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left the despatches； with Captain Hamilton's compliments。 On its
return； both ships made sail on their respective course； exchanging
〃bon voyage〃 by signal； and soon the upper sails of the homeward…
bounder were seen dipping below the horizon： longing eyes followed
her on board the Amphitrite。
How many hurried missives had been written and despatched in that
half…hour。 But as for Staines； he was a man of forethought； and
had a volume ready for his dear wife。
Lord Tadcaster wrote to Lady Cicely Treherne。 His epistle； though
brief； contained a plum or two。
He wrote： 〃What with sailing； and fishing； and eating nothing but
roast meat； I'm quite another man。〃
This amused her ladyship a little； but not so much as the
postscript； which was indeed the neatest thing in its way she had
met with； and she had some experience； too。
〃P。S。I say； Cicely； I think I should like to marry you。 Would
you mind？〃
Let us defy time and space to give you Lady Cicely's reply： 〃I
should enjoy it of all things； Taddy。 But； alas！ I am too young。〃
N。B。She was twenty…seven； and Tad sixteen。 To be sure； Tad was
four feet eleven； and she was only five feet six and a half。
To return to my narrative （with apologies）； this meeting of the
vessels caused a very agreeable excitement that day； but a greater
was in store。 In the afternoon； Tadcaster； Staines； and the
principal officers of the ship； being at dinner in the captain's
cabin； in came the officer of the watch； and reported a large spar
on the weather…bow。
〃Well； close it； if you can； and let me know if it looks worth
picking up。〃
He then explained to Lord Tadcaster that； on a cruise； he never
liked to pass a spar； or anything that might possibly reveal the
fate of some vessel or other。
In the middle of his discourse the officer came in again； but not
in the same cool business way： he ran in excitedly； and said；
〃Captain； the signalman reports it ALIVE！〃
〃Alive？a spar！ What do you mean？ Something alive ON it； eh？〃
〃No； sir； alive itself。〃
〃How can that be？ Hail him again。 Ask him what it is。〃
The officer went out； and hailed the signalman at the mast…head。
〃What is it？〃
〃Sea…sarpint； I think。〃
This hail reached the captain's ears faintly。 However； he waited
quietly till the officer came in and reported it； then he burst
out； 〃Absurd！ there is no such creature in the universe。 What do
you say； Dr。 Staines？It is in your department。〃
〃The universe in my department； captain？〃
〃Haw！ haw！ haw！〃 went Fitzroy and two more。
〃No； you rogue； the serpent。〃
Dr。 Staines； thus appealed to； asked the captain if he had ever
seen small snakes out at sea。
〃Why； of course。 Sailed through a mile of them once； in the
archipelago。〃
〃Sure they were snakes？〃
〃Quite sure； and the biggest was not eight feet long。〃
〃Very well； captain； then sea…serpents exist； and it becomes a mere
question of size。 Now which produces the larger animals in every
kind；land or sea？ The grown elephant weighs； I believe； about
five tons。 The very smallest of the whale tribe weighs ten； and
they go as high as forty tons。 There are smaller fish than the
whale； that are four times as heavy as the elephant。 Why doubt；
then； that the sea can breed a snake to eclipse the boa…
constrictor？ Even if the creature had never been seen； I should；
by mere reasoning from analogy； expect the sea to produce a serpent
excelling the boa…constrictor； as the lobster excels a crayfish of
our rivers： see how large things grow at sea！ the salmon born in
our rivers weighs in six months a quarter of a pound； or less； it
goes out to sea； and comes back in one year weighing seven pounds。
So far from doubting the large sea…serpents； I believe they exist
by the million。 The only thing that puzzles me is； why they should
ever show a nose above water； they must be very numerous； I think。〃
Captain Hamilton laughed； and said； 〃Well； this IS new。 Doctor； in
compliment to your opinion； we will go on deck； and inspect the
reptile you think so common。〃 He stopped at the door； and said；
〃Doctor； the saltcellar is by you。 Would you mind bringing it on
deck？ We shall want a little to secure the animal。〃
So they all went on deck right merrily。
The captain went up a few ratlines in the mizzen rigging； and
looked to windward； laughing all the time： but； all of a sudden；
there was a great change in his manner。 〃Good heavens； it is
aliveLUFF！〃
The helmsman obeyed； the news spread like wildfire。 Mess kids；
grog kids； pipes； were all let fall； and some three hundred sailors
clustered on the rigging like bees； to view the long…talked…of
monster。
It was soon discovered to be moving lazily along； the propelling
part being under water； and about twenty…five feet visible。 It had
a small head for so large a body； and； as they got nearer； rough
scales were seen； ending in smaller ones further down the body。 It
had a mane； but not like a lion's； as some have pretended。 If you
have ever seen a pony with a hog…mane； that was more the character
of this creature's mane； if mane it was。
They got within a hundred yards of it； and all saw it plainly；
scarce believing their senses。
When they could get no nearer for the wind； the captain yielded to
that instinct which urges man always to kill a curiosity； 〃to
encourage the rest；〃 as saith the witty Voltaire。 〃Get ready a
gunbest shot in the ship lay and fire it。〃
This was soon done。 Bang went the gun。 The shot struck the water
close to the brute； and may have struck him under water； for aught
I know。 Any way； it sorely disturbed him； for he reared into the
air a column of serpent's flesh that looked as thick as the
maintopmast of a seventy…four； opened a mouth that looked capacious
enough to swallow the largest buoy anchor in the ship； and； with a
strange grating noise between a bark and a hiss； dived； and was
seen no more。
When he was gone； they all looked at one another like men awaking
from a dream。
Staines alone took it quite coolly。 It did not surprise him in the
least。 He had always thought it incredible that the boa…
constrictor should be larger than any sea…snake。 That idea struck
him as monstrous and absurd。 He noted the sea…serpent in his
journal； but with this doubt； 〃Semblemore like a very large eel。〃
Next day they crossed the line。 Just before noon a young gentleman
burst into Staines's cabin； apologizing for want of ceremony； but
if Dr。 Staines would like to see the line； it was now in sight from
the mizzentop。
〃Glad of it； sir；〃 said Staines； 〃collect it for me in the ship's
buckets； if you please。 I want to send A LINE to friends at home。〃
Young gentleman buried his hands in his pockets； walked out in
solemn silence； and resumed his position on the lee…side of the
quarter…deck。
Nevertheless； this opening； coupled with what he had heard and
read； made Staines a little uneasy； and he went to his friend
Fitzroy； and said； 〃Now； look here： I am at the service of you
experienced and humorous mariners。 I plead guilty at once to the
crime of never having passed the line； so； make ready your swabs；
and lather me； your ship's