Creatures of the Deep: Sea Serpents - Part Two

Sea Serpent by Julia-Aurora

Yesterday we learned about some of the sea serpents in mythology - the Leviathan, Midgard Serpent, Hydra and Master Stoorworm.  Today we are going to look at historical accounts of sea serpents from ancient to modern times.

The earliest account of sea serpents can be traced hack to the 4th century BC, in Aristotles 'Historia Animalium' or History of Animals.  This account tells us of mariner's experieces with sea serpents near Libya.

'In Libya, according to all accounts, the length of the serpents is something appalling; sailors spin a yarn to the effect that some crews once put ashore and saw the bones of a number of oxen, and that they were sure that the oxen had been decoured by serpents, for, just as the were putting out to sea, serpents came chasing their galleys at full speed and overturned one galley and set upon the crew.'

Great Norwegian Sea-Serpent in the Sea of Darkness, by Olaus Magnus, from his History of the Northern Peoples.

According to Olaus Magnus, in his Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus or Description of the Northern Peoples, which was printed in Rome in 1555, sea serpents of around 75ft were sighted by sailors of the North in 1522.

'There is also another serpent of an astonishing size in an island called Moos, in the diocese of Hammer: which portends a change in the Kingdom of Norway, as a comet does in the whole world, as it was seen, anno 1522, raising itself high above the surface of the water and circling like a spire.  Seen from afar this serpent was estimated by conjecture to be fifty cubits long; this event was followed by the banishment of King Christiernus and by a great persecution of the Bishops; and it also showed the destruction of the country, as Isidorus tells us of the birds of Diomedes.'

Great Sea Serpent and the Maelstrom by Olaus Magnus.

Another account from the same literature tells us of sighting near Norway, where the serpent was some 200ft in length.  Note how, in both accounts, the sighting of the sea serpent is linked with the occurrence of death or banishment of royalty or the start of war. 

'They who, either to trade, or to fish, sail along the shores of Norway, relate with concurring evidence a truly admirable story, namely that a very large serpent of a length upwards of 200 feet, and 20 feet in diameter lives in rocks and holes near the shore of Bergen; it comes out of its caverns only on summernights and in fine weather to devour calves, lambs and hogs, or goes into the sea to eat cuttles, lobsters and all kinds of sea-crabs.  It has a row of hairs of two feet in length, langing from the neck, sharp scales of a dark colour, and brilliant flaming eyes.  It attacks boats, and snatches away the men, by raising itself high out of the water, and devours them: and commonly this does not happen without a terrible event in the Kingdom, without a change being at hand, either that the princes will die or will be banished, or that a war will soon break out.'

In John Josselyn's An Account of Two Voyages to New England, printed in 1674, with the voyage sighting occurring during the first voyage of 1638, we are told the following:

June the Six and twentieth day... where amongst variety of discourse they told me... of a Sea-Serpent of Snake, that lay quoiled up like a Cable upon a Rock at Cap-Ann: a Boat passing by with English aboard, and two Indians, they would have shot the Serpent, but the Indians disswaded them, saying, that if he were not kill'd out-right, they would be all in danger of their lives.'

Sea Serpents off Maine Coast

A similar reference was by Obadiah Turner, writing from Lyon, Massachusettes in September 1641, where we are told 'some being on ye great beache... did spy a most wonderful serpent a shorte way off from ye shore.  He was as big round in ye thickest part as a wine pipe; and they do affirme he was fifteen fathome of more in length...  Wee have likewise heard yt at Cape Ann ye people have seene a monster like unto this which did there come out of the sea and coil himself upon the land.'

This sea serpent later became known as Gloucester's Sea Serpent, named after a harbor just north of Boston, with sightings continuing through the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1722, Hans Egede, known for his work as a missionary in Greenland, wrote a report to the Bergen Comapany, which was published in 1729 as Det gamle Gronlands nye perlustration or A Description of Greenland.  Here he wrote of 'an enormous huge serpent and when it dived again underwater, it plunged backwards into the sea, and so raised its tail alopf, which seemed a whole ship's length distant from the bulkiest part of the body.' 

Sea serpent reported by Hans Egede

Another account of Hans Egede's encounter appears in A Full and Particular Relation of his voyage to Greenland, as a Missionary, on the year 1734, published at Kopenhagen in 1740.

