Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-09-13
Torpedo Catching.

The Cornwall correspondent Of Land
and Water writes. as follows
6 A torpedo in fine condition was
caught last week III a ground seine.--
The lerath OF the fish was four feet five
inches, breadth five feet two inches,
and weight over cighty~two poanassszI
was present when the fish was enclosed,
and had the opportunity of seeing the
creature exert its electrical power. The
first sign we had of electrical Influences
being at work in the seine was the ac-
tion OF sutnullet; which darted from
the bottom of the Seine on to the sur
face of the sea, and considerable dis
tance out of water, just like an active
pilchard or q herring The oldest fish
ermens0 OF the closest student of natural
history here had t1evsr known the sur
mullet to perform such feat before
and we believe it can only be account
ed for by the presence of the torpedo.
In drawing up the bag ] recognized
him, but refrained from any remarks,
being anxious to watch results, ofwhich
I soon had al opportunity. In the bag
also were about two hundred cuttles,
two hundreu surmullets, and one hun
dred hollocks, and a few specimens OF
several varieties of fish AS you may
imagine, there was no small confusion
among this far from happy family
When the bag was frightened for land
ing the cuttles were especially annoy
ing, every one being busily engaged
squirting liquid sepia. In the black
sred waters the torpedo was lost sight
OF for some time After some of the
fish had been taken III The boat the
sides of the creature were seen, and
one Of the men most active IN clearing
the bag at once gnpped hold of him.
It was only for an instant he held him,
as a charge of electricity was suddenly
sent by the fish all through his fingers
and up his arms. A puzzled expression
could be seen on the features OF the
man, he having no conception it was
possible for q fish to give him such
sensations vet he could not tell what
was the matter with his hands. Again
the torpedo was lost sight of. Soon
after it's tail was seen by the same per-
son, who took hold of it and drew the
fish into the boat Whether the fish
could not electrify by means OF It's tail,
or whether it refrained from his powers,
[ cannot tell. No sort Of electrlal eX-
preston was felt while the creature was
held by it's tail. When it was safe IN
tbs boat one of the men trod heavily on
it to kill it this was the only attempt
made TO do so, for the fish told all Its
own story by making the man scream,
and such was. the strength Of the dis
charge that it caused q numbness IN his
/ leg for twenty minutes after. L found
the feelings caused in the human body
by the electricity from this fish were
/ very much the same as being electrified
by an ordinary electrical maehlne.-
When the fish discharged It's battery
the muscles on the surface OF It's body
were suddenly contracted. i have rea
! sons for believing that this fish hae
discharged much of It's electrical powe.
ere it was brought to the surface, as
4 have ore61table witnesses who had
( like ray in q bag on similar occasion
the shocks of which were so violent a
to knock the menfotff their legs. In TIA
4 boat were ten men, and ere the fish wa
secured each man had his turn on al
/ tours in the bottom of her. It took
whole night TO capture it, and the con
I sternation and excitement caused b,
it's first shocks among the men were S
\ ludicrous it would take an abler Pc
than mine to relate the story