We copied a paragraph from the London Globe, last week, alleging the appearance of a huge sea serpent to persons on board the British frigate Dedalus. The following official announcement of the fact is copied from a state paper brought by the Hibernia.
Her Majesty’s Ship Dedalus, Mamoaze, Oct. 11.
Sir-In reply to your letter of this day’s date, inquiring information as to the truth of a statement published in the Globe newspaper, of a sea serpent of extraordinary dimensions having been seen from her Majesty’s ship Dedalus, under my command, in her passage from the East Indies, I have the honor to acquaint you, for the information of the lords commissioners of the Admiralty, that at 1o’clock P. M. on the 6th of August last, in latitude 4 deg. 44 min. S, and longitude 9 deg. 22 min. W. The weather dark and cloudy, wind fresh from the N. W. with long ocean swell from the N. E., by N. something very unusual was seen by Mr. Sartoris, midshipman, rapidly approaching the ship before the beam. The circumstance was immediately reported by him to the officer of the watch, lieutenant Edger Drummed, with whom and Mr. William Barret, the master, I was at the time walking the quarter deck. The ship’s company were at supper.
On our attention being called to the object, it was discovered to be an enormous serpent, with head and shoulders kept about four feet constantly above the surface of the sea, and as nearly as we could approximate by comparing it with length of what our maintopsail yard would show in the water, there was at the very least 60 feet of the animal, no portion of which was, to our perception, used in propelling it through the water, either by vertical or horizontal undulation. It passed rapidly, but so close under our left quarter, that had it been a man of my acquaintance, I would have easily recognized his features with the naked eye; and it did not, either in approaching the ship or after it had passed our wake, deviated in the slightest degree from its course to the S. W., which it held on at the pace of from 12 to 15 miles an hour, apparently on some determined purpose.
The diameter of the serpent was about fifteen or sixteen inches behind the head, which was without any doubt, that of a snake, and never during the twenty minutes that it continued in sight of our glasses, was below the surface of the water; its color a dark brown, with yellowish white about the throat. It had no fins, but something like the mane of a horse, or rather a bunch of sea weed about its back. It was seen by the quartermaster, the boatswain’s mate, and the man at the wheel, in addition to myself and officers above mentioned.
I am having a drawing of the serpent made from a sketch taken immediately after it was seen, which I hope to have ready for transmission to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, by tomorrow’s post.
Peter M’Quham, Captain.
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