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A Battle of Monsters

           "Theotherisaplesiosaurus(almostlizard),aserpent,armouredwiththecarapaceandthepaddlesofaturtle;heisthedreadfulenemyoftheother."

           Hanshadspokentruly.Twomonstersonlywerecreatingallthiscommotion;andbeforemyeyesaretworeptilesoftheprimitiveworld.Icandistinguishtheeyeoftheichthyosaurusglowinglikeared-hotcoal,andaslargeasaman’shead.Naturehasendoweditwithanopticalapparatusofextremepower,andcapableofresistingthepressureofthegreatvolumeofwaterinthedepthsitinhabits.Ithasbeenappropriatelycalledthesaurianwhale,forithasboththeswiftnessandtherapidmovementsofthismonsterofourownday.Thisoneisnotlessthanahundredfeetlong,andIcanjudgeofitssizewhenitsweepsoverthewaterstheverticalcoilsofitstail.Itsjawisenormous,andaccordingtonaturalistsitisarmedwithnolessthanonehundredandeighty-twoteeth.

           Theplesiosaurus,aserpentwithacylindricalbodyandashorttail,hasfourflappersorpaddlestoactlikeoars.Itsbodyisentirelycoveredwithathickarmourofscales,anditsneck,asflexibleasaswan’s,risesthirtyfeetabovethewaves.

           Thosehugecreaturesattackedeachotherwiththegreatestanimosity.Theyheavedaroundthemliquidmountains,whichrolledeventoourraftandrockeditperilously.Twentytimeswewerenearcapsizing.Hissingsofprodigiousforceareheard.Thetwobeastsarefastlockedtogether;Icannotdistinguishtheonefromtheother.Theprobablerageoftheconquerorinspiresuswithintensefear.

           Onehour,twohours,passaway.Thestrugglecontinueswithunabatedferocity.Thecombatantsalternatelyapproachandrecedefromourraft.Weremainmotionless,readytofire.Suddenlytheichthyosaurusandtheplesiosaurusdisappearbelow,leavingawhirlpooleddyinginthewater.Severalminutespassbywhilethefightgoesonunderwater.

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