To the Editor of the "Nonru-Cuixa Dam News."
Sin,—Doubtless your readers willie interested in a brief description of a large fish or sea animal that has been stranded on the shore of a branch of the Ts'ien-tang river (g¥Hh) which is famous for its tide bore.
Some two weeks ago reports came to us through the natives, of this large creature, and being interested in collect ing specimens for our college museum, one of our teachers was sent to make investigations. He was enjoined not to return empty-handed, but procure some of its bones if possible. After five days he returned, not bringing any of its bones however. Instead, he had some strips of its flesh preserved in a bottle of Chinese wine, thus freeing himself from the charge of returning empty-handed. He reported that the creature was sixty feet long; that its size was so immense, and its body already in such a state of putrefication, that it was simply impossible to disjoint any of its bones.
A still deeper interest was created by his report, so much so that a resolve was made to see it with our eyes. On Monday afternoon, the 18th, three of us cross ed over the Ts'ient'ang from Hangchow, and after a night's ride upon a coral boat reached the place on Tuesday morning at about 10 o'clock. Far in the distance the place of its loca by the flying about of crows and other flesh-eating birds, and long before reached it, we could see the massive form lying on the boundary beach.
The actual measurement of the body lying there, is fifty-six feet long, six fe-high and twelve feet and nine inches wide in its largest part. It is plain to see that the tail end has been cut off, and the natives told us that sixteen feet had been carried away, making its origi length seventy-two feet. A large portion of the body is evidently below the level of the sandy shore, andis not included in the six feet given above, It has-a large humped back and this high and' broad part is about one-third of its present length, or nineteen feet distant from its head. On the left side, as one stood facing it, there is what appears to be a large shoulder and leg, or it may be a largo fin. This also has been cut off by the natives and carried away. The bone, where it is sawed off, is round and measures twelve inches im diameter: is coarse grained and extremely tough. Tt was with difficulty a piece was chipped off with a heavy wood axe. The creature seems to lie on its side, as the corresponding leg or fin cannot he seen, The body has been much cut up by the natives, the outer surface being rich in oil, which they say burns with a brilliant light, We were told that it was dead when first seen, which was nearly two months ago. Evidently a high tide brought the creature up the river and left it on the bank as it receded.
The plice where it lies is a foot or more below the surrounding level, and there is a possibility that this deep hollow may have been made in its death struggle.
Photographs of it were procured and we hope to send you one when they are printed. An endeavour was made form an idea of its weight, by comparing it with animals whose size and weight are known. Our conclusion was that ten tons would be " small estimate.
The river where the creature is stranded is comparatively small and a branch of the Ts'ient'ang, which it enters some distance from Haiyen, and the place is fifty or sixty miles from Hangchow and six or seven from Tsooyen.
I am, ete., J. H. Jupsox.
Hangchow Presbyterian College.
25th March.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.