“Relation regarding a _Phenomenon_ seen by the crew and Owner and
guests of the yacht Shiantelle on the W. coast of Scotland on 30th.
July 1887 as told by J. A. HARVIE BROWN, and seen by him, and written
in his Journals of that date”.
“At 10″ to 15″ to 10 am. I was called quickly on deck by Cowell, and I
went up from breakfast. “What is that”? said Cowell. After some time
I saw between me and the shore to the E., which shore was about one
mile distant, undulations upon almost calm water (The ship was moving
at the rate of about half a knot an hour) being similar in appearance,
and having the motions of the (described and supposed) Sea-Serpent. I
counted with the binoculars twelve or perhaps thirteen humps at almost
perfectly regular distances the one from the others. The first of
these humps appeared to be moving rapidly through the water across the
line of vision, and to be breaking and spraying water, and the other
eleven or twelve (I had only time to count them once) maintained all
their relative positions with one another and collectively with the
first, _yet_ did not appear in themselves to me to move, though slight
ripples of water were visible, nearly throughout the whole length. The
whole disappeared and reappeared at least four times to me, apparently
simultaneously or almost so throughout its length. When last it was
seen, it was moving on a course almost parallel with the shore, which
shore runs N. E. or thereby. The distance from the ship at which time
I first saw it, and from that time to its final disappearance was
estimated by me at about half a mile by eye (but this may have been an
over-estimate of distance)”.
“John Campbell, seaman, and mate on board the yacht, standing at the
helm, deposes in a seperate document--drawn up and written by R. L.
Cowell, Steward, from his oral statement--which seperate statement, was
at once closed, without being read by either Dr. Heddle or myself, and
still remains so”.
“R. L. Cowell, Steward, who was on deck at the same time as John
Campbell (having laid and served our breakfast) deposes in similar
manner in a seperate statement, also closed and not read by Dr. Heddle
and myself”.
“But John Campbell on being examined by us deposes on cross-examination
that:--While we were at breakfast in the Saloon, he saw approaching
from the direction of Corrie Chreachan a series of large undulations
which passed “within 40 yards” then “within 30 yards” and again
“within the length of the ship” (which is 56 feet) from the stern
of the vessel, and travelling at a great pace; that he saw nothing
above the surface of the water except broken water in front of the
first or foremost undulation. That except this, he saw nothing
but the perpendicular swellings (vertical swellings), as it were
“skins of water” pushed up from beneath, and a long track or wake of
slightly disturbed water, left for a long distance behind. It was seen
approaching from the direction of the Sound between Scarba and Jura, or
Corrie Chreacan, and passed the stern of the vessel. It was therefore
heading at the time nearly E. The Ship’s head was lying about E. half
N.”
“R. L. Cowell saw it almost or quite simultaneously with John Campbell
on its first appearance.”
“N. B. The time between his calling me on deck and the time I first
observed the appearance, I have described, I put down at _about half_
a minute (as, before seeing it, after getting on deck, I asked one or
two questions as to bearings, before I could get sight of it with my
glasses). After my first look I called up Dr. Heddle. It was after
calling up Dr. Heddle, that I made out the counting of the humps,
and the other appearances described. I may have been 5 to 10 seconds
between my being called up, and my reaching the deck, aft of the
companion, and I then got the glasses and unscrewed them to focus,
while I was asking the questions as to bearings. Roughly speaking, I
calculate, that from the first appearance to Campbell and Cowell, till
its final disappearance, it must have been, inclusive of disappearances
and reappearances, about 15 minutes in sight or observation. When
_they_ saw it, it must have been travelling very rapidly; and not
nearly _so_ rapidly when we observed it at the greater distance. My
estimate of distance when I saw it, _may_ be an over-estimate put at
half a mile.”
“Before J. Campbell saw it he heard a heavy splash, and saw the marks
of the same, near the vessel--about half an hour before he saw what
he describes--but no importance is attached to this, as a heavy fish
some time after the disappearance, was seen shortly after to splash
near the vessel; and Pellocks were also seen in the vicinity. The
Pellocks however did not splash but rolled in their usual way. Not for
one moment can their motion be compared by any of us, with the other
appearances observed.” (Here Mr. BROWN has drawn a bunch, then a gap,
larger than the bunch, and then eleven smaller bunches, separated one
from the other by a gap as large as the half of one of these smaller
bunches, the whole drawing representing exactly the animal swimming
with vertical undulations and seen at a considerable distance.)
