Subject: Merfolk
         Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 22:42:24 +0000
         From: Ray Dickenson 
           CC: "T. Peter Park" 

  Hello Peter

  That's a great piece on `merfolk' - your speculation is  interesting and the references are fascinating.
  However (always something to carp about?) I'm forced to disagree with that accepted view of Seals'
  ancestry.
 
  QUOTE
  "the Pinnipeds (seals, walruses, sea lions, sea elephants, etc.) are generally believed to have
  originally evolved from otter-like or bear-like Carnivora  
  UNQUOTE

  Reason? - A personal meeting with a wild seal that moved me at the time and has power to disturb
  me even now.
  (see << "Seals or Aliens" >> in Google for full tale)

  Setting - Shetland Isles - long lonely beach / cliffs / hills
  (mid--winter).
  A seal I waved to from beach seemingly followed around several headlands, RVing when I came
  down from a hill a mile or so west.
  Seal swam into a wild rocky inlet and right towards me. I climbed out onto a sea boulder to get
  closer and he/she swam almost to touch the rock. His / her eyes were fixed on mine until only a
  few feet away, they looked almost pleading. Whatever the ancient ancestry of that seal really is,
  I personally feel it's closer to humanity than even the most sentimental setter or spaniel dog,
  and definitely not otter or bear.

  [Afterwards I found it easier to see that all those Celtic / Nordic tales of liaisons between humans
  (male or female) and (magic) seal-folk maybe had a spiritual, if not physical, reason behind them] 

  And maybe that strengthens your own speculation. If there is a closer-than-dogs ancestor of seals,
  there _might_ (just) be still other close-to-human descendants hidden in the oceans.  
 
  cheers
  Ray D 

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