THE
GREAT
SEA-SERPENT,
UPON THE COAST OF
NEW-ENGLAND.
IN 1817.
WITH A PORTRAIT OF HIS MAJESTY.
PRINTED IN HARTFORD.
OOOO
1818.

܂ '

DEDICATION.
To the scientific, the curious, the in-
quisitive, the wondering', the credulous,
and incredulous, alias, the believing and
unbelieving.-To ALL of every name
and nature, of whatever whim, charm,
whether witch, wizzard, or SERPENT,
this work is dedicated by
NEPTUNE,



ས་རྒྱ་

THE GREAT
SEA-SERPENT.
THE
HE numerous class of readers, to whom this novel
and interesting work is dedicated, are all interested in the subject
of it. From the days of Adam and Eve down to 1817, the SER-
PENT, alias the devil, has always had great agency in the affairs
of the little dirty planet called Earth. Ireland, however, must
be excepted, as the good Saint Patrick drove him out of the
Emerald Isle'' many centuries ago. This probably accounts for
the peculiar mildness of Irishmen; and is the reason why there is
so little hissing among them. This is a digression in favour of
“oppressed humanity."
The serpent
occasioned quarrelling between husbands and
wives. Adam declared roundly, that Eve began the jaw, by be-
guiling him. She positively asserted that the old devil was wholly
to blame ; and as husbands and wives will never suffer their
neighbors to interfere in their conjugal sparrings, they contrived
to turn the old curse out doors. Adam continued to fret because
he had to sweat and Eve kept a snarling because she kept a-
sewing. This is the reason why men are so cross in harvest time,
and why women are always 'tangled in something or other; and
why they bave, from the days when fig-leave robes covered their
lovely bodies, down to this time, when they are decorated with
that learned stuff called book muslin, been ripping, and snarling,
and un-ravelling, and tearing. But to grace the page with a
poetic quotation.-

6
“ If Eve in her innocence could not be blamºd,
Because, going naked, she was not asham'd ;
Whoe'er views the ladies, as ladies now dress,
That they're growing innocent sure will confess ;
And artfully too, they retaliate the evil,
By the serpent once tempted—they now tempt the devil.”'
bear
But to leave the most angelic part of Nature's work, and come
down to the worst part of it, we quit the ladies, and follow
the serpent.
The subtle old imp was well paid for his interier-
ence in family concerns, as every intermeddler ought to be. He
was compelled to run upon his belly all the days of his life, and to
have his head bruised by the seed of the woman. Now it has
long been a question among the wise, how the serpent travelled
before the curse was pronounced ? Quere de hoc.
The old serpent thought it was too bad to be subjected to the
dominion of the weakly sex ; and he left that part of this planet
where they rule every thing, i. e. upon land, and betook himself
to the mighty deep, where I, NEPTUNE, wield the trident. For
5817 years (almost) this noble reptile has flounced about in my
dominions in all his bissing grandeur. He has explored the coasts
of Asia, Europe, and Africa. [He was Rabat when
one of my sous, saw the Arab killed by one of his minions,
and brought to life again by an Ishmaelite.] Ile has now come
to visit the New World. He is not one of your little mean serpents
that wish to frighten little folks ; but chooses to show his irresist-
able prowess by dashing right in amongst great fellows. So he
sculled himself into Cape Ann one day to dine upon a shoal of
herring, in full view of the most tremendous whalemen that ever
spread terror in my dominions. Now these whalemen beat the
serpent himself, and once drove a British Admiral into hysterics,
when all they thought of was to save a little bit of yarn with which
they noose whales. Being near gallows bill, where they used
sometimes to hang witches because they could not drown them,
the timid landsmen began to fear that some witch was drowned;
and now appeared to get revenge.
Even lord Nelson was fright-
ened at the re-appearance of a Neapolitan nobleman, whom that
witch of a Lady Hamilton made him throw into the sea.

