The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-12-21
Novel Mode Of Catching Electric Eels.

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Novel Mode Of Catching Electric Eels.
In traversing the Llanas of the prov
ince of Caracas, in order to embark at
San Fernando de Apure, on his voyage
mp the Orinoco, South America, M. Bon
pland stopped at Oalabozo, his object
being to Investigate the history of the
Gymnotus, great numbers of which are
found in the neighborhood. After re-
manning three days there, some Indians
conducted him to the Cano de Bera, q
muddy and stagnant basin, but sur
rounded by rich vegetation, in which
some grand Indian figs and some mag
nifcent towering odor sreus mimosas
were pre- -eminsnt. He and his friends
were much surprised when informed
that it would be necessary to take thirty
half-wild horses from the neighboring
savannahs in order to fish for the Gym
notus. The idea of this fishing, called,
in the language of the country, embar-
bascar con caballos Intoxicating by
means of horses), is very odd. The
word barbasco indicates the roots of the
Lacquinia, or any other poisonous
plant, by contact of which a body Of
water acquires the property of killing,
or, at least, of intoxicating or stupefy-
ing the fishes. These come to the sur
face when they have been poisoned in
this manner. The horses chasing them
here and there in q marsh has. it seems,
the same effect upon the alarmed
fishes While their hosts we're ex-
planning to M. Bonpland and party
this strange mode of fishing the troop
of horses and mules had arrived, and
! the Indians had made sort of battue,
pressing the horses on all sides, and
forcing them into the marsh. The In
dians, armed with long canes and bar
poons, placed themselves round the
basin; some of them, mounting the
trees, whose branches hung over the
water, and by their cries, and still more
by their canes, preventing the horses
from landing again. The eels, stunned
by the noise, defended themselves by
repeated discharges of their batteries,
For long time it seemed as If they
would be victorious over the horses.
Some of the mules especially, being
almost stihed by the frequency and
force Of the shock, disappeared under
the water, and some of the horses, in
1 spite of the watchfulness of the In
dians, regsined the bank, where, over
come by the shocks they had undergone,
they stretched themselves at their
whole length. The picture presented,
M. Bonpland says, was now indescrib-
able. Groups of Indians surrounded
the basin the horses, with bristling
names, terror and grief in their eyes,
trying to escape from the storm which
had surprised them the cells, yellow
and livid, looking like great aquatic
serpents swimming on the surface Of
the water, and chasing their enemies,
were objects at once appalling and
} picturesque. In less than five minutes
two horses were drowned. An eel. more
than five feet long, glided under one
horse, discharged its apparatus through
7 its whole extent, attacking at once
the heart, the. viscera, and the plexui
of the nerves of the animal, probabl!
benumbing and finally drowning it
When the struggle had endured |
, quarter of an hour, the horses ant
. mules appeared less frightened, thu
names became more erect, the eyes ex
pressed less terror, the eels shunnet
in place of attacking them, at the sam
time approaching the bank, when the
we're easily taken by means of the lon
: cord, and were drawn ashore withou
y being able to communicate any shock
Having landed the eels, they were trans
: ported to little pools dug in the sol
and filed with fresh water but sue
Q is the terror they inspire that none c
the people of the country would releas
p them from the harpcon, task whic
the travellers had to perform themselves
and receive the first shock, which wa
not slight, the most energetic surpassin
in force that communicated by Ley
!, den jar completely charged. The gym
r notus surpasses in size and strength e.
the other electric fishes.
& ~ The CymhalOm.