 Millions of square miles of ocean floor have never been observed by human eyes. And so, it should not be surprising if, now and then, out of the watery depths, some new shape emerges, unless that shape happens to resemble nothing else that moves between heaven and earth. The man who told the story was Ralph Bandini, a prominent sportsman to whom deep sea fishing was both a hobby and a science. Early in September 1920, Mr. Bandini had set out on a fishing expedition in the waters of the Pacific. He had rented a boat from an old waterfront character known only as Captain Salt. And at 6.30 on the morning in question, the two men were on their way down to the docks together. I didn't know there was anybody left in the world who believed that nonsense, Captain. Tell you I've seen him with more on eyes. Well, I remember seeing a 16th century woodcut, picture of a sea serpent just like yours. Should I tell you what you really saw? What? Well, it could have been any one of a number of things. Most sea monsters turn out to be ribbon fish, or giant squids. One of the most famous ones, I'm reckon, was nothing more than a mass of seaweed. You can laugh, mister, but I'll take you out to the spot where I last went into him. Maybe he'll come up again. And if he does, we'll see who does the work. An hour later on the rear deck of Captain Salt's boat, Ralph Bandini prepared to cast his line. And then suddenly the old seaman was at his airboat. Take a look off the starboard, mister. Good lord! Bandini's eyes had followed the line of the captain's finger. Now his rod and reel fell from his hands, and his mouth dropped open in sheer amazement. For he was looking at the most monstrous animal that human eyes had ever behaved. Hand me those binoculars, Captain, and turn off the motor. Through the seven power glasses, Ralph Bandini stared at the awe-inspiring form that loomed ahead. A form that rose higher and higher out of the sea, even as he watched. The animal's barrel-shaped body was at least six feet thick. It was topped by the head of a gigantic reptile, and the head was covered with thick coarse hair. And those eyes. Lord, they must be a foot in diameter, each one of them. Heaven knows how big this thing really is. That's only a small part of his body we're looking at. What makes you think so? Well, he doesn't even rise or fall with the waves, they just hit against him and break. It's almost as if, well, as if he were standing on the ocean floor. Acting on Bandini's orders, the captain maneuvered the boat to within less than 300 yards of the animal. And the closer they came to him, the more overwhelming he seemed. And then at last, he slipped slowly and quietly beneath the waves. That was the only time Ralph Bandini ever saw the sea monster San Clemente. But other men have seen him, too. More than a hundred of them, and their descriptions of him have been almost identical. There is complete agreement that he is neither sharp nor squid nor whale, but rather an unknown form of sea life, a form incredible but true.