'Anno 1734, July.  On the 6th, appeared a very terrible sea-animal, which raised itself so high above the water, that its head reached above out main-top.  It had a long sharp snout, and blew like a whale, had broad, large flappers, and the body was, as it were, covered with a hard skin, and it was very wrinkled and uneven on its skin; moreover on the lower part it was formed like a snake, and when it went under water again, it cast itself backwards and in so doing it raised its tail above the water, a whole ship-length from its body.'

Maned sea serpent from Bishop Erik Pontoppidan's 1755 work Natural History of Norway.

In a Natural History of Norway, Bishop Pontoppidan relates the following encounter with a huge maned sea serpent, which he had heard from Captain de Ferry:

'The latter end of August, in the year 1746... it happened when we arrived with my vessel within six English miles of the aforesaid Molde... I heard a kind of murmuring voice from amongst the men at the oars, who were eight in number, and observed that the man at the helm kept off from land.  Upon this I enquired what was the matter; and was informed that there was a Sea-Snake before us.  I then ordered the man at the helm to keep to the land again, and to come up with this creature, of which I had heard so many stories...  In the mean time this Sea-Snake passed by us...  As the Snake swam farther than we could row, I took my gun... and fire at it: on this he immediately plunged under the water...  The head of this Snake, which it held more than two feet above the surface of the water, resembled that of a horse.  It was of a greyish colour, and the mouth was quite black, and very large.  It had black eyes, and a long white mane, that hung down from the neck to the surface of the water.  Besides the head and neck, we saw seven or eight folds or coils of this Snake, which were very thick, and, as far as we could guess, there was about a fathom distance between each fold.'

Of the many sea serpent sightings and accounts from the 19th century, the most interesting comes from August 1848, when the Officer of Watch, aboard the Royal Navy Frigate HMS Daedalus spotted what he believed to be a sea serpent.  The following letter from Captain McQuhae recounts the experience.

The sea serpent spotted by the crew of HMS Daedalus in 1848.

H.M.S Daedalus
Hamoaze, Oct. 11.
Sir - In reply to your letter of this day's date, requiring information as to the truth of a statement published in the Times nespaper, of a sea-serpent of extraordinary dimensions having been seen from Her Majesty's ship Daedalus, under my command, on her passage from the East Indies, I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that at 5 o'clock PM. on the 6th of August last, in latitude 24° 44´ S. and longitude 9° 22´ E, the weather dark and cloudy, wind fresh from the N.W., with a long ocean swell from the S.W., the ship on the port tack, heading N.E. by N., something very unusual was seen by Mr. Sartoris, midshipman, rapidly approaching the ship from before the beam.  The circumstance was immediately reported by him to the officer of the watch, Lieutenant Edgar Drummond, with who and Mr. William Barrett, the master, I was at the time walking the quarter-deck.  The ships' company were at supper.

Another of the original illustrations of the HMS Daedalus encounter

On our attention being called to the object, it was discovered to be an enormous serpent, with head and shoulders kept about four feet constantly above the surface of the sea; and as nearly as we could approximate by comparing it with the length of what our main topsail-yard would show in the water, there was at the very least sixty feet of the animal à fleur d’eau, no portion of which was, in our perception, used in propelling it through the water, either by verticle or horizontal undulation.  It passed rapidly, but so close under our lee quarter that had it been a man of my acquaintance I should have easily recognized his features with the naked eye, and it did not, either in approaching the ship or after it had passed our wake, deviate in the slightest degree from its course to the S.W., which it held on at the pace of from twelve to fifteen miles per hour, apparently on some determined purpose.  The diameter of the serpent was about fifteen or sixteen inches behind the head, which was, without any doubt, that of a snake; and it was never, during the twenty minutes that it continued in sight of our glasses, once below the surface of the ater; its colour, a dark brown with yellowish white about the throat.  It had no fins, but something like the mane of a horse, or rather a bunch of sea-weed, washed about its back.  It was seen by the quarter-master, the boatswain's mate, and the man at the wheel, in addition to myself and officers above mentioned.
I am having a drawing of the serpent made from a sketch taken immediately after it was seen, which I hope to have ready for transmission to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty by to-morrow's post.
I have, &c.,
PETER M‘QUAHŒ, Capt.
To Admiral Sir W. H. Gage, G.C.B.
Devonport

'Caddy' the sea serpent was first sighted in 1892, with the following account having been printed in Port Townsend newpaper and in Key City Graphic originally:

Cadborosaurus AKA Caddy by Timothy Donald Morris

    Yesterday morning, while the steamer Monticello was coming from Angeles to this city, and when almost directly opposite Dungeness, Captain Oliver says he saw the water in the Straits lashed into foam.  Drawing near, to the surprise of the captain and all on board, a huge sea serpent, wrestling about in the waters as if fighting with an unseen enemy, was seen. It soon quieted down and lay at full length on the surface of the water. Captain Oliver estimates it to be about fifty feet in length and not less than four feet in circumference of the body. Its head was projecting from the water about four feet. He says it was a terrible looking object. It had viciously sparkling eyes and a large head. Fins were seen, seemingly sufficiently large to assist the snake through the water. The body was dark brown in color and was uniform all along. From what he says it would be capable of crushing a yawl boat and its occupants.
    As the steamer passed on its course, the snake was seen disporting itself in the water. At the time the Straits were calm, and there could have been no mistake in recognizing the object.
            Found here

In 1933 'Caddy' was given the scientific name Cadborosaurus willsi after British Columbia's Cadboro Bay, where repeated sightings had been made.  In Amphipacifica Journal of Systematic Biology, Dr. Paul H. LeBlond and Dr. Edward L. Bousfield stated that the many historical sightings and accounts of this this serpent provided sufficient evidence to conclude 'the animal is real and merits formal taxonomic description,' and gave Caddy its name.

The Sea Serpent by by Aaron-Radney

Please check out some of the awesome artists for the art on these blog posts (just follow the link below the artwork) and, if your interested in sea serpents and want more information, the following blog post is definitely worth a look.
New Page Books: Creature of the Month The Sinuous Sea-Serpent by Oberon Zell Ravenheart


 







Useful Links
The History of Animals (Historia Animalium) by Aristotle
The Natural History of Norway by Erich Pontoppidan
An Account of Two Voyages to New-England: made during the years 1638 & 1663 by John Josselyn
A Description of Greenland by Hans Egede, who was a missionary in that coutry for twenty-five years
Creatures in the Mist: Little People, Wild Men and Spirit Beings Around the World by Gary R. Varner
The New England Mariner Tradition by Robert A. Geake
The Great Sea Serpent by Antoon Cornelis Oudermans
10 Sensational Sea Serpent Sightings by Lance David Leclaire

King Arthur: The Men That Made The Legend

Many have raised the question of whether King Arthur was a real person or an entirely mythical creation.  Unfortunately there is no historical evidence that the King Arthur ever existed.  However, this doesn't mean that he and his accomplishments were merely an invention of the mind.  It's more plausible that King Arthur was a combination of many different men who existed at different points throughout history.  Let's take a look at some of the men who may be connected to the King Arthur we know today.

Howard Pyle illustration from the 1903 edition of The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

Magnus Maximus

One of the greatest figures in Britain towards the end of the Roman Empire was Magnus Maximus - the Prince Macsen, the Macsen Wledig of Welsh legend.  General Magnus Clemens Maximus was a Celt and an uncle of the Welsh King Coel Godhehog (believed to have been the Old King Cole of the nursery rhyme) by marriage.  Born to a poor Spanish family, Maximus took up a military career and served under Theodasius the Elder in Britain in 369AD and in Africa from 373 to 375AD.  He was rewarded with overall military command in Britain for his efforts, where he successfully campaigned against the Scots and Picts.

The army are said to have been very much dissatisfied with their emperor Gratian.  They were particularly jealous of the privileges given to barbarian units fighting for the emperor, which sparked disagreements between the soldiers.  This led to the British garrison revolting in 383AD, with the soldiers proclaiming Maximus as the new emperor of the west.  When Gratian marched west with his troops to meet with an usurper as Lutetia, his troops deserted him, changing their allegiance to Maximus.  Gratian fled but Maximus 'Master of Horse' caught up with him and Gratian was assasinated.

Traditional depiction of King Arthur

Maximus established his captial at Treviri, beginning negotiations with Theodasius, who reluctantly recognized him as emperor.  With this recognition, Maximus adopted the name Flavius, portraying himself as a member of the imperial house.  As an orthodox Catholic, Maximus vehemently chased down and punished heretics and pagans.

In 387AD, Maximus made his son, Flavius Victor, co-emperor and invaded Italy, successfully banishing Valentinian II, who fled with his mother to Theodasius in Constantinople.  Maximus then moved to increase his influence but was attacked by Theodasius.  In 388AD, Maximus was captured and, while he pleaded for mercy, was executed.  His sone was also captured and put to death.

