THE SOUTHERN SENTINEL — MARCH 8, 1851
A MERMAID—A Glasgow paper relates that in the hyperborean village of Shieldaig, on the Western shores of Scotland, a lady appeared the other morning, whose visit is likely to throw the sea serpent into the shade. A number of women had risen pretty early, as their custom is to go for fuel to the Gascon, when the attention of one was attracted by a number of seamews which were hovering and screaming near the church. On a further inspection, she discovered a lady sitting on the rock, with a comb and glass in her hand, singing one of her madrigals in a plaintive voice, and duly pointed her out to the others, who all maintained that they saw the strange apparition. The probability is that this mermaid was of the Razaay white seals, which are known to sit frequently on rocks during the night, uttering plaintiff sounds ; but so superstitious are the fishers that not a single boat has put to sea since.
Southern Sentinel. volume (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]), 08 March 1851. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
