100 DEVIL FISHING. 



in Savannah, in 1824. Lesueur, who described it 

 anew from the specimen examined by Dr. Mit- 

 chell, considered it as identical with the E. giorna 

 of Lac4pede. I have carefully compared these 

 descriptions, and find too many striking dissimi- 

 larities to enable me to consider them as identical. 

 In this view I am sustained by Cuvier, in the last 

 edition of the Eegne Animal. The giorna rarely 

 exceeds fifty pounds in weight, according to Eisso ; 

 while our species is so large, that, according to 

 Mitchell, it required three pair of. oxen, aided by a 

 horse and twenty-two men, to drag it to the dry 

 land. It was estimated to weigh between four and 

 five tons. It approaches, in fact, nearer to the 

 0. Massena, of Eisso. 



"The Sea-devil, or Oceanic Vampire, as it has 

 been not inaptly named, is known to seize the 

 cables of small vessels at anchor, and draw them for 

 several miles with great velocity. An instance of 

 this kind was related to me, by a credible eye- 

 witness, as having occurred in the harbor of 

 Charleston. A schooner, lying at anchor, was 

 suddenly seen moving across the harbor with great 

 rapidity, impelled by some unknown and mys- 

 terious power. Upon approaching the opposite 

 shore, its course was changed so suddenly, as 

 nearly to capsize the vessel, when it again crossed 