7
But I will now give my readers some accounts published about
this, one of my subjects, by people on the land. I take the Mas-
sachusetts papers, because they always have something great in
them; and as they have told a great many great stories, about my
great sized servant, alias the great Sea Serpent. I will treat my
readers with a few extracts from them.--As marvellous things al-
ways appear best in rhyme, I will begin with that.--
FROM THE NEWBURYPORT HERALD.
THE SEA MONSTER.
Jonathan catechiseth the great Serpent, talketh with him in a friendly
manner,-and showeth that there is as monstrous a monster on
Parnassus as there is in Cape-Ann harbour.
Good mister Monster, pray how big art thou ?
What is thy shape ?-How art thou made ?
Art fashion'd like a fish, snake, horse, or how ?
Come to the land and talk with me ;
Be not afraid : and I will tell thee what folks think of thee.
the ocean,
Tis said, when stretch'd at length upon
That thou wilt reach a half a mile, or so,
Looking like rum casks swimming in a row;
And when thy train thou writhest to and fro,
The sea is thrown in terrible commotion,
Like other bloated reptiles, fill'd with pride,
Thy head thou rearest high above the tide,
And seem'st in open'ng thy huge jaws, to say,
Like them, ye pigmies keep out of my way.”
Where are there kept to sell
The raw materials of thy ball proof shell ?
A coat like your's would be a clever thing,
For many a war-like President and King.
What is thy colour ? Different people say,
That thou art black, white, brown, and green and
grey,

8
And that thy eyes, not with hell's sparkles glow.*
But that they are two hells in embryo.
Thou'st fond of mutton, too, they say ;
For sometimes thou wilt sweep
Out of the sea to catch a harmless sheep :-
How many hundreds could'st thou eat a day?
Pray, great sir monster, whither dost thou roam !
And tell us wherefore thou hast left thy home.
Where is thy home ? —What ocean gave thee birth?
Wast boin in frozen regions of the Pole.
Where Northern seas their icy billows roll,
And Hecla's thunders shake the solid earth ?
Hast heard the Baltic with boarse clangour rave ?
Or as thy beard and whiskers say indeed,
Art thou a Mussulman of Turkish breed ?
And hast thou bath'd in the Ægean wave ?
Why hast thou left thy home ?
Like Europe's peasants have you learnt to hate,
Your native clime, and hence expatriate?
Or dost thou hither come,
Flying from justice, a French refugee,
To this “ assylum of oppress'd humanity ?”
Or art thou,-like the Yankees who, of late,
Expect to find, sans labour, care or money,
A place which over flows with milk and honey,
To western lands about to emigrate?
In one thing thou hast been more wise than they,
Who to this earthly Eden beg their way ;
Thy monstrous shoal of herring long will last
To give thee, ev'ry day, a rich repast;
'Twas kind in thee to drive them to Cape Ann,
Where every being is a fisherman.
Didst ever see a whale ? Some folks there are,
* A spark of hell lies burning on his eye.
Airs of Palestine.

9
Who say thou art a whale, and e'en declare,
The very one, in whose capacious crop
Old Jonah liv'd like king in butcher's shop.
That thou art the Behemoth some believe,---
Some, the Leviathan of which Job writ,-
Some the same serpent that beguiled Eve,-
And some that thou art Satan from the pit.
Thou seem'st whate'er folks say, whate'er thou be,
At least, the mighty Mogul of the sea.
JONATHAN.
I must confess I was pleased with Jonathan's catechism. I do not
know whether it was orthodox or not, but it was not incomprehensi.
ble to me nor to the GREAT SERPENT -It pleased me to see how
readily the whalemen compared his joints to ruin casks. They
have a great taste for that metaphor, which I presume they have
often met-a-fore; or, perhaps these rhetoricians would call it a
figure ; if so, they have figured in rum e'en now.
Now for a little modest prose.
The Salem Gazette of Friday gives some further accounts of
this huge inhabitant of the deep. He has quitted Gloucester, and on
Thursday was discovered in Kettle Cove, amidst schools of bait
fish. He has however exhibited himself sufficiently to enable ob-
servers to gain a pretty good account of his form and motions; and
Capt. John Beach, jun. who has taken every opportunity to view
him with the eye of an artist, has completed a drawing of him,
which is to be engraved, and which no doubt will be accompanied
with such a history of him as his appearance has enabled the
spectators to obtain.
The following account is given in the
Boston Daily Advertiser, derived from persons who have had
the best opportunities to view him :
“ There can be no doubt that he is a serpent, in kind ; that he
is at least eighty, and more probably an hundred feet long, and
nearly of the size of a flour barrel, at the largest place. He
does not wind laterally along, as serpents commonly do, but his
motion is undulatory, or consisting in alternate rising and depres-
sion, somewhat like the motion of a caterpillar. Mr. Johnson, a
2

