WHAT WAS IT?

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13735, 29 May 1913, Page 2

WHAT WAS IT?

A SUPPOSED SEA SERPENT

The Sydney correspondent of the Auckland' "Herald," writing of the recently reported appearance of a strange marine monster, says the sea serpent has at last turned up in Aus- | tralian waters, and it, or at least some curious denizen of the deep, was seen disporting himself by scores of people aboard the inter-State liner Dimboola during the voyage of that vessel betweon Adelaide and Frotnantle, The monster was seen by so many people at such close quarters that it is impossible to dismiss the story of its appearance as a,mere sailorman's yarn. All the newspapers have,, of course, done full -justice to the subject. One account telegraphed from Fremantle will suffice:—"When the reports of thvappearance of the monster were first: made in Fremantle the captain and officers of the Dimboola were subjected to a good deal of chaff, but there can be no doubt that something unusual in the way of sea fish was sighted. On Wednesday morning, when the vessel •.vas about latitude 35deg. 29min. south and longitude. 134d0g. east, a shout from some of the passengers on deck caused the third officer, who was on watch, to look over the starboard quarter. Ho was amazed to see within li distance of less than a quarter of a .ythVa school of porpoises and a whale Jtfeing. from a tremendously large sinuous monster. Captain Miller, master of the Dimboola, and. the Marconi wireless operator, had their attention drawn to the. sight, and they i once turned their glasses on. the remarkable spectacle. Captain Miller says the

serpent was at least 50ft. longj was of the colour of a brown seal, and. had a head between the sizo of a whale and a porpoise, and its tail was of tho ox.aggerated fish variety. It alternately reared its head and -lucked *l \m lor tho waves Presently th? whole contingent of big fish was 1 lost tj view* Captain - (Miller has made a sketch of vhat he re'iiAm'^red of the sight and be asked ofcttyrs of tho passengers to -Jo tho ■* same, it is remarkable li.nv the -sketches coincide). The serpent is revealed i a much tlis same Chinese dragon lorn as Wj havo Seen u<ed to seeink it illustrated in other parts of tho world."—"Dominion."