The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-10-25
Dangerous Eels.

and accepted an offer TO accompany him /
to British Guiana, journeying as far as |
the delta of the Orinoco. This river |
annually rises to height of Hfty feet. |
and covers a tract of country half as |
large as the State of New York. When |
the water subsidies it leaves large, stag
Liant pools along the edge OF the savan-
nahs that lie beyond the limit OF the |
inundation, and these pools are literally |
alive with fish, the most common vari- |
ETY. being the electric eel.
The natives are very fond OF these
fish. but have a great horror Of the Sc
we're shock they are able to communi-
cate at will, employ a peculiar method
In the capture which they call ''intoxi-
eating by means OF horses.''
During our stay in the village q
number of the natives were employed
in catching them, and 1 found the
method highly interesting. On visit
ing one OF the pools not yet disturbed,
l saw some of the fish ct rest. The
pool was about half an acre in extent,
the surface being partly covered with
aquatic growth, and floating around on
the top of the water, or near the surface
was large. yellow, almost llvid sels,
that Iesembled rather water snakes
than eels. Instead of the back being
straight as in the ordinary eel, they ap-
pesred to hump themselves, that is
to say, they drew the stomach in, maxi
ing slight arch on the back.
Lszily swimming along. they would
suddenly strsigh.en themselves out
with a jerk, and then curve the back
again. This 1 learned was the action
of producing the shock. also that its
/ habit is the reverse of that of the cat
family, for it straightens itself when
annoyed, and betokens pleasure by
keeping its body srchec. All around
the pool were marvellous growths of
| rushes, and the great Ita palms, which
gives the natives food, house, clothing,
drink and furniture.
The hunt, or capture Of the eels, be-
| gan In the early morning, soon after
/ dsybreak, so as to avoid the heat of the
MONDAY. About fifty men started out
on horseback, and surrounding num-
ber of wild horses drove them 10 pool.
The animals plunged in and commenced
swimming across.
The eels, driven from the bottom TO
the surface by the splashIng of the
horses, endeavored to defend their ter
ritory against the invaders, with the
strange means which nature has given
them. Rising to the surface they rush
ed at their foes, not to bite them, but
TO defend themselves by the discharge
OF their batteries. In and out among
the horses they swan, curving and un-
curving themselves rapidly.
The horses, crazy with .he excite
ment and the noise OF the men, and the
pains from the electric discharges from
the eels, with straining, teIror>stricken
eyes and bris.ling names sought to es-
cape from the storm that had surprised
them. Swimming to the nearest edge
they tried to land. but were driven
back by shouting natives who viciously
struck them over the head and face,
while the great eels, pursuing them &c
the edge, were speared by the harpoons,
and thrown from the points far up on
the dry soil, where other natives killed
them.
The livid color of the eels was greatly
intensified, and they were disagreeable
looking objects as they writhed and
curled in the water, while their eyes
unduly prominent when at rest, recedeC
far into tue head so as to become al,
most invisible in their rage at being
disturbed.
Once or twice q native stumbled il
his excitement oyer some obstacle, and
fell so that some portion of his naked
flesh touched squirmiug eel, and tbeI
yell was heard that left Nc
doubt that it was caused by acute
pain.
At first, comparatively few were
thrown ashore. but in short time sew
srsi of the horses, victims TO the power
of the shocks. were drowned, and grad
uslly the eels became exhausted and
seemed 10 be, as the natives said, sin
toxicated.'' They swan aimlesslS
around, and were slowly driven dowr
to a narrow part Of the pool, where
they were secured, as they lay half tor
pid in the shadows, by means OF small
harpoons and fibre nets. Those taker
in the nets. were transported TO small
holes dug in the soil, and filed with
fresh water, from which they could bs
easily taken as occasion required, Will;
those speared were intended To be used
as immediate food.
Such, however, is the terror inspired
by these fish, that the natives are yer.
reluctant to take them from the har
po0ns, or otherwise touch them unit
life has been extinct.
The electric apparatus of these fish
consists OF a series OF honeycomed look
ing cells, filed with thickish, gelatin
Gus fluid, sbundantly supplied will
nerves, and Situated between the hes
aud giIIs. The electrical organs are tw
in number, and the number of cell
varies according to the size of the fish
In one fish each organ contained fou
hundred and seventy, and in another
larger fish, ore thousand one hundre
and eighty-two. Doctor Walsh, of th
English Royal Society OF London, dem
onstrated the passage OF the electri
current from one OF these fish throug
eight persons. administering a percep
ti3le shock to each.
AS soon as the cells were dead au