Sightings of Mermaids & Water Spirits

"...In presence of Duncan Campbell Esq., Sheriff-Substitute of the district of Kintyre, compeared Katherine Loynachan, daughter to Lachlan Lonychan, herd in Ballinatunie, who, being examined and declared, That on the afternoon of a Sunday, about three weeks ago, she was herding cattle for her father at the seaside. That, as she was turning towards home and being at the time very close to the seaside, she observed some creature sliding upon its belly, off one of the rocks very near her, into the sea; that she observed this creature had a head covered with long hair of a darkish colour; That after sliding from the rock, it dissapeared under the water again, about six yards further out, and turned about with a face to the shore, where the declarant was standing, and having laid one hand, which was like a boy's hand, upon another rock that was near the first rock it came nearer to the shore than it was: That at this time the declarant saw the face of it distinctly which had all the appearance of the face of a child and as white, and at this time the animal was constantly rubbing or washing its breast with one hand, the fingers being close together. Declares that, after this animal continued to look towards the declarant for about half a minute, it swam about and dissapeared, but in a very short time appearing above the water again, and swimming away south towards the farm of Corphine, but soon after disappeared, and the declarant saw it no more. Declares that she thought it was a boy that had fallen out of a vessel passing by, and was swimming inshore for his life upon which she went home in a hurry and told her mother what she saw at the shore as aforesaid..."
-Duncan Cambell, Sheriff-Substitute

"...at a time when no ship was in sight, fishermen found in the sea, quite naked, a youth aged about twenty, 'very fair and beautiful'. They placed him on the sands, where he lay writhing with incredible suppleness. The fishermen fetched an official, but the youth would talk to no one in any tongue; 'he only looked wildly at them, and coiled his limbs about in the sand.Then, as the crowd increased, he wound his way towards the brink of the sea and with one bound slipped into the water and disappeared; he was never seen again. It must have been a merman..."

"...a monster resembling a siren, caught near the island of Borne, or Boeren, in the Department of Amboine. It was 59 inches long, and in proportion as an eel. It lived on land, in a vat full of water, during four days seven hours. From time to time it uttered little cries like those of a mouse. It would not eat, though it was offered small fish, shells, crabs, lobsters, &c..."

"...as evidence that there are monsters in nature resembling this Siren, I may say that I know for certain, that in the year 1652 or 1653 a lieutenant in the service of the Company saw two of these beings in the gulf, near the village of Nennetelo, near the islands of Ceram and Boero, in the Department of Amboine. They were swimming side by side, which made him presume that one was male, and the other female. Six weeks after they reappeared in the same spot, and were seen by more than 50 persons. These monsters were of a greenish grey colour, having precisely the shape of human beings from the head to the wais, with arms and hands, but the bodies tapered away. One was larger than the other; their hair was moderately long..."

"...the village of Brockwin is on the Gloucestershire side of the River Wye, where the river is still tidal. In past days, salmon were caught in nets, stretched between two boats, which converged, making a bag. A pair of boats was out, steered by two fishermen. One noticed, as the net was closing, that an enormous fish had been caught. Being very excited, he went so quickly to close the bag that he pinched the tail of the strange fish between the boats. The fish "up-ended", as it were, and proved to be a very angry mermaid. She broke free, and told the culprit that "very few of his descendants would die in their beds"..."

"...some fishermen near this City drawing their net ashore, a creature leap'd out, and ran away very swiftly; not being able to overcome it, they knock'd it down by throwing sticks at it. At their coming up to it, it was dying, having groan'd like a human creature: Its feet were webb'd like a duck's, it had eyes, nose, and mouth resembling those of a man, only the nose somewhat depress'd; a tail not unlike a salmons, turning up towards it's back, and (it) is 4 feet high. It was publicly shown here..."

-Experts from, "Sea Enchantress: The Tale of the Mermaid and Her Kin", by Gwen Benwell and Arthur Waugh.

If you have seen mermaids or water spirits, please e-mail me so I may post them on this page. Click on the image below to go back to Mermaids and Water Spirits.


