READING about people from around the world joining in the recent mass Nessie hunt I was reminded of a passage in Nathaniel Philbrick’s fascinating book In the Heart of the Sea (2000). It tells the true story of the sinking in 1820 of the Nantucket whaler Essex by an enraged sperm whale and the 90-day ordeal in the Pacific in small boats of the escaped crew, with only eight of the 20 surviving – and that with resort to cannibalism. The whale attack part inspiration for Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.
WATCH: Possible video footage of Nessie following major search of Loch Ness
Philbrick writes of the speculation in Nantucket wharves and shipping offices the previous year about the appearance of a comet – which generally presaged an unusual happening. And not just about the comet. All spring and summer, he adds, there had been sightings up and down the New England coast of what was described as “an extraordinary sea animal” – a serpent with black, horselike eyes and a 50-foot body resembling a string of barrels floating on the water. “Any sailor ... must have wondered, if only fleetingly, if this was, in fact, the best time to be heading out on a voyage around Cape Horn.”
CS Lincoln
Edinburgh
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel