Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-08-01
AN ELECTRIC EEL.

|
] was standing in the gallery Of a
house belonging TO half-pay officer,
(now a planter,) when | observed a
large jar in the garden; | enquired
what il contained, and was told, an e.
lectric eel, "but," said my friend, al
have had il a long time, il is sickly,
and has entirely lost its electrifying
powers. wentto examineit, and saw a
brown, flat-headed, broad-tailed eel.
four or five feet long, with look OF
''noli me tangere, moving slowly
round the inside of t Q Jar. The plant.
er then taking up piece Of old iron
hoop, said, in AN otf.handed manner,
''if you touch him with this, YOU will
perceive he has lost all his power" |
did SO, and was nearly knocked fiat on
my back; the shock was most severe,
though the eel did not appear to be the
least agitated; OF course my friend was
highly delighted.
Scenes of great diversion are occa.
stoned among the English sailors who
come TO Stabroek, by electric cells; they
are told to bring them TO be cooked
Jack bares his arm, and plunges his
hand into the jar, and in a moment re-
ceives shock which benumbs HIM; he
looks round in wild amazement, and
then at the eel; al! the while rubbing
his elbow. "Try again, Jack, for the
bottle of RUM" he does so. grasps the
eel firmly, grins and swears at 1.-The
beggar," receives shock after shock,
drops the eel in despair, and runs off as
if horse had kicked him. A little
dog was thrown into the jar one day,
in which there was an electric eel, and
was SO paralyzed that it sunk helpless
to the bottom, and was got out alive
with some difficulty, and horse that
attempted to drink out of the jar was
Immediately thrown back on its haunch-
es, and galloped off with name and tail
on end snorting terror.
A Short 'Story.-While, as philan-
thropists we lament the intatuation Of
those unhappy beings who are addicted
to that most beastly of all vices, intern
perance, as men d little prone to humor,
we cannot iorbear laughing sometimes
at the ludicrous blunders made by
wights who have been sacrificing too
deeply at the shrine of the 'trosy god. !"
A short time since we had occasion to
visit town not many miles distant, and
sauntering to our 10 gings, at what in
the country would be called q late hour,
| and in the city an early one, alternate
ly gazing upon the beautiful Macadam-
'zed path we were pursuing, and the
moon, which looked down upon US as
clear, as round, and as smiling, as--as
any poet or loye-stricken swain or
damsel could wish. Presently our at
tentlon was attracted by man on the
opposite side, who was acting very
strangely. After beading forward Sc
veral times until his body formed a
right angle, and then bringing himself
back again to the astute perpendicular,
he finally circnmggrated on his heel,
and pitched head foremost into the gut
/ ter. We ran to his assistance, but by
the time we hai got to him he had once
more gained his balance, and was en-.
deavouring to pick up something from
| the ground. We found he was intoxi-
Gated, Of course; and on enquiry, as
certained that he was endeavouring to
gather up the shadow OF swing sign,
which he stoutly swoIe was lis pocket
| handterchiet! The watch soon after
came along, am took him into custody.
B0s. Dai. Gdz.
| Diamond cut Diamond A six foot