Monsters of the High-Seas

 

There's a new post from me at Mysterious Universe on those strange beasts of the oceans: sea serpents.

Actually, these particular critters are quite partial to a place I like myself: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. And it all kicks off as follows...

"The origins of Halifax, Nova Scotia date back to May 14, 1749, when one Edward Cornwallis, a Lieutenant with the British Army at the time, set sail from England aboard the HMS Sphinx. The purpose was to develop a significantly-sized new British settlement in Canada that would be a viable counter to France’s powerful and strategically significant Fortress of Louisburg. Along with Cornwallis were more than 2,500 settlers and fifteen ships, all ready for the impressive and ambitious task in-hand.

"On June 21, the fleet arrived and development duly began. It was hardly a peaceful time, however. Outraged First Nations Micmac people launched deadly attacks on the British for what they saw as flagrant disregard of an earlier treaty guaranteeing peace and, worse still, as outright theft by the Brits of Micmac land. The so-called Seven Years’ War of 1756 to 1763, in which the Micmac tribe was allied with the French, added to the large-scale turbulence and death, until, that is, victory came to Britain, and Halifax began to develop and thrive ever more.

"Today, Halifax is a busy municipality with a population of more than 400,000, and a place that, as well as very much keeping up with the times, has successfully retained its old-world charm, its rich history, and its captivating architecture that hark back to a time long past. It was also a place that, in the 19th Century, was packed with sea serpents!"