18 VIEWS OF NATURE. 



its nervous organs at one shock in a favourable direction. 

 It was once found necessary to change the line of road from 

 Uritucu across the Steppe, owing to the number of horses 

 which, in fording a certain rivulet, annually fell a sacrifice 

 to these gymnoti, which had accumulated there in great num- 

 bers. All other species of fish shun the vicinity of these for- 

 midable creatures. Even the angler, when fishing from the 

 high bank, is in dread lest an electric shock should be conveyed 

 to him along the moistened line. Thus, in these regions, the 

 electric fire breaks forth from the lowest depths of the waters. 



The mode of capturing the gymnotus affords a picturesque 

 spectacle. A number of mules and horses are driven into a 

 swamp, which is closely surrounded by Indians, until the 

 unusual noise excites the daring fish to venture on an 

 attack. Serpent-like they are seen swimming along the sur- 

 face of the water, striving cunningly to glide under the 

 bellies of the horses. By the force of their invisible blows 

 numbers of the poor animals are suddenly prostrated; others, 

 snorting and panting, their manes erect, their eyes wildly 

 flashing with terror, rush madly from the raging storm; but 

 the Indians, armed with long bamboo staves, drive them back 

 into the midst of the pool. 



Bv degrees the fury of this unequal contest begins to 

 slacken. Like clouds that have discharged their electricity, 

 the wearied eels disperse. They require long rest and nou- 

 rishing food to repair the galvanic force which they have so 

 lavishly expended. Their shocks gradually become weaker 

 and weaker. Terrified by the noise of the trampling horses, 

 they timidly approach the brink of the morass, where they arc 

 wounded by harpoons, and drawn on shore by non-conducting 

 poles of dry wood. 



Such is the remarkable contest between horses and fish. 

 That which constitutes the invisible but living weapon of 

 these inhabitants of the water — that, which awakened by the 

 contact of moist and dissimilar particles (43), circulates through 



