A MAN-FISH.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 786, 30 June 1877, Page 5 (Supplement)

A MAN-FISH.

A looai, paper pu*blisnetl'"ta'tlie, remote district of Bayeiix has jiistr given 'a description m its, pages of a marine monster which quite eclipses the . fame of the sea-serpent. The "account of this strange being, has been ./communicated to the editor of the "ludicateur" by a worthy family living m, the neighbourhood, who' have received ' it frpni a a-elati ye of theirs sewing 1 ' on • board the. Thetis, The writer deposes that after touching at Martinique, and when nearing 1 the Diamond Point, he and his companions on board the ship were startled by the apparition- of; a sea monster "to which they were soon forced' to give thei name of. a.man-lish." The creature was swimming- peaceably -along, a short distance ahead of" the vessel. The :«ea wa« calm, the sun was bright ; and Avith the aid of a' good telescope; it Avas quite easy to distinguish his bodily appearance and even his featsres. Down' to tliCAvaist, " which was, a slender waist as of a.boy ,pf fourteen;- the ligure Avas that of a man,- its head Avell proportioned, the eyes large but ndt'iigly, the^nose big, and Uat, and. the conntbnancb" round and full. The face, 'neck,, aud, m fact all the 1 upper part of. the body, appeared to be" tolerably white," and the skin to be delicate, but as for the lower part of the body,, it simply resembled that of a iish, and ended m a large forked tail. All these particulars were observed while the monster was pursuing 1 ; its course iu.tianqull enjoyment bf the fine Aveather, and noAvise frightened by the shouts which the imprudent . mariners ■addressedii.to }t. After an lipur's swim during- which the Thetis vainly attempted to cpme'upi Avifh the stranger, it gave a violent impulsion to its 'tail and . disappeared from A'iew. He seems to have been in 1 the' habit of neatly combing and brushing his hair, which Avas smftoth and well-arranged. On the other hand/ he had either not the leisure or not the appliances! needful for haircutting or shaving, for' his locks and beard -floated,'." m abundance round his shoulders and over his breast. On the whole the conclusion formed by the crew of the Thetis was that the ancient .^stories 1 of sirens. arc no, myths, but actual truths. As to this question Aye shall soon, a!s it .seems, h'ayo the benefit of another "opinion, the Avriter of the letter stating tliat the prodigy had been also observed a few days J bef oi'e :yrith similar feelings, of astonishment by ilie crew of the British ship Procust^'^Giobe." ; ; . :