THE SEA SERPENT IN NEW ZEALAND WATERS.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1241, 27 February 1878, Page 3

THE SEA SERPENT IN NEW ZEALAND WATERS.

[By Telegraph.] [FROM! THE CORRESPONDENT of the press.] Auckland, February 26. A passenger by the steamer Durham, writes to the “ Star,” giving a descriptor, of _ sea monster seen in tho iiauraki Gulf frorii the vessel when bound/ £ox Coromandel, lie

says, we were greatly surprised at the appearance three-quarters of a mile from the steamer of a leviathan head shaped like that of an eel, or as some remarked, like a seal. The monster reared its mighty form out of the sea to 'about 20ft. perpendicular height, remaining erect for several seconds. It then dashed its head forwards into the water, creating a disturbance therein like the plunge of a ship downwards, and parting the sea in large foaming waves. Then, after a short time, before we could recover from our astonishment, the stupendous animal arose again, brought its head down in the mam.er described, and this it did twelve to fifteen times in succession, as if the creature had been attacked, and was in great pain. At least that was the general opinion expressed. Its breadth appeared from six to eight feet. It had two enormous fins. Wo could form no idea as to the length of the creature, but judging from the immense bulk seen out of the water, it may have been quite as long a monster as that reported once to have been seen off New South Wales. Of course, this will create numerous sapient exclamations amongst your readers, suchas“Oh ! the greatserpentmystery again.” But so far as the real live specimen was concerned, there was no mistake with the observers on this occasion, for it was unpleasantly apparent that our steamer would have stood about the same chance, if the monster hud been encountered, as a whaleboat running upon a whale in a state of excitement. If some mystified old geologist had been at the exhibition, his mind might have been thrust upon the wonders of the oolite world, and have imagined an enormous marine saurian of that ago not yet extinct. The captain turned the steamer’s head in the direction of the monster, which suddenly disappeared as wo neared the supposed spot. The “Star” adds—“ Since receiving the above communication, one of our reporters interviewed Captain Somerville of the Durham, and from him wo learn that the particulars of the affair, as given above, are substantially correct. Captain Somerville gives the following statement, which he is willing to testify on oath: — “ I was engaged at dinner in my cabin, when the mate called out to me to come and look at what he thought was a whale. The vessel was then passing Brown’s Island. On going on deck I saw a large monster, which I thought was a common spouting black fish, but on looking closely I found this was not the case. It had a head resembling that of an immense eel, with a pair of flanges which looked very much like ears. The neck and part of the body were out of the water, and reached about 30 feet in the air. The color of the whole body was jet black. The body appeared to bo 10 feet in diameter, and I believe the monster had lost itself and got into water too shallow to allow it to swim. It remained in this position for about a minute, the steamer being about a mile from the spot. Suddenly the neck and head came down on the water with a loud crash, and spray was thrown for a long distance round. I immediately ran back to my cabin for my glass. On examining the monster more closely I was convinced that it was neither a black fish nor a thresher. I and too well acquainted with the sea fish not to know the difference. It was like one of the sea serpents which have been so often described in newspapers. If, when beating the water with the upper portion of its body, it had struck the stem of the vessel, the blow would certainly have shattered it to pieces. The vessel proceeded in the direction of the supposed serpent, but it dived and disappeared in the direction of the Sandspit.” Your correspondent may add to above that, from inquiries he has made, there is no doubt the facts as recorded, are genuine. They m’e testified to by numbers of well-known gentlemen of undoubted probity, passengers by the steamer.