“Without actually fixing the position of the ship we consulted the
chart and as nearly as we could arrived at it by bearings. It will
be seen that the deepest water runs from the E. extremity of Corrie
Chreacan very much along the line which the object or objects seen,
was seen to follow; and that where its appearance was last noted the
soundings show a very rapid shoaling from 30 fathoms to 17 about the
position of our ship, being in from 15 to 17 fathoms.--”
“I think it right to add to the above account as written down on the
spot, that after the statements which were kept sealed for a long time
after, were consulted and every consideration given to the whole tale
and phenomenon personally I came to the conclusion, and feel very
certain still, that it was simply a _Tide-rip_ or _Tidal wave_ coming
from the direction of Corrievreachan between Scarba and Jura running
Easterly and then N. Easterly along the smooth water where soundings
showed the meeting of the shallow of the deep. I have questioned
Light-house-keepers since who have the most continuous chances of
observation, within often, calm seas, and they have assured me such a
phenomenon is not at all rare or unusual “under certain conditions of
tides in certain localities”. Sailors have less chance to witness these
phenomena perhaps than light-house-keepers, as they are seldom and long
stationary at all states of tides.”
Notwithstanding this conclusion of Mr. BROWN, I feel persuaded that
he, Prof. HEDDLE and others really saw the same appearance as did the
Rev. J. MACRAE and others (see n^o 137 and 138). The long back fin of a
dark colour, which gave opacity and threw water over laterally by its
lashings, of course was one of the animal’s fore-flappers.
1889, August 15.--A good little paper on the subject, and partly a
plea for the existence of the creature is in the _Standard_ of that
date.--(R. P. G.)
1891, July 24.--East coast of North Island, New-Zealand.--_The
Standard_, 1891, September 22.--(R. P. G.):--
“Mr. ALFRED FORD MATHEWS, a surveyor, living at Gisborne, on the east
coast of the North Island, wrote to the papers to the effect that while
on board the _Manopouri_, another of the Union Company’s steamers, on
the voyage from Auckland to Gisborne, on Friday, July 24th., he and
several others distinctly saw a sea-serpent resembling the one seen
from the _Rotomahana_ off Portland Island. This time it appeared north
of the East Cape, which is some distance to the north of where it was
seen by the _Rotomahana_ a week later. The time, Mr. MATHEWS states,
was between eight and nine in the morning. The “monster” was also
seen by the ship’s officer in charge. It would from time to time lift
its head and part of its body to a great height perpendicularly, and
when in that position would turn its body round in a most peculiar
manner, displaying a black back, white belly, and two armlet appendages
of great length, which appeared to dangle about like a broken limb
on a human being. It would then suddenly drop back into the water,
scattering it in all directions. It had a flat head, and was about
half a mile distant from the ship. The reason, Mr. MATHEWS added, that
he had not mentioned the matter before was that people were likely to
treat it with derision.”
1891, August 1.--Off the East-coast of North Island, New Zealand,
on board the _Rotomahana_, a steamer of the Union Steam-Shipping
Company.--_Standard_ of 22th. September, 1891; _Newcastle Evening
Chronicle_ of September 23, 1891.--(R. P. G. and GILBERT BOGLE.)
