Deerness - The "Mermaid"

 

Taracliff Bay on the south side of Deerness. CC image Christopher Hilton

 

A strange animal, it is said, has for the last few weeks been seen at intervals near Southside, Deerness, Orkney. It comes very close to the shore, and sits on a sunken rock. it has a little black head, a long white neck, and white body, shaped like a human being's, with two long arms which it waves about its head. The animal has never been seen out of the water below the waist.

From the York Herald, August 20th, 1890.

 

A THOUGHTFUL MERMAID
A correspondent writes to the Daily Telegraph:-- What is said to be a mermaid has been seen for some weeks, at stated times, at Southside, Deerness. It is about six to seven feet in length, with a little black head, white neck, and a snow-white body and two arms. In swimming it appears just like a human being. At times it will come very close inshore, and appear to be sitting on a sunken rock, and will wave and work its hands. It has never been seen entirely out of water. Many persons who doubted its genuineness now suppose it to be a deformed seal. There are always people who doubt. It is an unfailing characteristic of this scientific and sceptical age. It seems quite clear that we have at last got a mermaid - as genuine as ever was - and a most considerate mermaid too, to come waving and work its hands at the very moment when Parliament has ceased to trouble.

From the Star (Guernsey), August 21st 1890. [A cynic indicating the "silly season" I think.]

 

STRANGE TALE FROM ORKNEY. The Mermaid Again.
A strange story of the mermaid comes from Birsay, Orkney. The other day a farmer's wife was down at the seashore there, and observed a strange marine animal sitting ont he rocks. As it would not move she went for her husband. When she returned with her better half they both saw the animal clambering amongst the rocks, about 4ft. of it being above water. The woman, who had a splendid view of it, describes it as "a good looking person," while the man says it was "a woman covered over with brown hair."

At last the couple tried to get hold of it, when it took a header into the sea and disappeared. The man is confident that he has seen the fabled mermaid; but people in the district are of opinon that the animal must belong to the seal tribe. An animal of similar description was seen by several people at Deerness two years ago.
 

From the Evening Express, 16th April 1892.

 

REAPPEARANCE OF THE ORKNEY MERMAID.
The famous mermaid which appeared at Deerness about two years ago was thought to have disappeared, as a strange fish was found in a decomposed state during the winter. It has, however, again made its appearance, having been seen last week by lobster men, who were working their creels. It had a little black head, entirely white body, and long arms. What sort of a marine monster it really is is not known, but many strange stories are current regarding it.
 

From the Dundee Courier, May 3rd, 1892.

 

The Deerness "Mermaid" Shot.
Mr Reid, of Braebuster, was on Tuesday taken out and left of a rock at Deerness, in the north of Scotland, near where the mermaid has so often been seen. After a short watch, the creature began sporting about within 30 yards of him. Mr Reid got a shot at it, and was sure that it was wounded. It went off westward, but shortly afterwards returned to its old haunt, where it sank in deep water. It is thought it has been killed, and if this surmise turns out to be correct, hopes are entertained that the body will be recovered by dredging.

Yorkshire Evening Post, 23rd June 1892.

 

A CURIOSITY.
Some excitement has been created among metropolitan speculators in natural history by telegrams which have been received from a place called Deerness, in the Orkney Islands, announcing that a huge monster, which may be the Sea Serpent, has made its appearance there and created great alarm among the inhabitants. As this is an unusual time for the prodigy making its presence known, it is believed that there may be some truth in the telegrams; at all events a gentleman connected with a museum in London wired to Deerness offering a large sum for the monster, alive or dead. In the hope of gaining this reward a large number of the islanders went out on Sunday, armed with guns, ropes, and harpoons, in the hope of being able to catch it, but, unfortunately, for them, the mysterious sea-serpent did not come up to time. Some people may say that this was owing to the fact that in Scotland public-houses are closed on Sunday, while others will see in its abstention from any public display on the first day of the week a polite homage to Scotch sabbatarian susceptibilities during its stay in Caledonian waters. At all events, another telegram came to hand stating that the monster duly made its appearance in the morning and caught a large conger-ell, on which it breakfasted in sight of several crofters, who were, unfortunately, unable to catch it. The villagers and fishermen are, however, confident that if it only stays long enough on their coast they will be able to capture it and send it on to London.

From the Huddersfield Chronicle, June 25th, 1892.

