In the Wake of the Sea-Serpents

In the Wake of the Sea-Serpents 

by Bernard Hevuelmans

a book review by Tony Gerard

Bernard Hevuelmans led an interesting life. Born to Belgian parents living in France, he was a professional jazz singer, an explorer and above all a scientist. He is considered the "father of cryptozoology", but don't be put off by that label. Unlike the pop culture promoters of bigfoot, chupacabra and other monsters, Hevuelmans was a scientist. He had a doctorate in Zoology from the university of Brussels and was a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London. His contention was that if the local people of an area had stories and legends of an animal seemingly unknown to science there might be a basis in truth behind those stories.

In the Wake of the Sea Serpents is an exhaustive tome. One chapter is devoted to the Giant Squid, but the rest all focus on unknown sea creature reports which could be considered sea serpents. Hevuelmans gathered all the sea serpent sightings he could find up to 1965 and analyzed each. After winnowing out those he considered hoaxes and misidentifications of known creatures he found that the majority of the rest fell into a limited number of descriptive types. He speculates on the existence of seven different types of scientifically unknown sea creatures the majority of which are mammals.

This is not a book of hair raising stories. Many accounts are rather dry. Typical is the ship’s log of the General Coole on  August 1, 1786. In the Atlantic northeast of the Azores it reports - " A large snake passed the ship; it appeared to be 16 or 18 feet in length and 3 or 4 feet in circumference, the back of a light ash-colour and the belly thereof yellow".

The book can sometimes become tedious because it is such a thoroughly sober and objective discussion of the phenomenon, but I personally found it fascinating. Plenty of yarn material for Acastas here! No other book has examined sea serpents in such detail. Published in French in 1965, the English edition was published in 1968.  Although it has not been reprinted I found several hardcover copies available for under $30.

sea serpent sighting of the HMS Daedalus in 1847

From the Medical Library

OF THE BILIOUS FEVER.

When a continual, remitting, or intermitting fever is accompanied with a frequent or copious evacuation of bile, cither by vomit or stool, the fever is denominated bilious. In Britain the bilious fever generally makes its appearance about the end of summer, and ceases towards the approach of winter. It is most frequent and fatal in warm countries, especially where the soil is marshy, and when great rains are succeeded by sultry heats. Persons who work without doors, lie in camps, or who are exposed to the night air, are most liable to this kind of fever.

If there are symptoms of inflammation at the beginning of this fever, it will be necessary to bleed, and to put the patient upon the cool diluting regimen recommended in the inflammatory fever. The saline draught may likewise be frequently administered, and the patient's body kept open by clysters or mild purgatives. But if the fever should remit or intermit, bleeding will seldom be necessary. In this case a vomit may be administered, and, if the body be bound, a gentle purge; after which the Peruvian bark will generally complete the cure.

*In the year 1774, during winter, a very bad species of this fever prevailed in Edinburgh. It raged chiefly among young people. The eruption was generally accompanied with a quinsey, and the inflamnatory symptoms were so blended with others of a putrid nature, as to render the treatment of the disease very difficult. Many of the patients, towards the decline of the fever, were afflicted with large swellings of the submaxillary glands, and not a few had a suppuration in one or both ears.

In case of a violent looseness, the patient must be supported with chicken broth, jellies of hartshorn, and the like; and he may use the white decoction for his ordinary drink. If a bloody flux should accompany this fever, it must be treated in the manner recommended under the article Dysentery.
When there is a burning heat, and the patient does not sweat, that evacuation may be promoted by giving him, three or four times a day, a tablespoonful of Mindererus's spirits mixed in a cup of his ordinary drink.

If the bilious fever be attended with the nervous, malignant, or putrid symptoms, which is sometimes the cafe, the patient must be treated in the same manner as directed under these diseases.

After this fever, proper care is necessary to prevent a relapse. For this purpose the patient, especially towards the end of autumn, ought to continue the use of the Peruvian bark for some time after he is well. He should likewise abstain from all trashy fruits, new liquors, and every kind of flatulent aliment.

