From the July 9, 1833 issue of the Newburyport Herald, selected and edited by Kaimi Rose Lum
The sch. Charles, of Provincetown, Jacob Cook, master; James M. Needham, mate, arrived here this morning, reports that yesterday, between 11 and 12 o’clock, when about one and a half miles east of Nahant, he heard a tremendous rush of water, and on looking out, saw at about 300 yards distance, an immense serpent, lying in the shape of a hoop. The circle was large enough for his schooner to lie in. It suddenly stretched itself out and appeared to be 60 or 70 feet in length, resembling a string of casks. — All hands had a distinct view of it for nearly an hour. Capt. Cook had a good glass, and could plainly distinguish the line of the serpent, with its ‘humps and hollows.’
Capt. Cook has always been an unbeliever in the Sea Serpent story. He has followed the sea for twenty years — been on a number of whaling voyages, and never saw anything similar before. He says that, had he been fitted for a whaling voyage, he would not have hesitated to have got out his boats and harpooned him. — He was within gun shot, but unfortunately had no fire arms on board.
He spoke [to] the steamer Connecticut in the afternoon, and told Capt. Porter if he kept a good look out he would probably see him. … The Connecticut steered accordingly, and very soon, not one Sea Serpent alone, but three, some say four, appeared in sight. All the passengers saw these monsters on the deep, with their own eyes, distinctly and clearly. — One of the passengers who had a good view says that one of the serpents was one hundred feet in length, with a head partly in the form of a snake and partly in the form of a pickerel. Some say this largest serpent was yet longer. Another of the serpents was judged to be about 90 feet long. One threw his body out of water about 50 feet in a spiral undulatory motion, which formed at times upon a calm sea a beautiful dark arch. During a portion of this time, one of the serpents was thought to be distant about thirty rods. And before and after this near approach, they could be seen for some time with a glass. The serpents seemed to enjoy the sport, and played around the boat for some time —perhaps they took it for another Serpent in or on the deep, and were seeking for an introduction.
Of all these facts, we are informed by many persons, verbally by one, upon whom we can rely —and who has hitherto been incredulous enough. We do not, we cannot doubt the testimony of so many persons, in a steam boat, upon a quiet sea, with the power of stopping and following the objects of their curiosity whithersoever they pleased.
