96 On the supposed Welch- Indians. 



cendants are some of the present tribes*. That 

 Celtic words should be found among the Americans, 

 when Celtic words are found almost every where 

 else, is not, I think, to be wondered at." 



XV. Experiments on the Gymnotus Elect ricus, or Elec- 

 trical Eel, made at Philadelphia, about the year 1770, 

 by the late Mr. Rittenhouse, Mr. E. Kinners- 

 ly, and some other gentlemen. Communicated to 

 the Editoro/ this Journal, by Mr. Rittenhouse. 



August 17ih. WE drew off part of the water 

 wherein the fish lay, leaving not quite enough to 

 cover him, and placed the vessel on an electric stand. 

 Over it we suspended, by silk lines, a thick brass 

 wire, about twenty inches long, with a bullet screwed 

 on at each end. Two pith balls were suspended on 

 this wire, and a brass chain, at the lower end of 

 which was a ball of cork, with several sharp brass 

 points. These points were brought down low enough 

 to touch the fish ; and a person, on another electric 

 stand, with his cane moved the fish towards the 

 points, and made it touch them frequently : but the 

 pith balls did not separate, nor any signs of electricity 

 appear. 



* Very considerable fragments of the Celtic dialects are still 

 preserved in America; particularly, if I do not mistake, among 

 the Nanticok es and the Katahba, or Katawbas— February 19th, 



I 105. 