Images of life at sea

Click to enlarge.

I shall challenge you my fair Acastas, to capture 'images of your life aboard our little ship'. The above is my first entry, my latest letter from Capt. Freymann. My papers sit atop my little folding Spinet desk where I do a great deal of my work.

The Pirates Laffite

The Pirates Laffite 

By William C Davis

A brief book review by Tony Gerard

At well over 400 pages of text and copious footnotes , this book is a serious historical research text. I now feel I have a basic grasp of how the New Orleans pirate/privateer trade worked and who the major players involved were. It is a relentless chronology of political, economic and military moves which involved the Laffite brothers, Pierre and Jean. It reminds me of history books written in the early 20 century, and by that I mean it’s dry reading. 

I’ve got to confess, I didn’t finish the book. That makes it one of less than 10 books I’ve ever started in my life that I didn’t finish. After about 1819 or so I just no longer had any interest. Even the chapter on the Battle of New Orleans (which I have a lot of interest in) had not much to keep my attention. Maybe I just expected more about speculation about what life was like among the Baratarians, or about the social life of the Laffites. Maybe Davis is just too good a historian to speculate to make a book interesting.

It’s kinda like if Joe Friday (I know I’m showing my age here) wrote a history book. “Just the facts, Ma'am.”

From the Medical Journal 3

Nathaniel Drury, aged 20
Carpenter's Mate;

Disease or hurt:
Cuts on and about the face

Taken ill, 19 September at Sea,
North American Station

Discharged to Duty, 20 September.

Mr. Drury was brought in after being found near senseless by his hammock. His face, neck and hands were bloody, cut and bruised in a manner that would seem to suggest that he had been in a fight, Drury is small and slight of frame and I have I heard reports that he is oft teased for his size. After applying plasters to his cuts, he came around enough for me to ply him with a little brandy to help him recover his wits. I attempted to discover the name or names of the men who had beaten him, Drury took the brandy, but refused to divulge the names of the men who had gotten a hold of him. He insisted that he had not been fighting, but instead had fallen down the steps from the Orlop. I reminded Mr. Drury that rendering himself unfit for service was a serious offense, but his story remain'd firm.

I have submitted my report about Drury's injuries with the Captain, with a personal suggestion to grant Drury leniency, as it is my belief that he is covering up for the true culprits in an attempt to prevent future beatings.

Lieutenant's Log

On the North America station: Cloudy with mist today. We were unable to take the noon sightings. Wind out of the Nor East and steady. With luck the Captain will order the exercising of the guns before the first dog watch.

From the Medical Journal 2

Robert Sampson, 
Seaman;

Disease or hurt:
Compound fracture, taken ill
2 January at sea. Died later that day.

Unfortunately this evening about five o'clock while the people were reefing the topsails, (a) block strap of the maintopsail gave way and by the sudden driving threw several of the people off the yard. They all got into the top with little damage unless the poor man whose case I am now detailing. He fell down on the quarter deck, (there being no splinter netting in this ship which would have saved Him) near the Sky Light. Both thighs and the left arm were badly fractured. The left thigh was a compound fracture; about three Inches of the femur was propelled thro' the instrumentson the outside nearly about midway between the knee and head of the femoris. This portion had ruptured the femoral artery and dreadfully lacerated the contiguous muscles and by the violence of the fall was left sticking upwards of an inch and a half in the deck it was afterwards dug out with a mallet & chissell. As soon I accurately ascertained the extent of the of the injury he received, with the assistance of Mr. ___________, we proceeded to take off the left thigh and then replaced the fractured ends of the other thigh and left arm with proper Bandages & splints. From the time he fell he never spoke; but he was apparently quite sensible. We got him to bed and exhibited a codial draght, but his pulse gradually sunk and he expired almost imperceptibly at nine o'clock. He lost a good deal of blood before the operation from the artery being wounded but not so much as to endanger life. -- The Injurys he had sustained independant of concussion rendered his case a hopeless one.

 Originally Recorded by: Mr. John _______ , Asst. Surgeon, HMS Dryad, 1827-1828