THE NORFOLK WEEKLY NEWS-JOURNAL — JANUARY 13, 1911
WHAT! SAW A REAL MERMAID?
New York, Jan. 10.—Scott Latham, petty officer of a Hansa line freighter, Stotzenfels, in port today from Colombo and Calcutta, is willing to lay oath to having seen real mermaids near Arabia. Mr. Latham had been studying the apparently phosphorescent properties of the Red Sea and one Sunday afternoon was deeply engrossed. Suddenly he pointed excitedly to a spot in the sea that bubbled up.
The only one present to appreciate Mr. Latham’s excitement was Mullah Bin Sarah, Malay, who is a quartermaster on the Stotzenfels, and looks after the native sailors and firemen. Mr. Latham could only shout the word “mermaid” and the old Malay, in his native lingo, said “shark.”
The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal. (Norfolk, Neb.), 13 Jan. 1911. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
