THE GREAT SEA SERPENT.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 294, 24 March 1849, Page 3

THE GREAT SEA SERPENT.

Thp. following; interesting report respecting the nppearance of the extra ordinary animal seen by some of the officers and crew of Her Majes'y's ship DseJalus, Ins been forwarded to the Admiralty by Captain M'Quha :— «' Her Majesty's Miip Dosdalus, " Hainonz", October 11. u Sir, — Tn re ply to your letter of this day's date, requiring infonn-ition as to the statement of a sea serpent of ox'ruordinary dimensions having been seen from Her Majesty's ship Dss'lalus, under my command, on her passage from the Ea^t Indies, I have the honour to acqu-nnt you for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, tli.it at live o'clock p M., on the tith of August last, in lalliiude 24 deg. 40m. S , ia longitude 90 deg. 22 m. E., the weatner dark and cloudy, wind fresh fiora N.W., with a long ocean swell from the S.W., something very unusual was teen by Mr' S<iriori«, midshipman, rapidly approaching the ship from before the beam. The cir« cumstance was immediately repoi ted to the officer of the watch, Lieutenant Edgar Drumroond, with whom and Mr. William Barrett, the master, I was at tho time walking the quartet deck. The ship's company were at supper. On our attention being called to the object it was discovered to be an enoi nous serpeiit, with head and shoulders kept about four feet constantly above tha surface of the sea, and as nearly as we can approximate by comparing it with the length of what our main-topsail yard would show in the water, there jva at the least sixty feet of the animal & fleur d'eau, no portion of which was, to onr preception, used in pro. pelling it through the water, either by vertical or horizontal undulation. It passed rapidly, but so close under our lee quarter that had it been a man of my acquaintance I should have easily recognised his features with the nak?d eye ; and it did not, either in, approaching the ship, or after it had passed our wake, deviate in the slightest degree from its course to th© S.W., which it held on at the pace of from twelve to fourteen miles per hour, apparently on some determined purpoie. "The diameter of the serpent wa» about fifteen or sixteen inches behind the head, which was, without any doubt, that of a snake, and never, during the twenty minutes it continued in sight of our glasses, did iti head sink once below the surface of the water?' its colour a dark brown, with yellowish white about the throat. It had no fins, bat something like the mane of a hoise, or rather a bunch ot 6eaweed f washed about its back. It was seen by the quartermaster, the boatswain's mate, aud the man at the wheels in addition to myself and officers aljove-meutioued. " I am having a drawing of the serpent made from, a sketch taken immediately after it was seen, which I hope to have ready foi transmishion (o my Lordt Commissioners ol the Admiralty, by to-morrow's pog*.. " 1 have, &c, « PETER M'QUHiE, Captain, "

The Great Sea Serpent again.— The other dajr we publisher! a statement that the captain of her Majesty's ship Dsedalns, had seen the grc-it SerpentThe crew of the American brig Daphne have siuce had a sight of the creature, which they represent to be more than 100 feet in length. The Daphne discharged a deck gun, loaded with spike nails, at the monster. Thebiute was hit, as it immediately raised its head in the air, and lashed the sea n.to a foam vmu its tail. —Despalch, Oct. 29.

We understand from our Euiopean files, that a movement for the formation -of a Biiiith League has been commenced at Glasgow, the fundamental principles of which are to proem e and circulate accuiata and authentic information regarding native and colonial industry and interest : to watch the character of all measures introduced into the Impaiial and Colonial Legislatures which affect industrial interests, and to promote and maintain an harmonious intercourse be ween all sections of the British Empire. Captain Swyney, formerly holding a commission in the C3»d Regiment, committed suicide, by fixing the handle of his svord in the ground and throwing himself upon it. The rash act was committed in his loddingi in London, whilst labouring under the effect of Delirium Tremetis.

Ektra.o«dinauy Affray.— A correspondent ot tn<? Boston Evening Transctipt writes from Niagara Fall* as follows -.-"Tae engineer of the wire suspension bridge, Mr. Ellet, has been reaping a rich harvest in tolls, which has flowed into his pocket by hundreds of dollars per flay till to-day, when a stop was put to his receipts. The oiigin of the difficulty is thisr—Mr. Ellet's contract was that the work should be comple/ed by a given day, which has not yet transpired. The Work being completed he takes the bridge to himself, establishes a toll of 20 centi each way, and pockets the money. The Cmnadiani, seeing the rich profi's he is reaping, refused to-day to allow any one to ent-r Canada over it, and iwve eiected a barricade on the frontier; that is, 250 feet over Niagara river, in the middle of the biidge. Tins soon led to an alarming state of excitement. The Canadians and Americans were in open hostility. Parties were formed, and a fight took place to day at the barricade, in which the Canadians had the best of it, and, in the melee, one of American party was badly beaten, taken prisoner, thrown orer the airy structure, and held suspended over the mad river beneath by his head and heels, and finally released, when he made his escape to the American side, and the Canadians remained at the barricade for the remainder of the day. The business of the bridge will be suspended for a seaion. The matter in dispute will probably lead to a suit at law. Through the influencs of a friend from Buffalo, who was well acquainted with the Canadian belligerents, our party was allowed to pass over about half an hour after the battle, and they so far removed the barricade as to enable us to climb over it, which waa a favour dented to many who had intended to make the paisage through to-day. The bridge is ft giand and elegant structure, and I have passed over it without the least fear, bavin? perfect confidence in iti stability and great stien^th. But to fight a battle at such a fearful height, and atv such a place.it frightful in the extreme, and chills \ one's blood cold. But what will man not do vi UIU 19th ccnturj ?"— JBe I's Mesien&er, Sept, 25.