"We were on the way from Penarth to Santos with 6,000 tons of coal," said Mr. Murray. "The second day out, when about 500 miles from port, I was on the bridge shortly after 2 p.m., when my attention was attracted to the Greek sailor, who was at the wheel. He was staring at something in the water, and his eyes seemed to be bulging from their sockets.

"I glanced in the direction and saw a sight that nearly set my hair on end. There, swimming along parallel with the steamer, was a monstrous lizard or sea serpent. I don't know what it was, but it was a great moving fish or animal. It appeared to be as big as a whale, and the commotion it made led me to think that it was propelling itself by enormous claws.

"But the water was in turmoil for nearly 300 feet, which disclosed its length. The part of the leviathan that was visible was dark green in color, with heavy scales not unlike in appearance to the hide of an alligator. A saw-like ridge extended along the back, and I should judge the body of the monster was fully as large as a whale.

"I immediately noted it in the scrap log, giving the location in latitude and longitude. Later I transferred the record to the permanent log book. I have been going to sea for a great many years, but I never, in my experience, saw anything like it."