Part 45

“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.

* * * * *