Part 19

* * * * *

In the Illustrated London News for 1850, April 20, Supplement, we read:

“The following we extract from the Christian (United States) Mercury.--The following letter from a gentleman of Beaufort gives exciting news of what may, by this time, be the “seat of war”. The old fellow has got into close quarter, and if he does not make a sudden and fortunate dash, has nothing better than offering himself as an oblation on the altar of science:--Beaufort, March 15, 1850. The report of Captain Bankenship and passengers has been verified by many other witnesses. This formidable sea-monster has been seen again to day, we understand, in our waters. When discovered by those on board the steamer, his “eminence” was in Port Royal Sound, a distance of seven or eight miles from this town. Since that time he has been lazily making his way up Broad-River, and was seen by a gentleman, we understand, to-day in White Branch River, an arm of the Broad, he is reported to be making his way higher up still, when, perhaps, he may be captured. He is described as being from 120 to 150 feet in length, and of proportionate bulk; has the head of a serpent, which he carries, when in motion, five or six feet out of the water, about ten feet from his head is a hump, resembling a huge hogshead, and as far as he could be seen, out of the water a succession of humps was observed. He was pursued for several miles along the bank of the river, at times the party in pursuit coming very near to him. He was shot at with a rifle and shot gun, which had the effect of making him timid, and caused him to sink below the surface of the water when nearly approached. We understand that a party from this place has been made up to capture him, if possible. The plan is to man two large flats with a cannon to each, one going below where he is represented to be, and the other above, and then approach each other, and, when he is discovered, to fire into him. In this way he may be taken if, peradventure, he does not take them first. The Whale Branch is not more than 100 yards wide, and there is every probability of an animated conflict with this king of the waters within his own dominions; and I suppose it is admitted that the battle must be waged upon his own terms. The “Charlestown Courier” has a letter from Beaufort, of the same date, and of a similar tenor to which is appended the following:--Information has just reached us that the said sea-serpent is ashore at the mouth of Skull Creek. If so, the prize is certain, and Beaufort immortalized.”

Mr. NEWMAN inserted this tale in his Zoologist of 1850, p. 2803, however, not without the following introduction:

“Ever since Prof. OWEN attempted to confound this leviathan with the seals, on which he probably feeds, taking in whole shoals of them at a mouthful, and draining of the water with his seaserpentbone apparatus in the manner of a whale filling his stomach with medusae and shrimps: ever since the promulgation of this humilating hypothesis, the great sea-serpent has felt himself snubbed and has doggedly kept in deep water, pertinatiously resolved, no doubt, to withhold himself in future from the incredulous malevolence of men. But he has relented: the recurrence of St. Valentine has warmed his heart: he has once more risen to the surface, and has wisely concluded to shun the disparaging Britishers, and to select, as of yore, for the scene of his auto-exhibition, the shores of a nation, at once the smartest and most credulous on earth. The papers of the United States are fraught with intelligence respecting him; cannon have been discharged, and reports say that he is actually ashore. My first extract is from a religious newspaper, entitled the “Christian Mercury.””

The reader will afterwards get acquainted with Prof. OWEN’S suggestions; it is not now the right moment to enter into them; I will only observe that Mr. NEWMAN also wrote the following last word:

“The London papers have repeated all this, intermixed with a perfect flood of wit: the shafts of which are directed against believers and unbelievers, in a very pleasing and impartial manner. Is it still a hoax, or a Brachioptilon Hamiltoni?--EDWARD NEWMAN, London, April 20, 1850.”

I must confess that I too am much inclined to believe, that all that has above been mentioned is a mere hoax, though the description of the animal agrees with that of the Sea-serpent. It is striking that the arm of the Broad-River is first called White-River, and a few lines afterwards Whale-River.--As to the Brachioptilon Hamiltoni, it is a kind of shark.

* * * * *

Again in the Illustrated London News for 1850, Sept. 7, appeared a hoax in the following terms:

“The Cork Constitution publishes the following circumstantial letter: Courtmasherry, Aug. 29.--Sir,--The following particulars, the accuracy of which need not to be questioned, will, I doubt not, interest many of your readers:--The different fishing establishments on the shore of this extensive bay, extending from the Old Head of Kinsale to the Seven Heads, have been within the last few days abundantly supplied with fish of every description, and the greatest activity prevails to profit by the bounty which has been thus sent to us literally in shoals. It has been noticed too, that some description of fish, haak for instance, has been captured further within the limits of the inner harbour than was ever known before. In fact, as I heard it observed, the fish was literally leaping ashore. These novel appearances, however, it was my lot to see fully accounted for yesterday (August 28). At about 1 o’clock A. M. when sailing in my yacht, with a slight breeze off shore, about two miles to the south of the beacon erected to the Barrel rocks, one of the party of four gentlemen on board (M. B. of Bandon) drew attention towards the structure, with the interrogatory of: “Do you see anything queer about the Barrels?” In an instant the attention of all on board was rivetted on an object which at first struck me as like the upheaved thick end of a large mast, but which, as it made out plainer, proved to be the head of some huge fish or monster. On bearing down towards the object we could distinctly see, with the naked eye, what I can best describe as an enormous serpent without mane or fur or any like appendage. The portion of the body above water, and which appeared to be rubbing or scratching itself against the beacon, was fully thirty feet long, and in diameter I should say about a fathom. With the aid of a glass it was observed that the eyes were of immense size, about nine inches across the ball, and the upper part of the back appeared covered with a furrowed shell-like substance. We were now within rifle shot of the animal, and, although some on board exhibited pardonable nervousness at the suggestion, it was resolved to fire a ball at the under portion of the body whenever the creature’s unwieldy evolutions would expose its vulnerable part. The instant the piece was discharged the monster rose as if impelled by a painful impulse to a height which may appear incredible, say at least thirty fathoms, and culminating with the most rapid motion dived or dashed itself under water with a splash that almost stopped our breath with amazement. In a few moments all disturbance of the water subsided, and the strange visitor evidently pursued his course to seaward. On coming up to the beacon we were gratified to find adhering to the supports numerous connecting scaly masses, such as one would think to be rubbed from a creature “coating” or changing its old skin for a new one. These interesting objects can be seen at the Horse Rock Coast Guard station, and will repay a visit. These particulars I have narrated in the clearest manner I am able, and if others, in other boats, who had not so good an opportunity of seeing the entire appearance of the animal as those in my boat had, should send you a more readable account of it, I pledge myself none will more strictly adhere to the real facts. I am, Sir, your very obedient servant, “Roger W. Travers””, in the Cork Constitution, Sept. 2.

And in the number of September 14 of the same year, we read:

“The mysterious stranger has been again seen by Mr. Travers and his enterprising yachtsmen. They have brought four rifles to bear upon his left eye which, it seems, he most merrily winked at his pursuers. He would have laughed in his sleeve at the pleasant conceit, but we learn that he had just put off his coat. He, however, wished them a polite good morning, and descended to unknown depths”.

“On Saturday last (August 31), the weather having the appearance of being settled fine, I put out to sea, determined, as far as the capabilities of my little craft would permit, to go any length in finding out the position of the stranger, hoping, by keeping a constant look out in every direction, to discover him. Nor was I disappointed, the animal, lured no doubt by the dense masses of fish now off the coast, having remained within a comparatively short distance of the land. At about 11. o’clock A. M., when off Dunwordy-head, one of my crew on the look out sang out: “The sea-serpent on starboard bow!” and on looking in the direction indicated, I had the pleasure of at once recognizing the same monster that I had before seen, and greatly do I regret, indeed, that you or some person conversant with natural history were not on board with me. We drew as close as I thought consistent with safety, and had ample proof of the creature being piscivorous, he being at the time engaged in bolting a great number of large haak or congereels. I had now for the first time a view of his tail, which entirely differs from the usual form of that extremity in most descriptions of fish, being furnished with no fin, but somewhat resembling a huge elephant’s trunk or proboscis, the end long drawn out and curling and twisting in a very remarkable manner. I really feel afraid to hazard expressing in figures what I judge to be the dimensions of the animal, but I do believe that if it were stretched straight from head to tail it would be rather over than under thirty fathoms long, and of that length I am satisfied fully half is seven feet in diameter. The mouth is a most capacious organ, and opens something like that of an alligator. The small size of the gills, for I could discern nothing like the blowing holes of a whale, rather surprised me. The nose, I think, is formed of a soft flesh-like substance, not bony; and from the broken condition of the external coat of scales I am satisfied, as before observed, that the beast is now in its “coating” state. After a little time it appeared evident that he had fallen asleep, as we could perceive him rapidly drifting on shore at the east side of Dunworly-head; and I once more, although I now feel with more rashness than discretion, resolved to try the effect of firearms in capturing him. Four rifles were prepared, brought simultaneously to bear on the animal’s head, and, giving the word myself, and directing all to aim for the eye turned towards us, bang went the pieces in a volley, the shots taking evident effect. His first movement was to shake his head and wink the wounded eye in a rapid manner, and then, as if to cool the painful wound, he suddenly dived, since when I have not had the slightest trace of him either by my own observation or through others”. Cork Constitution, Sept. 7.

