AFRICA. 4^^ 
came and fwam round our vefiel. It differed 
from the common ray, however, In the fliape 
of its head, which, inftead of being pointed, 
formed a crefcent, and from the extremities 
-of the femicircle iffued two arms as it were, 
which the failors called horns. They were 
two feet wide at the bafe, and only five inches 
at the extremity. This monfter they told 
me was called the fea-devil. 
A few hours after, we faw two others with 
this, one of , which was fo extremely large^ 
that it was computed by the crew to be fifty 
or fixty feet wide. Each fwam feparately, 
and was furrounded by thofe fmall fifh which 
ufually precede the fhark, and which are there^ 
fore called by feamen pilot-fifh. Laftly, all 
three carried on each of their horns a white 
fifh, about the fize of a man's arm and half a 
yard long, which appeared to be ftationed 
there on duty. 
You would have fald they were two fentl- 
nels placed to keep watch for the fafety of the 
animal, to inform hirn of any approaching 
danger, and to guide his movements. If he 
approached too near the vefTel, they quitted 
their pofts, and, fwimming brifkly before, led 
him 
