106 THE SEA-SERPENT li\ NORWAY- ^ 



forms a part of my collection. Although this exploit was much excel- 

 led by many, which befel me in after life, especially when I killed ray 

 first Giraffe, I remember distinctly that, at tlie time, I felt no less pleas- 

 ure. Thus it is, that in our life, every tliino- is of relative importance. 

 An eagle, killed near Paris, was at that time an epoch of absorbing in- 

 terest to me, perhaps more extraordinary than the subsequent one of 

 shooting a camelopard in the deserts of Africa. The one was a giant 

 among the birds of Europe, so the other was also among the quadrupeds 

 of its own country." F. 



THE SEA-SERPENT IN NORWAY. 



It is not the complaint but the jest of foreigners, that the inhabitants 

 of the United States have a preposterous idea of superiority to the rest 

 of the world, whether in intellectual and moral attainments, or in the 

 possession of natural ol)jects on a grander scale than elsewhere. To 

 hear ourselves talk, we mioht suppose that lofty mountains, stupendous 

 cataracts, broad rivers, tall trees, and gigantic men, occurred no where 

 but in this favored land. Yankee ingenuity is proverbial amongst our- 

 selves ; our skill in handling the rifle is a theme of national exultation, 

 while, in the art of drawing the long bow, we are above competition. 

 To our mortification we occasionally find however, that others can in- 

 vent ingenious machines; that the eye of a quadruped can be picked out, 

 at a considerable distance by European hunters; and that wondrous feats 

 are to be found recorded in extra American literature. Even in gigantic 

 monsters, recent or fossil, we have no exclusive property. The Bison is 

 represented by the European Boassus ; our Mastodon by the Mam- 

 moth; our Ilydrarchos by the Iguanodon, or, according to some, by tlie 

 great African snake, which attacked the army of Regulus; and finally 

 our much boasted Sea-serpent has its match in one of a similar nature 

 on the coast of Norway. Various accounts of tins animal are scattered 

 through the narratives of northern travelers and naturalists; that of 

 good old Bishop Pontoppidan (JYorgcs naiurligc hislorie of Erich Pan- 

 tnjypidan, 2 Deel, p. 317) is probably known to most of our readers. 

 We shall not discuss here the question of the actual existence or identi- 

 ty of these two great "snakes ;" but merely translate for our readers 

 some information, which Dr. 11. Boie, a naturalist of the very highest 

 eminence and authority, collected on this subject, while on a tour through 

 Norway, in 1817. 



" It was very interesting, to us, to learn at North llcrroe, that an in- 

 habitant of the island, (our subsequent guide to Tioloe), had only four- 



