance of two hundred yards
cannot surprise us. In the animal’s turning its flexibility again is
mentioned: head and tail approaching, nay, nearly touching each other.
* * * * *
=41=.--1817, August 14.--See also no 41 on p. 164.--(_Report of a
Committee_, 1817).
“I, Epes Ellery, of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, shipmaster,
depose and say; that on the 14th. day of August, 1817, I saw a
sea animal that I thought to be a serpent, in the harbour in said
Gloucester. I was on an eminence, near low water mark, and about thirty
feet above the level of the sea, when I saw him. I should judge that
he was about one hundred and fifty fathoms from me. I saw the upper
part of his head, and I should say about forty feet of the animal. He
appeared to me to have joints, about the size of a two-gallon keg. I
was looking at him with a spy-glass, when I saw him open his mouth, and
his mouth appeared like that of a serpent; the top of his head appeared
flat. His motion when he turned was quick, but I will not express an
opinion of his velocity. The first part of the curve that he made in
turning was of the form of a staple, and as he approached towards his
tail, he came near his body with his head, and then ran parallel with
his tail, and his head and tail then appeared together.”
“_Q._ At what time of the day did you see him?”
“_A._ It was a little after sun set.”
“_Q._ What parts of it were above the surface of the water, and how
high?”
“_A._ I did not count the number of bunches, but they appeared about
six inches above the surface of the water.”
“_Q._ Were its sinuosities vertical or horizontal?”
“_A._ Vertical.”
“_Q._ Did it appear to pursue, avoid, or notice any thing?”
“_A._ It did not appear to avoid any thing. He appeared to be amusing
himself, though there were several boats not far from him.”
“_Q._ Did you see more than one?”
“_A._ I did not.”
“_Q._ How many persons saw it?”
“_A._ There were fifteen or twenty persons near where I was.”
“Epes Ellery.”
Essex ss. August, 25, 1817. Personally appeared Epes Ellery, and made
oath to the truth of the foregoing facts by him subscribed.
“Cor. Lonson Nash, Jus. Pacis.”
Not a single fact which has not been stated before.
* * * * *
=41=.--1817, August 14.--(See also n^o. 41 on p. 164 and n^o. 41 on p.
167.)--(_Report of a Committee_, 1817).
“I, William H. Foster, of Gloucester, in the county of Essex, merchant,
depose and say: That on the fourteenth day of August, A. D. 1817,
I first saw an uncommon sea-animal, that I believe to have been a
serpent, in the harbour in said Gloucester. When I first discovered
him, his head was above the surface of the water, perhaps ten inches,
and he made but little progress through the water. He was apparently
shaded with light colours. He afterwards went in different directions,
leaving on the surface of the water, marks like those made by skating
on the ice. Then he would move in a straight line west, and would
almost in an instant, change his course to east, bringing his head,
as near as I could judge, to where his tail was; or in fact, to the
extreme hinder part visible, raising himself as he turned, six or eight
inches out of water, and shewing a body at least forty feet in length.”
Its being shaded with light colours is already mentioned by
PONTOPPIDAN. Its leaving a wake behind it has already been stated many
times, and will often be stated afterwards. Also its mode of turning,
giving to its body the form of a staple.”
* * * * *
=41=.--1817, August 14.--(See also n°. 41 on p. 164, p. 167, p.
168.)--(_Report of a Committee_, 1817.).
“I, Matthew Gaffney, 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 head 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 appeared 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 think 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 appearance at about one hundred yards
from where he sunk. He did not turn down like a fish, but appeared to
settle directly down, like a rock. My gun carries a ball of eighteen
to a pound; and I suppose there is no person in town, more accustomed
to shooting than I am. I have seen the animal at several other times,
but never had so good a view of him, as on this day. His motion was
vertical, like a 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, when 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 tail moving in opposite
directions, and when his head and tail came parallel, they appear
almost to touch each other.”
“_Q._ Did he appear more shy, after you had fired at him?”
“_A._ He did not; but continued playing as before.”
“_Q._ Who was in the boat with you, when you fired at the serpent?”
“_A._ My brother Daniel, and Augustin M. Webber.