10
young man, who went in a boat to visit a vessel in the harbour, on
Sunday, in the dusk of the evening, came very near to bim before
he discovered him, so that he might have reached him with his oar.
He was quite still, and appeared to be reposing. He was round
and smooth, and had nothing like bunches. His head, though in
its front it is circular, is not flat, like common serpent's, but the
top is elevated, prominent, and round ; and owing to this latter cir.
cumstance, a side view of his head a litle resembles that of a dog's.
Capt. Beach, who appears to have examined him very often, and
sometimes in favourable situations, says his head is the size of a
common bucket. He has seen him with his mouth open, his under
jaw and teeth like a shark's, his head round, with apparently very
thick scales, and its whole appearance very terrific. Credible
persons aver that they have seen him swimming into the harbour
with great speed, holding his head eight feet above the water. More
often be moves along with his head under water, shewing the line
of his back, or with his bead immediately above the surface. He
appears to be round, with large scales, which, when he contracts-
his folds give a rigid appearance to his back ; but when he extends
bimself the scales inclose, and do not prevent his
appearing smooth.
His general colour is dark brown ; his head dark brown, intermix-
ed with white. He often turns very quick, bringing his head nean
his tail, and putting himself into the form of a staple.
“ From what has been observed of habits, it seems that he ap-
proaches the shore, and shews himself above the surface, when the
water is smooth, and the weather warm.
We
are told that two sharks appeared to be almost constantly
in attendance whether as his humble servants, or as a reconnoitring
parly, to see what sort of gentleman heis, or to find some vulnera-
ble part and watch, some favourable opportunity to attack and
destroy bim, is not known.
* Many preparations are made (should the creature return) with
sharks' hooks variously Laited, and attached to buoys put afloat
in the liarbour, and armed boats, &c. to secure and detain him.
"The Salem Register mentions that a party well prepared were to
proceed on Saturday morning from Marblehead to attack the great
Sea Serpent, if he could be found--on Friday some firing was heard
CC

11
from that place, and some faint hopes were entertained that a suc-
cessful attack had been made upon him. Several persons from
Boston have gone towards Cape Ann, in hopes to get a sight of the
monster."
The Serpent has always been celebrated for subtilty. Why
he will charm chickens, goslins, puppies and beaus ; and no doubt
the reason why he don't charm belles is, because there is more of
his spirit in them than he has in himself. Now what excites my
indignation against this, the oldest serpent in the world, is, that he
showed less sagacity than thousands of little whiskerandoes upon
the land, when he left Gloucester bay and darted away to Kettle
Cove-'twas a miracle he was not boiled alive. Had he been thus
cooked in that cove, rum casks, contents and all, the whalemen
and fisherman would bave had a new kind of chowder, and would
have chawed it with great delight.
However I will trace my nimble subject back to Cape Anu.
"More words” from the Salem Gazette.
6The Salem Gazette of yesterday says, “ We are informed,
that on Sunday this creature was seen playing sometimes within 15
or 20 feet of the shore, affording a better opportunity to observe
him than had before occurred.-Gentlemen from Gloucester, state,
that he appeared to them of even greater magnitude than had be-
fore been represented, and should judge from their own observa-
tion, that he was as much as 150 feet in length, and as big round as
a barrel. They saw him open an enormous mouth; and are of
opinion that he is cased in shell.The chance for taking or kil-
ling this creature seems to be small; it requires not merely the club
of a Hercules, but the cunning contrivance of a Vulcan.
derstand, however, that it is proposed to make a number of strong
nets, in the hope of entangling and embarrassing him, so as to be
able to get him into a situation to kill him: in which we rather
wish than expect they may prove successful.”
"* Corroboration. Captain Obear, who has arrived at Beverly, re-
ports, that on Sunday last he put into Cape-Ann harbour, where he
and his crew were astonished at the sight of a monstrous creature
lying upon the water, which appeared to have the form of a ser-
pent.
We un-

