150 SIIEEPSHEAD FISHING. 



people of Beaufort, I dispatched it tliither in my 

 boat, with a letter to a friend, requesting that he 

 would have it accurately weighed and measured, 

 and obtain from the savans of the place a scientific 

 description ; to facilitate which, I referred him to 

 the books on natural history in the public library ! 

 My boat returned with a letter, T)ut without the fish. 

 It stated, in substance, "that the fish measured four 

 feet eight inches in length ; four feet eight inches 

 in girth, and weighed one hundred and forty pounds 

 that the oldest sea-captain in the town had seen 

 nothing like it ; and that the scientific gentlemen 

 who had examined it, could make nothing of it, 

 except when brought on table when they had 

 enjoyed it exceedingly." So that the account of 

 the fish might stand thus : " Length, 4: feet, 8 

 inches ; girth, 4 feet, 8 inches ; weight, 140 Ibs. 

 Scientific description. ' Devilish fine eating ; sorry 

 we could not spare you a slice. 5 ' 



" Well, my lad," said I to long Jeoifrey, who had 

 taken the fish, and was not a little proud of it, 

 " what has become of your fish ?" 



" Great massy, dey eat him up, and neber gee 

 me a taste ! so berry fat too !" 



I had no Ariel at command to enter the con- 

 clave, where these sons of science sat in inquest on 

 this extraordinary fish. I am obliged to sketch 





