The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-26
Electricians of Nature.

In recent stress OF weather, trading
schooner Mailing from the Upper Anna
zon, and bound to New York, put in at
Hilton Head for water, and the curiosity
of throng of darkies was aroused by q
monkey and several parrots, and they
fairly overran the vessel until the skip
per's patience was on the ebb. At length
one fellow lifted the cover of FIVE
gallon tin can full of water that was
dashed to the fore-side of the galley, and
asked, What you got, we're, bossP'
They're a couple of Chinese cells, y
said the cook, looking out Of his house,
and tipping wink to the skipper, who
was sitting on the rail.
''Dat's Jest my business, boss" said
the darkey, while the others gathered
around. I'm de boss trader for she'd
ders an cells dis side of Newbern."
''These amt scrubs like you find
around here" said the cook.
"Look here, boss; dis place beats de
world for eels,' the darkey retorted. II
tired one de oder day over three feet
long"
"Oh, you're talking about minnies.
They wouldn't count them as cells in
China 1t takes man to handle Chi
ma eel. don't believe you could lift
one from the can"
dispose you don't wan t to bet on dat?"
the boss eeler asked.
oval. Idon't mind" the cook replied,
reaching under his apron and bringing
out dollar.
The darkies held consultation and
scraped a dollar together, which was put
in the shippers hands. Rolling up what
sleeves he had. the champion bent over
the big can and began feeling around as
the water was too muddy to see anything.
''Dey amt nothinto be so brash about,
he said as he came across something ut
the bottom Stan back dere."
Keeping one hand on his find, he put
in the other hand and took hold. There
was a splash in the can, and with a yell
the darkey jumped into the air, with his
ewes sticking out of his head, and his
arms rigid and fastened to an eel that was
more than feet in length. He roared
like bull, until the eel squirmed out of
his hands and fell into the water, when
the darby staggered back and rushed to
the pier, followed by his astonished
friends.
Whats the matter?" the cook cried but
the ''boss tredder" had disappeared.
The "China cells" we're pair of elec-
trio els-Gymnotus-that we're on their
way to a Boston al uarium and the darky's
feelings may be imagined when it is
known that as soon as he touched the
fish with both hands and completed the
current he was struck with shock equal
to IL Leyden jars Of $500 square inches
of surface. The power is confined to four
generations Of fishes, and the Gymnotus
is the most powerful. In the upper Brazil
country they are used to facilitate the
capture of wild horses. A herd is sur
rounded and driven to the stream or lake
containing the cells into which the fright
ened animals rush, stamping on the fish
many of which are large as a mans leg
and six feet in length, that in defense
throw out their shocks of electricity, &c
completely benumbing the horses that
they are easily caught. The cells also ex
haust their powers, and are captured
with comparative safety, rallying again
however, in few hours.
In speaking of the method of its Civ
ing shocks, Professor Owen says tina
the most powerful shocks are felt wher
one hand grasps the head and the othe
the tail. The most pain is felt at thu
wrists, the elbows and across the back
It has also been demonstrated by tn
galvanometer that the direction Of tn
electric current is always from the an
terror parts of the animal to the posterio
PARTS, and that the person touching th
fish with both hands receives only th
discharge of the parts Of the organs in
cluded between the points Of contact