12
« Whatever doubts may have existed on this subject, there are
hundreds who can testify to the existence of some creature of a
very uncommon bulk and form, and such as was never before seen
upon our coast.
The bold adventurers (says the Salem Gazette) who are fishing
for the Sea-Monster at Cape-Ann, ought to be furnished with the
implements mentioned in the foilowing lines :-
66
THE GIANT ANGLING.
99
" His ungle-rod made of a sturdy Oak,
His line u Cable, that in storms ne'er broke ;
His hook he baited with a Dragon's tail,
And sat upon a rock and bobb’d for whale."
- That's your sort”—“ Prime, and bang up".-Hercules ! Vul-
can! Capt. 0-Bear! Dragon's tail, and all. Here are " words
fitted for the subject ;" as Shakespeare says. But I never learned
in ту.
element that Vulcan was remarkable for cunning. Cunning
is one of the lowest qualities that can be attributed to man; and
surely it cannot be predicated of one of the gods--minor gods, un-
derstand me ; Vulcan is a thundering kind of a heathen deity, be-
ing an adept in forging thunderbolts.-I am afraid my readers
will think the following article too humourous for this subject.
THE SERPENT AND “HATCHET.”
* The extraordinary marine animal that has lately appeared on
our coast, has excited a variety of conjectures, both among philoso-
phers and politicians. The former consider the phenomenon as
leading to the introduction of a new species of fish, which may
render our coasts hereafter as much frequented for serpentine fishery,
as other coasts and banks have formerly been for whale, cod, and
herring fisheries. The Major, who is alive to every novel appear-
ance, has already suggested, tb at this nammoth serpent bas arriv-
ed on our coast to “ deposit its spawn."—Whether this female has
a particular longing for the food within Gloucester harbor, we
cannot determine-neither can we conceive how the Major should
know that it is a female serpent, or by what instinctive faculty he

13
66
can ascertain with any degree of certainty that she is in a pregnant
state. The Major seems to be at home on every emergency-he
can prognosticate-he can explain mysteries-he can .bury
hatchets," and can raise female serpents—and on all occasions he
has such a peculiargroup of non-descripts, subservient to his pur-
poses, that the whole serves to enliven the public mind, while the
business is prosecuted. We have no doubt that we have had a
wonderful kind of fish within our harbor-but that it is of a fernale
species, and freighted with spawn, are conjectures which we cannot
readily admit-What must be the consequences of such a deposit in
the harbor of Gloucester? What must such a prolific generation
produce on our coast ? All the cod, haddock, eels, smeits, lobsters,
and even salmon, shad, and alewives, would not be sufficient to
feed the young brood of serpents for one year.
The banks of
Newfoundland would be but a short repast after the first sboal of
young serpents had arrived
upon
them. The whole ocean within
the American coasts would be speedily desolated, and all our fish-
ermen would be obliged to haul up their smacks, as not a solitary
minnow or mackarel would be found within the American borders.
What a dreadful catastrophe would this produce ! Instead of cod,
haddock and hallibut at our fish markets instead of pleasant ex-
cursions on fishing parties instead of chowder at Squantum--we
should all be deprived of the nutritious food of the ocean, and be-
come constantly alarmed with the depredations made on our coasts
by shoals of serpents attacking our vessels, and swallowing up
whole crews of unwary mariners.
" Thus far philosophers reason, and excite fearful apprehension
among the credulous.
But the politician considers this subject in
another point of view. He thinks that the old Squantum squaw has
been playing some extraordinary pranks, and produced a strange
animal of a serpentine nature. It is certain that the Squantum
frolic was strangely conducted. From whence did this squaw
originate, or in what part of this coast did she previously dwell ?
Who brought her to Squantum on the day of the festival ? Or how
came the Major so particularly acquainted with her ? How came
she to be so knowing about the hatchet, or suppose the
Major to be the keeper of it? What private intercourse had the

