Richard Muirhead is an old friend of the CFZ. I have been friends with him for 40 years now, since we were kids together in Hong Kong. He is undoubtedly one of the two best researchers I have ever met; he and Nigel Wright both have what Charlie Fort would have no doubt called a wild talent; a talent for going into a library, unearthing a stack of old newspapers, and coming back with some hitherto overlooked gem of arcane knowledge. Twice a week he wanders into the Macclesfield Public Library and comes out with enough material for a blog post..
Here are two new stories,both of a marine nature.The first seems totaly inexplicable...You must decide!
"A Triton - On the 31st of July {1812] an extraordinary animal was seen by five fisherman, in the creek of Port Mesin(?)(Murbian) Its shape resembled that of a man. It had arms, and the bust was completely human, but the lower part terminated in a fish`s tail. Its head was bald, with the exception of fore parts, on which was a bunch of black hair, and another bunch was perceptible upon the chin. The seafaring people who have sent us these particulars, had time to observe the monster at their leisure;it was within half a musket shot of the shore, between two boats, but they were afraid of it, and did not go any nearer"
"A Triton - On the 31st of July {1812] an extraordinary animal was seen by five fisherman, in the creek of Port Mesin(?)(Murbian) Its shape resembled that of a man. It had arms, and the bust was completely human, but the lower part terminated in a fish`s tail. Its head was bald, with the exception of fore parts, on which was a bunch of black hair, and another bunch was perceptible upon the chin. The seafaring people who have sent us these particulars, had time to observe the monster at their leisure;it was within half a musket shot of the shore, between two boats, but they were afraid of it, and did not go any nearer"
(From a French Paper) Macclesfield Courier. September 5th 1812 p.2
"An enormous fish,believed to be a grampus,(1) was caught off Brighton...The havoc which this stupendous sea monster(which measures in length upwards of 31ft,and is nearly 16ft in girth)made in the herring nets that entangled it,cannot be repaired for a sum so moderate as £50,but already triple that amount has been made from its exhibition at 6d per head. The weight of the fish is computed to be from 5 to 6 tons;and the oil of it,if properly extracted, it is imagined will be worth from £100 to £150. "
"An enormous fish,believed to be a grampus,(1) was caught off Brighton...The havoc which this stupendous sea monster(which measures in length upwards of 31ft,and is nearly 16ft in girth)made in the herring nets that entangled it,cannot be repaired for a sum so moderate as £50,but already triple that amount has been made from its exhibition at 6d per head. The weight of the fish is computed to be from 5 to 6 tons;and the oil of it,if properly extracted, it is imagined will be worth from £100 to £150. "
Macclesfield Courier November 14th 1812.p.3
(1) Grampus is an alternate name for the orca, the white whale, and various species of porpoise.
First one must be a dougong/manatee surely?
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