“The Cork Constitution, referring to the foregoing says:--Since the above letter was received, the following information on the same subject came to hand. Monday last a party of gentlemen belonging to this city were enjoying a sailing excursion in the Antelope yacht, belonging to Mr. Wheeler, along the coast from Glandore to Kinsale. Passing the Old Head of Kinsale, the day unusually fine, they observed an extraordinary commotion in the sea, apparent to every one on board. The bay at Kinsale was at the time filled with fish. In a few moments they perceived a large serpent-like fish on the surface, that could not be less than 120 feet in length. In shape it resembled a long funnel of an immense steamer. Unfortunately they were not sufficiently near the monster to give a description, of the head and body. After lying on the surface for a few minutes, it suddenly dashed ahead with a velocity, as far as could be seen for a distance of two miles, of at least sixty miles an hour. It then disappeared. It was believed that the sea-serpent must have been in pursuit of the shoals of fish that thronged the bay. It is a singular circumstance that, notwithstanding the unusual quantity of fish that was observable, the Kinsale hookers were most unsuccessful, as it was stated they did not obtain a single take during the evening. The gentlemen who have witnessed the visit of the monster, and whose statement is detailed above, may be relied on as above all suspicion”.--Cork Constitution Sept. 7.--

The Zoologist of course could not overlook such statements. In the year 1850 this journal inserted the three reports (see p. 2925):

“The Great Sea-Serpent has again appeared with immense éclât in the newspapers. Most respectable witnesses are called to speak a word in his favour, as will be seen by the following extracts from the daily press. It should, however, be premised that a number of brief and analogous paragraphs had previously located him “at Howth”, “off Wexford”, and “off Cork”; so that he made the grand demonstration at Kinsale, he appeared to be taking a coasting trip round the shores of old Ireland.”

Here follow the above mentioned three hoaxes, of Courtmasherry, August 29, August 31, and September 2. Further we read in the Zoologist:

“A few friends accompanied me on a boating excursion this day (Sept. 9) whose names are William Silk, John Hunt, George Williams, Henry Seymour, and Edward Barry, and, being off the Souverein-Islands, our attention was directed by one of the party to an extraordinary appearance ahead of the boat; immediately all eyes were turned to see what it was, when, to our astonishment and fright, the above monster of the deep was bearing down to us; we were at once thrown into an awful fright, and thought it best to retreat for the shore; on our landing, Mr. W. Silk, who was armed with a double barrelled gun, discharged both barrels at the monster, but without effect. I need not describe his appearance, as you are aware of it before, but from inquiries from various boatmen I am told he has been off the harbour the last three days.”--John Good, of Kinsale.” in Cork Reporter, Sept. 11.

Mr. NEWMAN, the Editor of the Zoologist, adds:

“The next account states that a party encountered the monster in Ballycotton Bay, fired into him, and made him disgorge a shoal of fishes, some of which fell into the boat, and being handled, gave the crew the most terrific electric shocks; where upon the naturalist of the party immediately concluded, and I think, with great judgment, that the sea-serpent is neither more nor less than the electric eel (Gymnotus electricus).”

“The last account published in London, on this day (September 24), reports his capture and death at Youghal, in the county of Cork, together with full admeasurements, and the names of the parties concerned in the galant achievement.”

“There was something that struck me as unsatisfactory about several parts of this highly exciting narrative. One o’clock in the morning, and without the assistance of a moon, was rather a strange time to make such exact observations. Again, about the scales; why not sent some to London or Dublin?--why keep them at the light-house? And again, the bearing of Kinsale bay did not quite correspond with my remembrance of the place: so I epistolized the chief actors, and particularly entreated Mr. Travers to send me a handful of scales, and a more detailed account: alas! there was no response. After a while I bethought myself of a friend in London who corresponds with the accountant of the Principal Bank at Bandon. To this gentleman my friend, with prompt kindness, applied, and I have now the pleasure of laying his most explicit answer before the readers of the “Zoologist”.”

“Dear Sir,--I reply to your note relative to the Sea-Serpent, there is not one word of truth in the statements put forward in the newspapers: there is no such person as Roger W. Travers, but there is a person named James W. Travers, to whom I believe it has been done to annoy (and indeed with great effect). Mr. Thomson’s family has been staying in the neighbourhood, but do not hear a word of it except what is to be seen in the papers about it. Dear Sir, yours truly, H. O.’ Callaghan.”--Bandon, Sep. 18, 1850.

“Any comment on this would be superfluous.--Edward Newman.”

The trouble Mr. NEWMAN gave himself to get possession of the scales, and to know whether the reports were true or not, is the best proof that he was caught in the snare!

* * * * *

The Sea-Serpent caught at last! (See The New York Tribune for 1852, February, GALIGNANI’S Messenger for 1852, Februari, The Illustrated London News for 1852, March, 18, The Times for 1852, March 10, The Zoologist for 1852 p. 3426--3429, Spenerische Zeitung for 1852, March).