An account in Gloucester, Massachusetts

I, Amos Story of Gloucester, in the County of Essex, mariner, depose and say, that on the tenth day of August A. D. 1817, l saw a strange marine animal, that I believe to be a serpent, at the southward and eastward of Ten Pound Island, in the harbour in said Gloucester. It was between the hours of twelve and one o’ clock when I first saw him, and he continued in sight for an hour and half. I was setting on the shore, and was about twenty rods from him when he was the nearest to me. His head appeared shaped much like the head of the sea turtle, and he carried his head from ten to twelve inches above the surface of the water. His head at that distance appeared larger than the head of any dog that I ever saw. From the back part of his head to the next part of him that was visible, I should judge to be three or four feet. He moved very rapidly through the water, I should say a mile in two, or at most, in three minutes. I saw no bunches on his back. On this day, I did not see more than ten or twelve feet of his body. I likewise saw, what I believe to be the same animal this day, viz. the twenty third of August, A. D. 18 {7. This was in the morning, about seven o’clock. He then lay perfectly still, extended on the water, and I should judge that 1 saw fifty feet of him at least. I should judge that I was forty rods from him this day. I had a good spy-glass both days when I saw him. I continued looking at him about half an hour, and he remained still and in the same position, until I was called away. Neither his head nor tail weie visible. I lls colour appeared to be a dark brown, 11 and when the sun shone upon him, the reflection was very bright. I thought his body was about the size of a man’s body. AMOS STORY. Essex ss. Aug. 23, 1817.