THE JAVA GOVERNMENT GAZETTE — JULY 28, 1815
Extract of a Letter, dated Ardshcal, Argyleshire, 12th Sept. (14 miles from Fort William). Our curiosity has been greatly excited by the appearance of a Mermaid on this coast. I dare say, you will give an incredulous smile, but many we have had such distinct accounts of it, from different people, that we can have no doubt of the fact, though we are all very anxious, you, may be sure, to have occular demonstration. —The last time she was seen is nearly a, fortnight ago ; since that the weather has been very stormy. When it settles, we may have a chance of seeing, or at least having more accounts, of this strange animal, which I hope has not left our shores. It is some time since she was first seen very early one morning, by a lad, lying on the shore at a Ardsheal. He was at a considerable distance, and thought it was some person hiding himself in the sea weed, with an intention of frightening him, but on coming nearer he saw that though the upper part was like a human being, the lower part was like an immense fish. He was so frightened that he ran off ; and, when he mentioned what he had seen, people only laughed at him, and thought no more about it.
Near a month afterwards, some children were gathering blae berries, on the top of a rock immediately above the sea, about a mile further down than Ardsheal ; they thought they saw a woman drowning, and trying to get on the rock ; some of them ran home to tell, and the rest staid to see what would become of the woman as they thought ; but, on