 

An unsuccessful attempt was made last week to shoot the rare seal, which has become known over the county as the Deerness "mermaid". It was at first thought that the seal had been hit if not killed, but on the following day it reappeared at its old haunts apparently uninjured. Commenting upon the attempt the Scottish Leader says: - Contrary to expectations the Deerness "mermaid" appears to have survived the bullets aimed at it by the ruthless marksmen of Orkney. The curious creature has reappeared safe and sound, and has been seen swimming to and fro in its usual place. A paragraph from the district declares that another attempt is to be made to shoot the "mermaid" the first fine day. It is to be hoped that before then the unequivocal and ouspoken expression of public opinion will take effect, and that there will be no attempt at repeating an act of such gross and wanton brutality as the murder of the strange visitant to the Deerness shores. Perhaps the S.P. C.K. might do worse than keep their eyes open. The "mermaid" wants protection quite as badly as many a more ordinary animal, and the indiscriminate potting and maiming the poor beast assuredly comes within the category of cruelty.

Orkney Herald, and Weekly Advertiser and Gazette for the Orkney and Zetland Islands - 29th June 1892.

THE ORKNEY "MERMAID."
News has reached Kirkwall that the mermaid has again made her appearance at Deerness, Orkney. The creature has arrived at the same place now many years in succession, where it remains all summer, disappearing in the winter, and returning again with fine weather. Last year a large sum of money was offered for its capture, and sportsmen tried to kill it. As it struck out to sea immediately it was fired at, and was never again seen till now, it was thought it had been wounded or killed. Naturalists who have got a full description of the "mermaid" think it is an ocean seal, but for the people of Deerness, who have watched it closely for years, say it has few if any of the seal's habits, and maintain it swims like a human being. At the present time it may be observed daily, being very partial to bright sunshine, but it rarely appears on dull days.

From the Nottinghamshire Guardian, May 6th, 1893.

 

A Desirable Interview.

Mr Andrew Lang protests against the recent attempt made by some local sportsmen to shoot a mermaid in the Orkneys. The proper way to investigate a mermaid, he says, is to send a handsome young Orcadian to the mermaid's cave, and then to hear from him what happened, as far as he may honourably divulge the course of events.

Inverness Courier, 2nd June 1893.

 

REAPPEARANCE OF THE ORKNEY MERMAID.
The Orkney mermaid has caused a further sensation by appearing in her old haunts at Deerness, acompanied by a young one. During the past fortnight (says the Scotsman) both the old and the young one have been seen frequently in the vicinity by different people. The young one is of a white colour, and swims in the same fashion as the old one, by throwing its arms out in front of the head and bringing them in towards the side. The prevailing opinion amongst naturalist is that both are seals of a rare kind; but the Deerness people, who have closely watched the old one for three or four summers in succession, declare that it has none of the habits of the "sealgh," and has never been seen sunning itself on the rocks, as seals do. Last summer an attempt was made to shoot the strange visitant, when it disappeared; but this summer no one has tried to molest it.

From the Evening Express,  27th June 1893.

 

 Two Aberdonians, an uncle and nephew, who have been at Deerness during the past fortnight on holidays, had quite an adventure the other day with the mermaid. They were among the rocks hunting for crabs when they saw the mermaid and the young one coming straight towards them. The faces of the sea nymphs were so human-like and their bodies so large that the Aberdonians took flight, and scrambled up the dangerous cliffs to get a place of safety. Here they had a side view of the strange creatures, and describe them as having the appearance of monster Newfoundland dogs. The Aberdonians now declare that, whatever the creatures may be - mermaid or otherwise - they never saw their like before.

Edinburgh Evening News, 28th July 1893.

A sea monster resembling the description given of the Deerness "mermaid" has been disporting itself these last few days in the south side of Mill bay. Whether it is her ladyship from Deerness on a visit, or a relative, has not yet been determined.

Orkney Herald, 27th September 1893.

 

THE DEERNESS MERMAID.
The Deerness mermaid has again reached her old summer quarters at Deerness, Orkney, having arrived about a month earlier this year than usual. This is now the fifth season the strange creature has been observed at Deerness. In previous years it never arrived before April 26th, and has even been as late as the 2nd and 3rd of May. This time its movements have been carefully watched by a number of people in the vicinity, and they all declare they have never seen anything in the sea to which they could compare it.

From the Nottinghamshire Guardian, April 28th, 1894.

 

 A Kirkwall correspondent says: - The famous Deerness mermaid has again appeared in its old haunt, and was watched on Tuesday by many people. It went in a circle for about ten minutes, and came up in the same place again and again. It was only about a hundred yards from the shore. Spectators thought it to be a seal swimming on its back. A number of strangers from Aberdeen were on shore, and witnessed the strange fish in its gambols from the high banks. The strange appearance was freely discussed, but opinions differed very widely as to the size or species of the animal.

Buchan Observer and East Aberdeenshire Advertiser, 25th June 1895.