14
Major with her, that she should presume to become the principal
guest at a festival, which had for fifty years before been celebra ·
ted without her interference ?-It was an unnatural alliance, and
from such a connection it was expected that some discordant pro-
geny would have arisen.
A treaty was pretended to be ratified
between the parties-between a visionary Squantum female deity,
and the presiding officer of the day.—The emblem of dissention
was expressed by a “hatchet”--this was to be “buried” by the re-
ciprocal asseverations of peace and amity between the parties. The
squaw attested on one side, and the presiding officer on the other
The calumet was smoked in token of lasting faith and perpetual
union--" chowder and strong water” were profusely offered on the
altar of fraternity, and every testimony was given that the bonds
of friendship should never be broken. But alas ! within a few
days, the presiding officer violated the treaty, and began to excile
the same dissentions as formerly subsisted. He held up the party
distinctions of federal and republican-he began to boast that fed.
eralists had gained their candidate in the District of Maine; and
it was soon found that all this pretended union, that all this funeral
about the hatchet, was a mere trick, and only intended to deceive
the old squaw in her friendly propositions. It is probable therefore,
that she has resented it, and in revenge has conjured up a gigantic
marine animal in the form of the “OLD SERPENT," to visit our
shores."
I do not exactly understand what is meant by the Major, the
Hatchet, and the Squantum Squaw ; but I conclude they are all
species of Serpents.
More “ Salem Gazette."
*** The Serpent was seen yesterday morning off Kettle island, be-
tween Manchester and Cape Ann ; he was following and feasting
on a large school of alewives. The arrangements made in Cape
Ann to take him, were ready for operation yesterday morning :
and if skill, courage and strong apparatus can effect the desired
object, their success is certain. We conversed yesterday with
Capt. Beach, jun. who has seen this animal from twelve to twenty
times, and has taken an accurate drawing of him for exhibition.
He describes him as being, in his most contracted state, about
70 feet in length, and of the size of a flour barrel. A number of
32
99

15
93
our enterprizing citizens have been at Cape Ann some days, to en-
courage and assist in the destruction of the monster."
This serpent of mine, makes as great a pother about Salem, as
the Bull-Frogs did in a Connecticut Pond, and the battle of the
Kegs," in a Pennsylvania river.
I was the most astonished when my post-boy, a porpoise,
brought me the following interesting intelligence, in the Salem
Gazette.
“ A committee of the Linnean Society, we learn, will repair to
Cape Ann this day, to collect information so interesting to natural
history."
I have often heard of Linnæus as a great Botanist, and of Lin-
næan Societies. I know they all, especially the one at Boston,
understand the ronts, trunks, branches, twigs, and snags of the
whole vegetable kingdom, "from the Cedar of Lebanon to the hy-
sop on the wall." But what they should have to do with the
" Great Sea-Serpent” admits of some drams of a scruple, and, in-
deed, is a scruple itself.---Hear something from Boston.
Boston Intelligencer.
• The Sea Serpent, has again made his appearance in Glouces-
ter, and his neck and head were distinctly visible. Three yellow
rings about one foot apart, and two inches broad were discovered,
which circumstance leads to a suspicion among some persons, that
perhaps two animals of this description are on the coast, since no
observation of the kind has before been made. That he has not
been killed is to be regretted on various accounts, to silence doubt
and confound incredulity-and to prevent the destruction of small
fish ; but that he has not been attacked is not singular, for the ani-
mal bas always appeared by surprise, when no boats were on the
watch, and frequently in unexpected places."
There is no place under heaven (upon land) that more needs
measures“ to silence doubt and confound incredulity”-than Bos-
ton. The heresy of Socinianism in the clergy; and of Convention-
Rebellion in Politics, ought to be “ confounded."
More Salem Gazette.
“We are told that two Sharks appeared to be constantly in at-
tendance on the great Sea Serpent, at Gloucester; whether as his

