Can only read pasted version of file

[Lev Tarasoff <lev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've got a data file with time and CO2 data points, and I keep getting
the following error when I access it:
---------------
 **TMAP ERR:
             Last or next-to-last record read:
149.1 5679 2342 284.7
             Data set: ./co2nat.txt
             Data file: ./co2nat.txt
---------------
This is the first line of data in the file that TMAP is complaining
about. The commands I am using are :
--------------
DEFINE AXIS/T=1:283:1 TL
DEFINE GRID/T=TL gtl
FILE/SKIP=1 /VAR="dp, Ti, Tg, pco2"/GRID=gtl co2nat.txt

DEFINE AXIS/FROM_DATA/T/NAME=Tgz Tg
--------------

However, I do not get errors when I paste the first 20 lines of data
into another file (using Xwindows) with my mouse (and set T=1:20:1 in
the above commands).  I do get errors if I extract the first 20 lines
within emacs and write them into another file.
WHAT IS GOING ON?
thanks

PS I'm running RH 6.0 linux and have:
        Program FERRET (V500beta1.1)
        Version 5.00 - 06/03/99


Lev Tarasoff -  Dept of Physics, University of Toronto,
                60 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, M5S 1A7
                Tel (416)-946-3019  Fax (416)-978-8905
                email: lev@atmosp.physics.utoronto.ca