THE PACIFIC COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER — OCTOBER 23, 1856
SEEING THE MERMAID!—A reliable Eastham correspondent states that a week or two ago, as Mr. H. S. Dill and Mr. Ben Higgins, were going off the flats on the flood tide in their large boats, blue-fishing, when about three quarters of the way down the flats they discovered a fish of a very singular appearance on the bottom in about five feet of water. The fish started when they were about fifteen yards from it ; when about fifty yards from them, it protruded its head out of the water—to use the expression of Mr. Higgins, “he did not believe anything would look so much like a woman.” It looked straight at them, and had scales on its face like the back of an alligator. The features of the face were made for beauty, but the cerebellum was what Fowler calls a Judas Jr., firmness terribly developed, with the other qualities wanting.
If there ever was a mermaid, they say they have seen one. It appeared to be about fifteen feet long, of a very whitish color, except the tail, that was nearly black. When it moved it went face downward, but turned over (the side coming out of the water,) when it put its head out, which made it exactly face towards them ; it put its head out twice, and they had a perfect view of it, and no living person can convince them but that they have seen a mermaid.—Yarmouth Register.
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands). 23 Oct. 1856. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
