ss round to the left, and closing the ends, attempted
to draw it up in the hollow cut of the rill. But by the time I had
gathered up two-thirds of the net, I felt a resistance that quite
amazed me. In short, I was not able to stand against the force I felt.
Whereupon sitting down in the rill, and clapping my feet to the two
sides of it, I exerted all my strength, till finally I became conqueror,
and brought up so shocking a monster, that I was just rising to run
for my life on the sight of it. But recollecting that the creature was
hampered, and could not make so much resistance on the land as in the
water, I ventured to drag the net up as far from the rill as my strength
and breath would permit me; and then running to the boat for my gun,
I returned to the net to examine my prize. Indeed, I had not instantly
resolution enough to survey it, and when at length I assumed courage
enough to do so, I could not perfectly distinguish the parts, they were
so discomposed; but taking hold of one end of the net, I endeavoured to
disentangle the thing, and then drawing the net away, a most surprising
sight presented itself: the creature reared upright, about three feet
high, covered all over with long, black shaggy hair, like a bear, which
hung down from his head and neck quite along his back and sides. He had
two fins, very broad and large, which, as he stood erect, looked like
arms, and these he waved and whirled about with incredible velocity; and
though I wondered at first at it, I found afterwards it was the motion
of these fins that kept him upright; for I perceived when they ceased
their motion he fell flat on his belly. He had two very large feet,
which he stood upon, but could not run, and but barely walk on them,
which made me in the less haste to despatch him; and after he had stood
upon his feet about four minutes, clapping his fins to his sides, he
fell upon his belly.

When I found he could not attack me, I was moving closer to him; but
upon sight of my stirring, up he rose again, and whirled his fins about
as before so long as he stood. And now I viewed him round, and found
he had no tail at all, and that his hinder fins, or feet, very much
resembled a large frog's, but were at least ten inches broad, and
eighteen long, from heel to toe; and his legs were so short that when he
stood upright his breech bore upon the ground. His belly, which he kept
towards me, was of an ash-colour, and very broad, as also was his breas