These regions were at such an immense distance
below me that I could obtain but a very indistinct view of the
inhabitants, who were very numerous and exceedingly active. Near the
surface of the earth, and as it seemed to me but a little distance
from my bed, I saw four or five sturdy, resolute devils endeavoring to
carry off an unprincipled and dissipated man in the neighborhood, by
the name of Brown, of whom I had stood in terror for years. These
devils I saw were very different from the common representations. They
had neither red faces, nor horns, nor hoofs, nor tails. They were in
all respects stoutly built and well-dressed gentlemen. The only
peculiarity that I noted in their appearance was as to their heads.
Their faces and necks were perfectly bare, without hair or flesh, and
of a uniform sky-blue color, like the ashes of burnt paper before it
falls to pieces, and of a certain glossy smoothness."
"As I looked on, full of eagerness, the devils struggled to force
Brown down with them, and Brown struggled with the energy of
desperation to save himself from their grip, and it seemed that the
human was likely to prove too strong for the infernal. In this
emergency one of the devils, panting for breath and covered with
perspiration, beckoned to a strong, thick cloud that seemed to
understand him perfectly, and, whirling up to Brown, touched his hand.
Brown resisted stoutly, and struck out right and left at the cloud
most furiously, but the usual effect was produced,--the hand grew
black, quivered, and seemed to be melting into the cloud; then the
arm, by slow degrees, and then the head and shoulders.
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