Sea Monster

From: The New Jersey State Gazette
Date: August 21, 1793

Captain Crabtree, lately from the West Indies, gives the following extraordinary account of a Sea Serpent, the authenticity of which may be depended upon.

"On the 20th June last, being on my passage from the West Indies, in the morning, having just made Mount Desert Island, distant nearly ten leagues, I suddenly got sight of a serpent of an enormous size, swimming on the surface of the ocean, its head elevated about six or eight feet out of water, rather prone forward. That part of the body which was out of water I judged to be about the size of a barrel in circumference, but the head larger, having some resemblance of a horse's head. According to the most accurate computation which I made in my mind, of his length, I think it could not be less than from 55 to 60 feet, and perhaps longer. That part of the body which was not elevated, but of which I had a distinct view several times, was larger than that part out of water; the body of a dark brown. I was within 200 yards of it near an hour, during which time, as it discovered no inclination to molest us, myself and the whole crew observed it with the minutest attention, nor was its attention less fixed on us. The eye was perfectly black, sharp and piercing. I was so near it as to observe clearly that there were no fins or external appendages to the body, but that its motion was by the writhing of the body like other serpents. During the time it was with us, several flocks of birds flew near, which it eyed very closely; I observed in it the greatest agility and quickness of motion."

There is no doubt but this is one of the two which have been seen in these parts. All accounts agree respecting their size and appearance. Two of them, perhaps the same, were seen on the shore of the Cranberry Islands but immediately took to the water on being discovered. These are the first ever seen in our seas, that we have any account of, though they have been seen on the coast of Norway more than 100 feet in length.