THE SEA SERPENT.

A CIRCUMSTANTIAL ACCOUNT. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, July 24. The appearance of a sea serpent off the Australian coast has been further confirmed by an officer of the Union Steam Ship Company's s.s. Whangape. which came to Lyttelton from Newcastle yesterday. Mr Yeomans. second officer of the steamer, is positive that he beheld the creatine in broad daylight less than 100 yards from the steamer. He stated that at about 3 p.m. on July 6th, when the Whangape was going from Devonport to Sydney, and was between Cape Everard and Gabo Island, he was on the bridge. He saw in the water on the starboard side, about 80 yards from the .steamer, a large snakelike creature swimming vigorously in the direction opposite to that in which the Whangape was proceeding. It appeared to be about 50 feet long, and was black in colour, with a head resembling in size and shape that of a seal. It was furnished with large fin-like appendages or flappers, of which there appeared to be two. Mr Yeomans watched it for a few minutes while it. pursued its wav witli an undulatory motion. It was" about

seven miles off shove. He scouted the idea that what he saw cofiM have been floating logs or seaweed. because, as he says, the thing was plainly alive. The weather was fairly clear, and there was only . a moderate sea running. On arriving- at Newcastle shortly afterwards, the officers of the Whaugape learned that the serpent had been seen from the s.s. Chillagoe in the same vicinity as that in which it was seen bv 'Mr Yeoman-.*.