16
humble servants, or as a reconnoitering party, to see what sort of a
gentleman be is, or to find some vulnerable part and watch some
favourable opportunity to attack and destroy him, is not known.”
This “gentlemanly" paragraph cannot be bettered by the best
flourish of my Trident.
From the Salem Gazette.
O! GRAB ME!
The fishermen of Gloucester, in memory of the Embargo
which rendered it unlawful for them to pursue their ordinary busi-
ness, give the Sea-Monster, which now haunts their shores, the
name of EMBARGO, or, OGRABME ; and it is a very significant and
appropriate appellation, for the danger of seizure by the Custom-
llouse sharks was as imminent as by this Serpent. This may
be
an Embargo in its reptile or tadpole state ; the old Embargo was
more dangerous and voracious, for it swallowed whole ships, stock
and fuke, with large and rich cargoes. This Monster is also a very
modest monster, and confines itself to its own element and sphere :
the old Embargo, on the contrary, found the wide Atlantick too
narrow to sport in, and sometimes became a land animal, and, like
Pharaoh's frogs, crept into the inmost recesses of our bed chambers.
Let our coast, then, be surrounded by myriads of these Sea-Snakes,
rather than by one of Jefferson's Embargoes !"
Here is “ Salem Gazette” punning in all its glory. How easy
it is to gain a reputation for being a "droll fellow" by spelling
words backwards, and then snickering at the oddity of the conceit.
This article is "multumn in parvo." It has embargoes, reptiles,
tadpoles, frogs, snakes, sharks, fc. &c.
6. And still I
gaze,
and still
my
wonder
grows,
That one small head can carry all he knows."
Again.-Salem, September 10.
The Serpent again.
« The Serpent has again visited us. On Sunday evening, his
levee was attended by a large number of citizens. A small boat
fishing on Sunday night was very much troubled. The crew
state that he was some hours about them, and that a number of
times he was within ten feet of them. It seems that there were
swarms or schools of bait around him, and it appears evident that
he follows them.

17
* Capt. Burchmore, who arrived here in the schooner Fame, or
Saturday, states, that on the morning of that day, he saw the
Serpent near Half-Way Rock, coiled up in a serpentine form on
the surface of the water.
“We also learn that he was on Monday off the Eastern Point."
The first Captajn I heard of, as having encountered the Sea-
Serpent, was Capt. O-bear. I conclude he intended to give the
Snake a hugging ; then comes Capt. Burchmore. I
suppose he
intended to give him more birching; but as he had a “ levee"
made up of alewives, flounders, &c. he thought it uncivil to casta-
gate him in company.
" Gen. D. Humplireys who has been at Cape-Ann several days,
yesterday passed through town, baving obtained a number of de-
positions of the most respectable persons at Gloucester, who have
seen the Serpent. These depositions, wbich were taken for the
use of the public, agree in every essential particular with the de-
scription we have before given, and establish beyond a doubt the
existence of a wonderful marine animal, respecting which naiur-
alists have heretofore had but very vague and unsatisfactory ac-
counts.”
From an unknown hand.
" [Communication)-The great Snake is not yet taken. We have
heard a conjecture that it is no other than the Old Serpent, who,
getting a little out of his latitude, merely showed himself to the
Blue Lights, on his way to Pennsylvania to aid Binns and Findlay
in the election. We suspect he is already on the coast." Q
I have already stated that the Old Serpent has great agency in
the affairs of men. I suspect, however, the “communicator
meant to write “ Duane and Heister," instead of “ Binns and
93
99
Findlay.”
The “ Salem Gazette,” for the last time.-
" The Sea Serpent, the picture of which is now exhibited in this
town by Mr. Beach, is travelling along shore ta confound in person
the hardened disbelief of our southern brethren. For a long time
3

18
they scoffed at all the testimony of his existence, and ridiculed the
Yankees as credulous dupes. The Monster is now taking ven-
geance, by carrying home conviction to their hearts."
All I hope is, that my powerful agent will only carry conviction
to their hearts, and not tear their hearts out.
GREAT News.
" The Sea Serpent.-A gentleman arrived in town yesterday
morning who left Boston in the Tuesday's mail stage. He states
that just before he started, the Cape Ann stage arrived at Boston,
and brought a report that the Sea Serpent was taken on Monday
afternoon in Kettle Cove, by some boats from Marblehead. In
the attack upon the Monster, one boat was struck by his tail, and
three men killed and two others wounded. The other boats suc-
ceeded in entangling the Serpent by nets so that he was killed by
harpoons. We give this report as it comes to us, not doubting the
veracity of the gentleman who brings it." [Mer. Adv.]
Great characters have as many « Lives," and suffer as many
" Deaths" as the cat; although the death of many of them takes
place before their lives. Napoleon was often killed, and many
times died; but he and the “Serpent” still live to astonish the
world.-It was a narrow escape, however, from that “ Kettle."
• New-York wit.- The rains being over, ard the streams fallen,
we have no prospect of any immediate supply of matter for news-
papers, except from the great Cape Ann Snake. If this monster
of the deep should extend his visit to his brother fisherman of the
east, (for it seems he has come himself on a trip after herring) for
a few days longer, the Newspaper editors ought to club and give
him a “ Public Dinner." It would not be very expensive, as he
seems to live on fish alone, which are to be had in great abundance
from Cape Cod and Marblehead; and we presume his Dragon-
ship would be able from his “ Dogs head” to toast in a volunteer,
The Great Leviathan—the legitimate Sovereign of the deep.”'
Brevity is the soul of wit,” says Shakespeare, and so say I.
I like this fellow; be respects « The legitimate Sovereign of the
deep,” i. e. ME." The agony is over.”-The Serpent left
Cape Ann-peeped into Boston harbor to see the place where
Americans boldly ventured to assert their just rights, and claimed
66

