H G Wells

The Sea Lady H G Wells

Such previous landings of mermaids as have left a record, have all a flavour of doubt. Even the verycircumstantial account of that Bruges Sea Lady, who was so clever at fancy work, gives occasion tothe sceptic. I must confess that I was absolutely incredulous of such things until a year ago. But now, face to face with indisputable facts in my own immediate neighbourhood, and with my own secondcousin Melville (of Seaton Carew) as the chief witness to the story, I see these old legends in a verydifferent light. Yet so many people concerned themselves with the hushing up of this affair, that, butfor my sedulous enquiries, I am certain it would have become as doubtful as those older legends in acouple of score of years. Even now to many minds--The difficulties in the way of the hushing-up process were no doubt exceptionally great in this case, and that they did contrive to do so much, seems to show just how strong are the motives for secrecyin all such cases. There is certainly no remoteness nor obscurity about the scene of these events. They began upon the beach just east of Sandgate Castle, towards Folkestone, and they ended on thebeach near Folkestone pier not two miles away. The beginning was in broad daylight on a brightblue day in August and in full sight of the windows of half a dozen houses. At first sight this alone issufficient to make the popular want of information almost incredible. But of that you may thinkdifferently late