Morris tribune., 1886-01-06
FUN IN FULTON MARKET.
An Eel That Couldn't be Held Even as
Well as an Ordinary Eel.

"Any one who lifts that eel out of
the tank may have it, said Eugene
Blackford yesterday to a crowd of per-
sons who stood in Fulton Market before
an open aquarium watching large eel
moving gracefully about in the water.
1t attracted attention h"carse it was
not a communicating eel, such as may
be bobbed for any day at low tide in
Newtown Greek. A hardy-looking
fisherman, who had probably caught
ford if he was in earnest, and being
assured that the offer was made in
good faith he tucked up the sleeve of
his pilot-jacket and after briefly ex-
planning to the crowd the precise man
ner in which an eel should be grasped
to prevent it gliding through the fin
gers he plunged his hands into the wa
ter to practically illustrate how the
thing was done. lie seized the eel
very artistica!ly, but, with Il sharp ex-
plosion of blasphemy, h. let it go again
before he had brought it 10 the surface.
The eel swan around ind!tferently. 1t
had evidently grown accustomed to
such experience. The fisherman fol-
lowed it with his eyes. sit stung me
bad" was the only explanation he
cared to offer to the wondering spec
tators. Just then whistling boy
came up, and looked at the eel because
the others were looking at it.
81 don't see any thing uncommon in
him." he said, contemptuously. 'Tve
ketched bigger ones than lhat.'
.'Say, Bob" said the fisherman,
struck with an idea, ''pick that eel out
of the tank and follow me down to
South street with it, and Ill give you
quarter" .--..4
Without stopping to make any in
quiries as to the legitimacy of the offer,
the independent lad grasped the eel.
He liberated it Immediately and uttered
a yell that brought in the policeman
who twirls his club just outside the fish
market to see what was the matter.
Later in the day many persons touch
ed the eel and tested its curious powers.
After the contact some shrieked, some
laughed, and some looked frightened,
but none essayed to NEEDLE with it
second time. Newcomers continued
to touch it, until Mr.. Blackford, fearful
that its vitality might be exhausted,
put it into a high closed tank, and
pasted this legend upon the glass:
.'Gymnotus, or Electric Eel.' The
tank contained several "hell-benders,"
and the eel shocked them very much
and caused them to spring around in
the liveliest manner. 1t was given to
Fish-C Commissions Blackford by Mr..
Donald Burns of No. III Roosevelt
street. who received it early yesterday
morning from the Amazon River.
Capt. Bears brought it with him in the
steamship Finance. He is rather a
handsome creature, and a great point
in its favor is that it keeps its mouth al
ways shut, except at meal times, and
seems to breathe through two rows. of
holes on its head and neck. It is about
two and one-half feet long, and rather
disproportionately thick. 1t has a
heavy fin, like the keel of boat,
running along the belly the entire
length Of the body. The throat is of
orange color, and the head, though
short and clumsy, is ornamented with
two little flaps that look like ears. 1t
can administer an electric shock as
powerful as that of small battery. A
manyesterday touched it with steel
fsh-knife, and he felt the shock as for
chilly as if he had touched it with his
bare fingers. York Sun.