A LITTLE ONE.
A tiny merchild, scarcely two feet in length, caught in 1759, was exhibited that year at the fair st St. German. It was very active in the vessel in which it was kept, fed freely on bread or small fishes, and while feeding looked earnestly at the spectators—a peculiarity that was variously interpreted by those who watched its movements. Although a female, the features were ugly, the skin was harsh, the ears large, and the tail was covered with the regulation scales.
The coast of Scotland, in the early part of the present century, was very good fishing grounds for mermaids, and had it been worked properly some fine specimens might have been captured. As it is, we are not without evidence of good catches in that quarter. Elizabeth Mackay, daughter of Rev. David Mackay, was
VERY CIRCUMSTANTIAL.
In her account of one that she and her cousin saw in 1809; The face of the pretty creature was round and plump ; the nose was small, the eyes a light blue, and the cheeks a bright pink. The hair, “of a greenish oily cast,” way very abundant, and at times the waves washed it about the creature’s face in a manner to annoy her ; nor was this the only thing that caused her annoyance, for a bird hovered about her head, as though disposed to light there, which kept her waving her long and slender arms and well proportioned but webbed hands to baffle its efforts. This was on the 25th of May, and on the 9th of the following June a schoolmaster, one William Munro, of Truros, saw a
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mermaid that resembled the above. He had the advantage of seeing the figure more exposed, for she was seated upon a half-submerged rock, engaged in the only known occupation of mermaid—that of combing her brown locks, which fell in waves over her rounded shoulders. But her eves were gray and not blue, which raised a doubt whether it was the same mermaid that Miss Mackay had seen some days before. When the creature saw that she was observed by the schoolmaster she modestly slipped down into the water.
THE SOBER EARNEST.
The Glasgow Philosophical Society took up Miss Mackay’s published letter, and, after discussing it, applied to her father for confirmation of what she had stated, and to know it he could give any further particulars ; to which he replied that, to the best of his knowledge and belief, the mermaid, as described, had been seen by members of his family.
In 1811 a mermaid was seen at Kintyre, on the coast of Scotland, and those who witnessed its movements thought proper to make affidavit of what had come under their observation. In some respects their account is unique. The upper part of the creature had all the characteristics of a well formed and well-grown mermaid, but the scaly tail, of a brindle or reddish-gray color, widened out at the extremity into the form of a fan, twelve or fourteen inches in width, which kept up a tremulous motion save and except when it was folded up, and then it remained quiescent, but for a short time.
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