HUNTING THE JAGUAR 57 



helpless, who might he swimming near by. But I 

 found this fellow could not or would not send 

 any shock through the water. My illustrious John 

 did not know I was familiar with the characteris- 

 tics of his captive, and suggested that I touch the 

 eel, which I promptly did, and received a pretty 

 sharp shock, but not enough to warrant the 

 startled jump I gave, as I wanted to see the 

 effect it would have on the joker. This probably 

 was the greatest amusement he had had in many a 

 day, for he chuckled and laughed and went on like 

 a boy. Then we each took turns in taking a 

 shock. You could touch him anywhere and if 

 he felt like it he would give you a shock identi- 

 cally the same as that received from an electric 

 battery. The electric eel I saw in Georgetown 

 was six or seven feet long, and no doubt could 

 give a stronger shock. 



With the two Indians I took many silent walks 

 through the jungle, while they would point out 

 various game signs that were to me very interest- 

 ing, incidentally hoping we might, by sheer luck, 

 come upon a jaguar. I saw where the big cat 

 had clawed deep into the bark of some of the 

 trees a characteristic of the cat family. I 

 noticed in the clay what looked like a fresh track, 

 but John Charley laughed and pronounced it 