Maximus's campaigns against the Picts and Scots probably inspired and influenced some of the later legends of King Arthur's own campaigns against them.

The Magic Sword, Excalibur

Ambrosius Aurelianus

While too ancient to have been King Arthur,  Ambrosius Aurelianus, sometimes referred to as Aurelius Ambrosius, was a powerful Romano-British leader in Britain.  He was well known for his campaigns against the Saxons and some have questioned whether he may have led the British forces during the Battle of Badon Hill.  The date of the Battle of Badon Hill, while disputed, is widely accepted by scholars to have taken place in around 500AD.

"How Arthur Drew his Sword Excalibur for the First Time" by Arthur Rackham

In Gildus's 'On the Ruin of Britain', he tells us that, following a colossal Saxon invasion, Aurelianus was the only person to remain calm, even having suffered the death of his family and countless Roman settlers during the attack.  As a result, Aurelianus became the commander of the survivors and led them in battle against the Saxons, winning them their first victory.

...as the poet says,—"With their unnumbered vows they burden heaven," that they might not be brought to utter destruction, took arms under the conduct of Ambrosius Aurelianus, a modest man, who of all the Roman nation was then alone in the confusion of this troubled period by chance left alive. His parents, who for their merit were adorned with the purple, had been slain in these same broils, and now his progeny in these our days, although shamefully degenerated from the worthiness of their ancestors, provoke to battle their cruel conquerors, and by the goodness of our Lord obtain the victory.

Gildas tells us that Aurelianus' parents 'were adorned with the purple,..implying that he was a descendant of Roman emperors.  While he is spoken of in Gildas' writing, we are not told who commanded during the Battle of Badon.  Many are of the opinion that Aurelianus lived in the generation before the Battle of Badon took place.

The Battle of Badon by joseanlugo

Geoffrey of Monmouth, who is regarded as somewhat unreliable, makes Aurelianus a King of Britain as well as the older brother of Uther Pendragon (Arthur's father), thus forging a connection between King Arthur and Aurelianus.  It is considered unlikely that Aurelianus commanded the British forces during the Battle of Badon, as he is believed to have been in his prime in the early 5th century.  However, his conquests against the Saxons may have influenced the modern view of King Arthur.

Lucius Artorius Castus

Lucius Artorius Castus is believed to have been a Sarmatian cavalry officer during the late 2nd and 3rd century, making him 400 years too young to have actually been King Arthur.  It's believed his deeds had an influence in the later Arthurian tales, along with the Sarmatians and their beliefs.  The theory that King Arthur was ultimately based on Castus was first suggested by Kemp Malone and was revived by C. Scott Littleton and Linda  A. Malcor in 1994.  At this point it was also suggested that the nomadic Alans and Sarmatians, who settled in Western Europe in late Antiquity, also influenced the legends.

Arthur by PhotoshopIsMyKung-Fu

All we know of Castus comes from twi Latin inscriptions which were discovered during the 19th century in Podstrana.  After a long and memorable career in the Roman army as a centurian and primus pilus, Castus was promoted to praedectus legionis of the VI Victrix, a unit based in Eboracum (York) from 122AD.  He served as third-in-command of the legion, taking responsibility for the upkeep of the legionary headquarters.  Castus was later given the temporary title of dux legionum, making him responsible for units with British associations in an expedition against an unknown enemy on the Continent.  After this he apparently became a civil governor of the province of Liburnia, where he died and was buried.

Malcor suggests that Castus first fought against the Sarmations early inhis military career.  This gave him valuable insight into their unique fighting style and led to his assignment  of command over a small group of Sarmatians based in Ribchester in 181AD.  Malcor also proposes that Castus also led these Sarmatians during a campaign against invading Cadedonians, who overwhelmed Hadrian's Wall between 183 and 185AD.  After the collapse of Castus' legion, Malcor believes that he returned to the city of Eboracum before he was sent to lead cavalry cohorts against an uprising in what is modern Brittany, then Armorica.

 King Arthur by Manzanedo

During this time, the Sarmatians were allowed to keep to their own customs, gods and traditions, which included the religious practise of worshipping a 'sword in the stone'.  They fought beneath a windsack-style banner in the shape of a dragon.  Excalibur was originally known as Caliburn meaning white steel.  A tribe of Sarmatian smiths, who were known as Kalybes, had the words chalylous meaning steel and eburnus meaning white.  Some believe that the name Caliburn comes from these two words -  chaly + burn.  Sarmatian legend also tells of a fearsome warrior who wielded an unstoppable sword which had connections with a magical water ritual, with some drawing a connection with Excalibur.  Castus himself fought on horseback beneath a dragon banner, dressed in steel armour, wielding a white-steel sword, making him sound almost medieval.

