A SEA SERPENT STORY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 548, 31 January 1882, Page 2

A SEA SERPENT STORY.

In a letter to the Madras Mail of Sept. 8, on the use of gigantic seaweed as a protective agent for shores; Captain J. H. Taylor, the mastersuperintendent of Madras, gives the following interesting “sea serpent” story :—“ A notable incident connected with this sea-weed is called to my recollection by Dr Purnell's letter. About fifteen years ago, when I was in my ship at anchor in Table Bay, an enormous monster, as it appeared, was seen drifting or advancing itself round Green Point into the hu.b r. It was more than too feet in leng . and moved with an ur.duHlnj siu-v.-uke

motion. Its head was crowned with what appeared to be long hair, and the keen-sighted among the affrighted observers declared they could see its eyes and distinguish its features. The military were called out, and a brisk fire poured into it at a distance of about five hundred yards. It was hit several times, and portions of it knocked off. So serious were its evident injuries that on its rounding the point it became quite still, and boats went off to examine it and complete its destruction. It was found to be specimen of the seaweed above-mentioned, and its stillness after the grievous injuries inflicted was due to its having left the ground swell and entered the quiet waters of the bay.