THE SEA SERPENT

(Per United Press Assocutios.) • CHRISTCHUBOH. July 24. The appearance of the sea serpent off the Australian cotat lias been further confirmed ty an officer of the Union 'Steam Ship Company's s.s. "Whan«rMe, which came to Lyttelton- from Newcastle yesterday. Mr Yeomans, the second officer of the steamer, is positive that ho bohelcl the creature in broad daylight less than 100 yards bom the steamer. He stated that about 3 p.m. on July 6, when the Whangupe ivas going from Devonport to Sydney, and was between Upo Everard and Gabo Island, lie was on tllO brldqo. He saw in the water, on ilic starboard side, about 80' varus from the steamer, a largo snake-like' creature swimming vigorously in a direction opposite to that m which the Whangapo was preceding. It appeared to he about 50ft long, and wn3 black in colour, with a head resembling in size and shape that bt ?. seal. It was furnished with largo fin-like appendages, or flappers, of which there appeared to be two. -Mr Yeomans watched is for :i few minutes while it pursued' its way frith undulating motion. It was about seven miles off shore. He scouted the idea that what ho saw could have been floating logs or seaweed, because.- as he says, the thine; was plainly alive, The weather was fairly clear, and there' was only a moderate sea running. On arriving at Newcastle shortly afterwards the officer,-, of the Whangapo learned that the serpent had been seen from the s.s. Chillagoe. in the same vicinity as that in which it was seen -by Mr Yeomans.,