Giant sea monster

"On the 6th of July, 1734, there appeared a very large and frightful sea monster, which raised itself so high out of the water, that its head reached above our main-top. It had a long sharp snout, and spouted water like a whale; and very broad flappers. The body seemed to be covered with scales, and the skin was uneven and wrinkled, and the lower part was formed like a snake. After some time, the creature plunged backwards into the water, and then turned its tail up above the surface, a whole ship-length from the head. The following evening we had very bad weather."

The above is a statement of the Rev. Egede, whose journal of the Greenland mission is "a masterpiece of accuracy."