 

Sir, - Referring to your article in to-day's Scotsman [?] above, I may say I was resident in Orkney for several years, and had the pleasure of seeing this wonderful mermaid. The enclosed description of the creature (Which is a copy of a letter I sent to a local paper at the time) may be of interest to some of your readers.
This mermaid has taken up its quarters in the same spot year after year. Some two or three years ago a farmer in the neighbourhood shot it, but although it was apparently hit and rushed seawards at a great rate, it soon returned. A large sum of money (I forget the amount) for it, if captured alive, was offered by a Glasgow naturalist.
A Kirkwall gentleman, of a scientific turn of mind, informed me that the mermaid was a bladder-nosed seal, whatever that may be. - I am, &c. Jas. Stewart.

The following is the description referred to:-
The general colour is black, except the under parts of the neck and body, which parts appeared to me to be of a greyish-white colour. The sides of the neck are also white and covered with dark spots. The head is large and tapering towards the mouth, resembling in shape that of a polar bear. (This does away with the prevalent idea that the animal is an ordinary seal.) The neck is of great thickness, and I should say the length of the creature is not less than seven feet, and very probably it may measure more. When on the surface of the water, it occasionally turned on its back, keeping itself afloat by moving its arm like flippers much in the same manner as a man swimming on his back. This gives it the appearance of having a very long neck and a small head, and it has frequently been described as having such. As a rule it showed itself for about a minute, and then slowly sank from sight to reappear in the course of a quarter of an hour or so. On one occasion it dived under water head-first in the manner locally known as a "scarf's dive," the back and lower flippers being in turn exposed to view. For the benefit of those who may wish to see this "marine monster" in its native element. I may state that the most favourable time to get a glimpse is on a clear warm day and at high water, with the wind (if any) from the north.

The Scotsman, 29th June 1895. 

"Palace Hotel, Aberdeen, July 2, 1895.

Dear Dr Stewart, - I am here on my way home after a ten days' wanderings among the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Having had to wait for letters at Kirkwall for a day or two last week, I crossed to Deerness in the hope of getting a sight of the 'mermaid' that has been haunting a sheltered bay in that part of the island since the beginning of June. I wandered along the shores for an hour or two; having all my eyes about me, as you may guess; but her ladyship of submarine palaces and coral caves did not show herself; and as I could only remain near the spot for a single day, I had to be content with such hearsay evidence of her existence as I could pick up from two very intelligent islanders whom I met accidentally, and who told me their story in such a simple, straightforward way, that it was clear to see that they at least were persuaded in their own minds of the truth of all they had to tell me.

One of these men saw the mermaid on two different occasions. The first time she was slowly swimming along, head and shoulders above water, at a distance which he guessed to be two hundred yards away. On the second occasion, however, she was quite near the shore, not more than fifty or sixty yards away. His companion was with him on this latter occasion, and of course also saw her; and he agreed in his friend's description of her, which was as follows:-

"' The creature is a female, the sex being indicated by the mammae or breasts, which are distinctly seen when it raises itself half-way out of the sea, and when it swims or floats on its back, which last position all the observers agree it often assumes. The head and face are human-like, only that the jaws are described as protruding considerably, so that seen in profile, the face is liker that of a pug dog or ape than a human being's. The hair is black ; not long, but very abundant, as is seen wehen the creature shakes its head on coming to the surface after a long dive. Its shoulders are dark or tawny; its throat and breast, white. It uses its arms in swimming just as a human being does. It has not been heard to utter any sound. So far as the body can be seen, its size and bulk is that of a girl of 12 or 14 years of age. I asked if the creature flourished anything like a tail when in the act of diving? The reply was that it did not, because in disappearing under water, it could not properly be said to dive at all. Its way was to slowly sink out of sight, as if back downwards; its face being the last part of it to disappear.'

Such was the description of the mermaid as I picked it up at Deerness; and a gentleman with whom I afterwards foregathered at Kirkwall assured me that my description, and that which he had had a few days before from a woman whohad seen the creature on several occasions, tallied so closely as to be practically the same. Our friend, Mr Soutar, whom I met at Thurso, when I told him my story, at once exclaimed, 'Send it on to Nether-Lochaber; he is sure to have something interesting to say on the subject,' and there, my dear doctor, you have it precisely as I got it.

For a fortnight after you recieve this, my address will be the Windsor Hotel, Victoria Street, London. - With much respect and kindest regards, believe me always, faithfully yours,
J. Bruck Erskine."

Inverness Courier, 6th September 1895.

 

 The descriptions supplied by those who have seen the "Deerness Mermaid" never vary. The creature has a black head, shaped not unlike a pear, tapering in towards the body; long white arms, which it throws outwards when in the act of swimming; and a white breast. What appears to be a dark brown mane extends along the whole back. Several persons have resolved to try and shoot the monster, in the belief that it would be worth a small fortune for exhibition purposes.

Stonehaven Journal, 4th July 1895.