“Matthew Gaffney.”
“Essex, ss. August 28, 1817. Then Matthew Gaffney made oath that the
foregoing, by him subscribed, is true according to his best knowledge
and belief.
“Before Lonson Nash, Jus. of Peace”
As we have already seen Mr. LONSON NASH in his letter to the Committee
wrote:
“His manner of turning is well described in Mr. Gaffney’s
description...... I have questioned Daniel Gaffney, who was in the boat
with his brother Matthew when he fired at the animal, and Daniel’s
answer corroborate Matthew’s testimony.”
We read here that the underpart of the head appeared almost white, and
several feet of its belly too (read of the underpart of its neck, or of
its throat). Further Mr. GAFFNEY goes on: “I supposed and do believe
that the whole of his belly was nearly white”. This is very remarkable,
for Mr. GAFFNEY seems to be familiar with sea-animals, as porpoises,
&c., and a very good observer, and his conclusion is quite right from
a zoological point of view. Very remarkable is the animal’s demeanor
after the shot. Apparently furious, it directed itself suddenly to
the shooter, but when very near to him, it sank down like a rock
and appeared again far away. This manner of acting will afterwards
be described again in Norway. Again its manner of disappearing is
described as sinking like a rock. The mode of turning too is just the
same as is mentioned every where.
* * * * *
=41=.--1817, August 14.--(See also n^o. 41 on p. 164, p. 167, p. 168,
p. 168.) (_Report of a Committee_, 1817.)
We read in the letter from Mr. LONSON NASH to the Committee that he
himself saw the animal:
“I saw him on the 14th. instant, for nearly half an hour. I should
judge he was two hundred and fifty yards from me, when the nearest.
I saw him twice with a glass for a short time, and at other times,
with the naked eye. At that distance, I could not take in the two
extremities of the animal, that were visible, at one view with a
glass...... His motion is vertical..... His manner of turning is well
described in Messrs. Pearson’s and Gaffney’s descriptions..... I saw,
at no time, more than eight distinct portions; though more may have
been visible..... I believe the animal to be straight, and that the
apparent bunches were caused by his vertical motion.”
The Chairman of the Committee, the Hon. JOHN DAVIS immediately wrote to
Mr. LONSON NASH the following letter:
“Boston, September 2, 1817.”
“Sir”,
“Your letter of the 28th. ult. to the Committee of the Linnaean
Society, and the accompanying depositions, were duly received, and
were yesterday communicated to the Society. The Committee are greatly
obliged to you for your ready compliance with their request. In these
sentiments the Society unite, and I am charged with the agreeable
office of communicating to you their vote of thanks for your very
acceptable labours. What you have thus accomplished will go far in
giving some precise and accurate conceptions on a subject, peculiarly
exposed to exaggeration and mistake. This evidence, with some
additional documents, will probably be published. The Committee will
not make their final report on the subject of their Commission until
evidence shall be procured respecting some other reputed appearances of
like description, particularly one at Plymouth in 1815.”
“We have been informed that the animal at Gloucester was once seen,
and it was said by a woman, lying dormant very near the shore. The
Committee wished this intimation to be given to you, that if it should
point to any material circumstances, the evidence might be taken.”
“The last we hear of the object of our inquiry is of his appearance
off East Point on the 28th. ult. This we gather from the testimony
of captain Toppan, and his crew, of the schooner Laura, coming from
Newburyport to Boston.”
“It appears by your letter, that you had sight of the animal. A letter
from you, giving a detailed account of your observations, would be
particularly acceptable.”
“We understand that a gentleman in Gloucester, (Captain Beach) has
a drawing, supposed to be a good representation of the animal. Some
information respecting this drawing would be agreeable; how far it is
considered by those who had the best view of the animal as a correct
representation, and whether the person possessing it would be disposed
to permit an engraving from it to be annexed to the publication of the
evidence, and on what terms. Yours very respectfully,
“Jno Davis.”
“We have already read the report of the appearance of 1815 (n^o. 34 and
35); the intelligence of the encounter on the 28th. of August we will
communicate afterwards (n^o. 48). The answer of Judge NASH, omitting
the intelligence about the animal reposing on the rocks (this report
has been discussed some pages further on, n^o. 45) runs as follows (See
_Report of a Committee_, 1817):
“Gloucester, September 9, 1817.”
“Sir”,
“Your favoured of the 2d. inst. has been received. The vote of thanks
of the Linnaean Society for my services was highly gratifying to me,
not simply on account of the high consideration I entertain for the
members of that laudable institution; but likewise for the agreeable
manner, and respectable channel, through which their vote of thanks was
communicated to me.”
“You request a detailed account of my observations, relative to the
serpent. I saw him on the fourteenth ultimo, and when nearest, I judged
him to be about two hundred and fifty yards from me. At that distance
I judged him (in the largest part) about the size of a half barrel,
gradually tapering towards the two extremes. Twice I saw him with a
glass, only for a short time, and at other times, with the naked eye,
for nearly half an hour. His colour appeared nearly black--his motion
was vertical. When he moved on the surface of the water, the track of
his rear was visible, for at least half a mile.”
“His velocity, when moving on the surface of the water, I judged was at
the rate of a mile in about four minutes. When immersed in the water,
his speed was greater, moving, I should say, at the rate of a mile in
two or at most three minutes. When moving under water, you could often
trace him by the motion of the water, on the surface, and from this
circumstance, I conclude he did not swim deep. He apparently went as
straight through the water, as you could draw a line. When he changed
his course, he diminished his velocity but little--the two extremes
that were visible appeared rapidly moving in opposite directions, and
when they came parallel, they appeared not more than a yard apart. With
a glass, I could not take in, at one view, the two extremes of the
animal, that were visible. I have looked at a vessel, at about the same
distance, and could distinctly see forty five feet. If he should be
taken, I have no doubt that his length will be found seventy feet, at
least, and I should not be surprised, if he should be found one hundred
feet long. When I saw him I was standing on an eminence, on the sea
shore, elevated about thirty feet above the surface of the water, and
the sea was smooth.”
“If I saw his head, I could not distinguish it from his body; though
there were seafaring men near me, who said that they could distinctly
see his head. I believe they spoke truth; but not having been much
accustomed to look through a glass, I was not so fortunate.”
“I never saw more than seven or eight distinct portions of him above
the water, at any one time, and he appeared rough; though I supposed
this appearance was produced by his motion. When he disappeared, he
apparently sunk directly down like a rock.”
“Captain Beach has been in Boston for a week past, and I am informed
that he is still there. An engraving from his drawing of the serpent
has been, or is now, making at Boston, but I have not been able to
ascertain how far his drawing is thought a correct representation.”
“Respectfully, Sir,
Your most obedient,
Lonson Nash.”
Mr. W. D. PECK says of this declaration (_Mem. Am. Acad. Arts Sc._ Vol.
IV. Pt. 1.)
“The account of it by Lonson Nash Esq. Justice of the Peace in
Gloucester, from his own observation, is perfectly free from prejudice,
and as clear and satisfactory as can be expected of an object at a
distance of two hundred and fifty yards.”
Remarkable in this testimony is again the considerable wake the animal
leaves behind it when swimming rapidly. Easy it is to explain why
the speed is greater under water than when partly visible above the
surface of the water. Those parts viz. which are above the surface
must be borne by the body hidden under water, consequently this
carries a burden, and the speed, it is evident, cannot be so rapid
as when the animal is quite under water, in which position each part
of the animal’s body is carried by the water itself, and not by the
individual. It has no burden to carry, it is specifically lighter, and
the speed can reach its maximum.--Remarkable too is the fact that the
animal, when swimming under water, does so just below the surface, and
causes the rippling of it. This is a habit of Pinnipeds.
Where Mr. Nash thinks that the apparent roughness is produced by its
motion, I am convinced that he is right. He could not distinguish
its head from its body, which cannot surprise us; both are of the
same thickness, when seen from aside, and I believe too that the
seafaring men, more accustomed to look with a glass, distinctly saw
the difference between head and neck. Moreover the mode of turning,
its length of more than seventy feet, its sinking down like a rock,
when disappearing, need not be spoken of; they were mere repetitions of
former statements.