“The Chief Officer, Mr. ALEXANDER LINDSAY KERR, on being interviewed by
a newspaper reporter said:--
“On Saturday morning last, August 1st., about 6.30 o’clock, we were
off Portland Light, between Gisborne and Napier. I was on deck looking
over the weather side, to see if I could see the land, when I saw the
object, whatever it was, rise out of the water to the height of about
30ft. Its shape was for all the world like a huge conger eel, with the
exception that it had two large fins that appeared to be about 10 feet
long. The creature was not more than 100 yards away at the outside, and
I should estimate its girth at between ten and twelve feet. I could
not see its back as it was coming straight towards the steamer, but
its belly and fins were pure white. The creature’s head did not appear
to be particularly definite, the neck running right up to the head the
same as that of a large eel. It was broad daylight at the time, and
the sun was shining clearly. When it went beneath the water it did not
fall forward like a fish that is jumping, but drew itself back as if
with a contortion. I only saw it the once which was the last time it
rose. I looked out for it, thinking it might pass under the ship and
reappear on the other side, but I did not see it again. Had the weather
not been so rough the steamer might have gone alongside and ascertained
its dimensions. One of the Quartermasters Peter Nelson, was watching
the thing, and it so startled him that he took upon himself to rush
on to the bridge and ask me if I had seen it, a thing a sea-man never
does unless something very exceptional occurs. A landsman might do
so, but a sea-man never, unless under exceptional circumstances, such
as these. I have been to sea for twenty seven years, and have been
engaged in nearly every known trade from whaling in Greenland to the
slave trade, and have been in almost every part of the world, but I
never saw any object at sea like the one that rivetted my attention on
Saturday morning last. I have always been sceptical with regard to the
sea-serpent stories, I have heard and read, and a smile has always come
across my face at them, but I have been too long at sea, and have seen
too many remarkable things, to deny positively that there was such a
thing, had a landsman or a lady told me about the creature on Saturday,
while I should have given them credit for being quite sincere, I should
have taken no notice of it, as they are so apt to make mistakes at sea.
I am too much accustomed at sea, however, to have made any mistake.
When we got to Napier, I mentioned the circumstance there, when they
pointed out that there had been a shock of earthquake shortly before
the time we saw the creature, which may have been the cause of sending
it to the surface. As to its length I could give no opinion, but as the
creature rose some 30ft. out of the water I should imagine there were
still two-thirds of it in the water, but that is only my supposition.”
“PETER NELSON, the Quartermaster, referred to gave his story as
follows:--
“It was about 6.30 on Saturday morning last, August 1st. It was a
bright clear morning with the sun shining brightly. The weather,
however, was rough, with a heavy sea. I had just come from the wheel
at six o’clock, and was standing on the lee-side looking out, and all
at once I saw this thing appear rising out of the water about 30ft. It
went down again. It did not go forward like a fish jumping, but seemed
to draw itself right back under water as if it contracted itself. It
came up and went down again in the same way about four times. The
first time I saw it was about a mile off the ship to leeward; the last
time I saw it was about 100 yards from the ship. The time occupied in
traveling the distance seemed to be about two minutes. It looked like a
huge conger-eel or snake, except that it had two large fins. The fins
seemed to be about 10ft. long, and were situated about 20ft. from the
head. The tips of the fins were about touching the water. Where the
fins joined the body the latter seemed to bulge out. I did not see the
fins the first time it rose, but I saw them each time afterwards. The
belly and the fins were pure white. I saw the back part. It was the
colour of an eel. The head and neck were like those of an eel. It was
nothing like a whale. Had it been at all like a whale I should have
taken no notice of it, as it is such a common thing to see whales at
sea. It was not more than one hundred yards away the last time I saw
it. The thing was glistening in the sun. I could not see its eyes. Had
the sun not been shining, or had it been night, I might have been able
to see its eyes. Every time it went down there was a distinct splash
that could be heard quite plainly. The time being so early in the
morning and the sea being so rough, there were no people about except
the watch on deck, who were aft scraping the decks. The Chief Officer
was on the bridge. I spoke to him about it. He said he had seen it. I
have often heard of a sea-serpent before, but never saw one, nor have
I ever seen any one who had seen one, but have spoken to men who have
seen other men who professed to have seen the creatures. I have always
laughed at the sea-serpent story but never denied it. Call it what
you like, but after my experience of Saturday morning I am decidedly
of opinion that what I saw is a fish or creature that is never hardly
seen. I never saw any thing like it before, although I have been at sea
twenty five years and have seen a great many queer things.” In reply to
a question, Nelson said, “I am not a very frightened sort exactly, but
I suppose I should have been frightened if it had come much closer.”
I have reprinted here these three reports of two different
appearances, because they so completely corroborate the hitherto so
wonderful-seeming report of EGEDE (5), and figure of BING (fig. 19). As
to the remark of Prof. HUTTON, of Canterbury College (N. Zeal.) “that
if the animal had great fins or flappers, as reported, they would no
doubt be used for swimming, and it is improbable that the creature
would wave them about in the air like wings”, I only remark in my turn,
that Prof. HUTTON seems never to have observed the movements of seals,
and sea-lions, for these animals really “wave the flappers about in the
air like wings”.