Excalibur

While some think it nothing more than coincidence, many believe that Castus' very definitive career in the military and the historical customs and traditions of the Sarmatians may have influenced and inspired events in later Arthurian literature and legend.

Riothamus

According to Geoffrey Ashe, who has studied King Arthur for around 50 years, King Arthur could have been inspired by the Dark Age ruler, Riothamus.  Riothamus is historically documented at around the right time to fit in with Arthurian legend.  He is believed to have gone on an expedition to France, on a resuce mission to help one of the last Roman emperors to fight of a barbarian army.  Arthurian legend tells us that King Arthur went to France.

Another link can be made when looking at the defeat of these two men.  Riothamus' defeat came as a result of deadly betrayal, after which he disappeared and was last seen in Avalon in Burgandy.  This gives his story a remarkable resemblence to the legend of King Arthur.   

 Voyage of King Arthur and Morgan le Fay to the Isle of Avalon by Frank William Warwick Topham (1888)

The only thing that doesn't fit is the name.  Ashe commented, 'He is recorded as Riothamus, which, in Irish, is a title meaning the High King or Supreme King.'  Some wonder if, as Riothamus is merely a title, he may have been King Arthur.  Without historical evidence, however, it is impossible to say.  But with his connection to Avalon, he may have influenced the tales of King Arthur.

Arthur ap meurig Tewdrig

This theory, first proposed in the 18th century, claims that the basis for King Arthur was a historical king of Glamorgan and Gwent: Arthur ap meurig Tewdrig.  He was a Christian based in Caerleon and died in around 575AD, with his body being taken to the coast by ship up the River Ewenny.  According to some sources, he was buried in a cave by a saint who is said to have been Arthur's cousin.  Here his body was left for many years, keeping his death a secret until his son, Morgan, was old enough to take his place.

 The Passing of Arthur

Alan Wilson and Buram Blackett claimed to have discovered a cave in a wood near the River Ewenny.  The cave itself is called Coed-y-mwstwr and has been described as a man-made cavity or grave.  The body was later buried in St. Peter's Church.  Wilson and Blackett also discovered a 5cwt sword-shaped stone bearing the inscription REX ARTORIUS FILI MARICUS, which translates to King Arthur son of Meurig.  The stone was removed to Cardiff.

While there is no historical record of the deeds Arthur may have committed during his lifetime, his basis in Caerleon and the belief that his body was removed by ship seems to link in with our legendary King Arthur.

Other Possible Links

Graham Phillips suggested that a 5th centiru king who may have ruled one of the last British strongholds may have provided inspiration for King Arthur.  During the Roman times, the four major cities were London, Lincoln, York, and Viriconium.  Where London, Lincoln and York fell to the Saxon onslaught, Viriconium remained and was ruled by Owain Ddolantgwyn.  Owain's son was known as 'The Bear'.  When looking at the modern Welsh language, which is derived from ancient British, an interesting coincidence is revealed.  The Welsh word for 'bear' is 'arth', and the Latin word is 'ursis', which leads us to 'Arthursis'.  King Arthur was sometimes known as The Bear, and some claim that Owain's son may have provided inspiration in the legend.

  King Arthur Returns Steve Roberts

Two other men possibly associated to the evolution of the King Arthur of legend are King Athrwys of Ergyng and King Arthuis of the Pennines.  King Arthur is believed to have held court at Caerleon, which was once deep in the heart of King Athrwys kingdom.  King Arthuis is said to have battled against the Picts on numerous occasions.  Some believe that, with such similar names, these men may have played their parts in the later legend of King Arthur.

While we will probably never know if King Arthur was real or totally mythical, many believe that his roots lie in historical events and men like those written here - a mixture of myth and reality and a combination of many different men who committed deeds much like those found in the legend of King Arthur.

Arthur Pendragon by MiguelCoimbra 

That's all for today.  Until next time.

Useful Resources

King Arthur: The Truth Behind the Legend by Rodney Castleden
Revealing King Arthur: Swords, Stones and Digging for Camelot by Christopher Gidlow
The Historic King Arthur: Authenticating the Celtic Hero of Post-Roman Britain By Frank D. Reno
King Arthur: Hero and Legend By Richard Barber
Magnus Maximus