19
to be free from British oppression. He squinted into New-London,
but his eyes were bedimmed by “ Blue Lights." He reached the
mouth of the Connecticut; but could not beat over Saybrook bar,
where masters of vessels at certain times without the assistance of
lighters, can neither get over, under, or round.—He raised his
head “mast high"-saw the place which was first settled in Hart-
ford, by the venerable Mr. Hooker, and others, and wished to see
the Bridge, celebrated in modern history ; but could not without
paying fare at the ferry.
The Editors in New-York informed the people of Connecticut,
that the Sea Serpent was in the Sound, in the following article.-
From the Commercial Advertiser.
“ The Sea Serpent, it is said, is still in Long Island Sound. On
Friday and Saturday last, he was seen off Greenwich harbor, (in
the vicinity of Captain's Island,) by a number of the inhabitants
of that town. He moved slowly through the water with his head
raised about six feet ; and, in his progress, produced a foam like
that produced by the bow of a vessel. He appeared to be amus-
ing himself, leisurely, near and round the Islands, and occupied
about ten minutes in passing from one of the Islands to another,
a distance of little more than a mile."
The New-York gentry, who " move slowly" may be assured
that the story they tell about the passage of the Serpent from one
Island to another is nothing at all,-a mile in ten minutes !! Wby
the Connecticut bloods will trot a poney a mile in three minutes
and three seconds, and think it no great thing neither.
The Serpent finding his consequence diminish as he increased
his observations, took leave of the waves that wash the shores of
Republican Connecticut in the following manner.--
From the Portico.
PASQUIN AND THE SEA SERPENT.
NEPTUNE, astonish'd to survey
The strange Sea Serpent, on his way,
Inquir'd, but with a bow profound,
" Whither his monstership was bound ?":
Quoth he, “ for Baltimore I steer,

20
A rumour strange has reach'd mine ear:
Pasquin, precipitate's strange notion,
That there has never been in Ocean,
On Earth, in Heav'n, in Hell, or Air,
A reptile of a size so rare !
Ifl but on him fix these eyes,
I'll teach him evidence of size !
Altho' that unbelieving.elly
Swore he could swallow me himself!
When Dr. Mitchell swears he knows me,
Shall Mr. Pasquin dare oppose me?
On him will I my vengeance wreak;
So-d-- me! here's for Chesapeake !"
Reuder! Stick to the element upon which you was born-
not invade my rights, and I will not intrude upon yours.
NERTUNE
P.S. My punning manner of writing I learned from the Sale
Gazette. Quod erat demonstranduin.
FINIS.
This term means an end.-The Sea-Serpent, or his existence,
is at an end with us. Whether he has gone to parts unknown-
whether to view the proceedings of Congress at the City of Wash-
ington—whether to ascertain the success of the Spanish Patriots--
whether he has gone to quell the hostile rebellion of the Indians
whether to attend the funeral of the Princess Charlotte-to ascer-
tain the fact whether King George III. is dead or alive-or wheth-
er he is paying a visit to the Island of St. Helena to contrive means
for the escape of Napoleon Bonaparte, is altogether unknown
All, all is a mystery ; such we find it, and as such we leave it.
1818 Neptune
Ne