I
have watched one of these extraordinary creatures, as it passed slowly
along, occupying a space two-thirds of the length of the ship (a
32-gun frigate;) its shape was nearly circular, of a dark green
colour, spotted with white and light green shades, like the _ray_, and
some other flat-fish.
Mr. Kriukof gave a curious description to Capt. Kotzebue of a marine
serpent which pursued him off Behring's island: it was red and
enormously long, the head resembling that of the sea-lion, at the same
time two disproportionately large eyes gave it a frightful appearance.
Mr. Kriukof's situation seems to have been almost as perilous above
the surface of the sea, as Lieutenant Hardy's Spanish diver's was,
with the _tinterero_ underneath!
In the History of Greenland, (which, by the by, may with propriety be
called Parrynese,) I think there is a well authenticated account of a
large sea-serpent seen upon the coast of that vast insular land in
Hudson's sea.
Sea-Devil.--Extract from the log-book of the ship Douglas.--"Sailed
May 3rd from Curacoa. May 6th, at three P.M. in lat. 35 long. 68.40,
made, as we supposed, a vessel bottom up, five or six miles
distant--proceeded within forty feet of the object, which appeared in
the form of a turtle--its height above water ten or twelve feet; in
length twenty-five or thirty feet, and in breadth twelve feet, with
oars or flappers, one on each side; twelve or fifteen feet in length,
one-third of the way from his tail forward, and one on each side near
his tail five feet long.
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