The Sea Serpent, as Sighted by the Ship …

Scarce c.19th engraving of the Sea Serpent seen by John Hart on the Sacramento.

This is a correct sketch of the serpent seen by me while on board the ship Sacramento, on her passage from New York to Melbourne, I being at the wheel at the time. It had the body of a very large snake ; its length appeared to me to be abou. 50ft. or 60ft. Its head was like an alligator’s, with a pair of flippera about 10ft. from its head. The colour was of a reddish brown. At the time Been it was lying perfectly still, with its head raised about 3ft. above the surface of the sea, and as it got 30ft. or 40ft. astern it dropped its head,—John Hart

From the original edition of the Australasian Sketcher.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 914558
State Library New South Wales: REF1/MAV/FM4/9236-9239
State Library Victoria: PCINF AS 06-09-73 P.104