SEA-Serpent, a monstrous creature, said to inhabit the northern seas about Greenland and the coasts of Norway. The following marvellous account of this monster is given by Guthrie. "In 1756, one of them was shot by a master of a ship: its head resembled that of a horse; the mouth was large and black, as were the eyes, a white mane hanging from its neck: it floated on the surface of the water, and held its head at least two feet out of the sea: between the head and neck were seven or eight folds, which were very thick; and the length of this snake was more than 100 yards, some say fathoms. They have a remarkable aversion to the smell of castor; for which reason, ship, boat, and bark masters provide themselves with quantities of that drug, to prevent being overtaken, the serpent's olfactory nerves being remarkably exquisite. The particularities related of this animal would be incredible, were they not attested upon oath. Eggede, a very reputable author, says, that on the 6th day of July 1734, a large and frightful sea-monster raised itself so high out of the water, that its head reached above the main-top-mast of the ship; that it had a long sharp snout, broad paws, and spouted water like a whale; that the body seemed to be covered with
scales; the skin was uneven and wrinkled, and the lower part was formed like a snake. The body of this monster is said to be as thick as a hog's head; his skin is variegated like a tortoise shell; and his excrement, which floats upon the surface of the water, is corrosive." Notwithstanding the belief of Guthrie, and the testimony which he produces, we cannot help doubting of the existence of the sea-serpent. Its bulk is said to be so disproportionate to all the known animals of our globe, that it requires more than ordinary evidence to render it credible; but the evidence which is offered is so very feeble and unsatisfactory, that no man of sound judgement would think it sufficient to establish the truth of an extraordinary fact.
Attempts have lately been made to revive the opinion of the existence of sea-mermaids and sea-serpents. An individual of the latter, it is supposed, was some time ago thrown on shore in Orkney. Part of the skeleton is said to be in the museum of the University of Edinburgh, and another part is in the possession of Mr Home of London, who thinks that it may have belonged to an individual of some of the whale tribe, perhaps a monster of that tribe; but according to others it is to be considered as constituting a distinct genus. We cannot avoid observing, that this point must remain unsettled, till other species of this new genus have been discovered, or at least till an entire individual have been described by an experienced naturalist.