Sightings of Mermaids & Water Spirits "...In presence of Duncan Campbell Esq., Sheriff-Substitute of the district of Kintyre, compeared Katherine Loynachan, daughter to Lachlan Lonychan, herd in Ballinatunie, who, being examined and declared, That on the afternoon of a Sunday, about three weeks ago, she was herding cattle for her father at the seaside. That, as she was turning towards home and being at the time very close to the seaside, she observed some creature sliding upon its belly, off one of the rocks very near her, into the sea; that she observed this creature had a head covered with long hair of a darkish colour; That after sliding from the rock, it dissapeared under the water again, about six yards further out, and turned about with a face to the shore, where the declarant was standing, and having laid one hand, which was like a boy's hand, upon another rock that was near the first rock it came nearer to the shore than it was: That at this time the declarant saw the face of it distinctly which had all the appearance of the face of a child and as white, and at this time the animal was constantly rubbing or washing its breast with one hand, the fingers being close together. Declares that, after this animal continued to look towards the declarant for about half a minute, it swam about and dissapeared, but in a very short time appearing above the water again, and swimming away south towards the farm of Corphine, but soon after disappeared, and the declarant saw it no more. Declares that she thought it was a boy that had fallen out of a vessel passing by, and was swimming inshore for his life upon which she went home in a hurry and told her mother what she saw at the shore as aforesaid..." -Duncan Cambell, Sheriff-Substitute "...at a time when no ship was in sight, fishermen found in the sea, quite naked, a youth aged about twenty, 'very fair and beautiful'. They placed him on the sands, where he lay writhing with incredible suppleness. The fishermen fetched an official, but the youth would talk to no one in any tongue; 'he only looked wildly at them, and coiled his limbs about in the sand.Then, as the crowd increased, he wound his way towards the brink of the sea and with one bound slipped into the water and disappeared; he was never seen again. It must have been a merman..." "...a monster resembling a siren, caught near the island of Borne, or Boeren, in the Department of Amboine. It was 59 inches long, and in proportion as an eel. It lived on land, in a vat full of water, during four days seven hours. From time to time it uttered little cries like those of a mouse. It would not eat, though it was offered small fish, shells, crabs, lobsters, &c..." "...as evidence that there are monsters in nature resembling this Siren, I may say that I know for certain, that in the year 1652 or 1653 a lieutenant in the service of the Company saw two of these beings in the gulf, near the village of Nennetelo, near the islands of Ceram and Boero, in the Department of Amboine. They were swimming side by side, which made him presume that one was male, and the other female. Six weeks after they reappeared in the same spot, and were seen by more than 50 persons. These monsters were of a greenish grey colour, having precisely the shape of human beings from the head to the wais, with arms and hands, but the bodies tapered away. One was larger than the other; their hair was moderately long..." "...the village of Brockwin is on the Gloucestershire side of the River Wye, where the river is still tidal. In past days, salmon were caught in nets, stretched between two boats, which converged, making a bag. A pair of boats was out, steered by two fishermen. One noticed, as the net was closing, that an enormous fish had been caught. Being very excited, he went so quickly to close the bag that he pinched the tail of the strange fish between the boats. The fish "up-ended", as it were, and proved to be a very angry mermaid. She broke free, and told the culprit that "very few of his descendants would die in their beds"..." "...some fishermen near this City drawing their net ashore, a creature leap'd out, and ran away very swiftly; not being able to overcome it, they knock'd it down by throwing sticks at it. At their coming up to it, it was dying, having groan'd like a human creature: Its feet were webb'd like a duck's, it had eyes, nose, and mouth resembling those of a man, only the nose somewhat depress'd; a tail not unlike a salmons, turning up towards it's back, and (it) is 4 feet high. It was publicly shown here..." -Experts from, "Sea Enchantress: The Tale of the Mermaid and Her Kin", by Gwen Benwell and Arthur Waugh. If you have seen mermaids or water spirits, please e-mail me so I may post them on this page. Click on the image below to go back to Mermaids and Water Spirits.

	Suggested Reading: Mermaids: Nymphs of the Sea Sirens: Symbols of Seduction
	Celedriel Celedriel2@aol.com